The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Wednesday, February 24
Austin, Texas
5 p.m. CT
University of Texas
vs
Texas State
No. 7 Softball preview: Texas State
02.23.2021 | Softball
The Longhorns finally prep to open their 2021 home schedule against the Bobcats
No. 7 Texas (2-0) hosts Texas State (2-0) | Feb. 24 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Wednesday, February 24
5:00pm Texas State vs. #7 TEXAS – LONGHORN NETWORK
TEXAS CLEAR BAG POLICY: Please note that there is a Clear Bag Policy in effect for fans when attending Texas Athletic events. For more details, please visit this LINK
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: Due to limited capacity at home softball games this season, no individual tickets will be sold.
Live Stats: LINK
Television: Slated for broadcast on Longhorn Network and WATCH ESPN with Alex Loeb (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (color).
Radio: Texas' game is scheduled for radio broadcast via web stream with Andrew Haynes on the call via this LINK. The Texas broadcast can also be heard locally on 101.9 FM and 1260 AM as part of the Austin Radio Network supported by the flagship radio station of the Longhorns, 104.9 FM The Horn.
Base Knocks:
- With 198 career hits, junior second baseman Janae Jefferson is quickly approaching the 200-hit mark. She would become the 11th all-time Longhorns player to reach 200 career hits and now trails all-time Texas leader Brejae Washington (2011-14) by 56 hits.
- After two games, Texas currently ranks sixth in NCAA Division I in batting average (.412). From a doubles-per-game standpoint, the team rates third in the nation (3.0) while sophomore Colleen Sullivan is second in NCAADI at 1.50.
- Texas has now started at least 2-0 overall for the fourth consecutive season and for the 22nd time in program history dating back to 1997.
- The Longhorns have scored in the first inning and out-hit each of their first two opponents in 2021. Since the arrival of head coach Mike White prior to the 2019 campaign, Texas is an impressive 63-9 when out-hitting an opponent and 28-4 when scoring in the first inning.
- If you see a Texas HR leave the park during a game, it almost always means victory for the Longhorns under the guidance of head coach Mike White. Since the beginning of the 2019 campaign, the Burnt Orange & White are 37-5 when hitting at least one HR in a game and a perfect 2-0 so far in 2021.
- The Longhorns love getting off to a quick start under head coach Mike White. Texas is a perfect 2-0 when scoring first in 2021 and an impressive 54-5 when putting the initial run up on the board since the start of the 2019 season.
- Texas owns an INCREDIBLE season-opening winning streak dating back to the initial varsity season for the program in 1997. The Longhorns have won ALL 25 of their season openers, including high-profile wins over No. 3 UCLA (2007), Florida State (2009), No. 20 DePaul (2010), Louisville (2011) & No. 17 LSU (2014). During that stretch, Texas has registered 16 shutouts & outscored opponents by a combined 169-13. The streak grew during the 2021 season as UT knocked off Wichita State in the Scrap Yard Blizzard Challenge, 8-0 (5 inn.).
- Texas returned 15 total letter winners from the 2020 squad that finished the COVID-19 abbreviated campaign at 24-3 overall and No. 1 in the final Softball America poll (No. 3 in the NFCA and USA Softball polls), while also leading NCAA Division I in batting average (.376) and doubles (62). Combined, Texas returned 75% of the runs, 80% of the hits, 79% of the doubles, 67% of the HR's, 74% of the RBIs, 74% of the walks and 86% of the stolen bases from last season. From a pitching standpoint, the Longhorns brought back three hurlers who combined for 13-of-24 total wins, 15-of-27 total starts, six-of-10 total shutouts & 89-of-173 total innings pitched during the 2020 campaign.
- Softball America listed four Longhorns among their 2021 Top 100 National Player Rankings: No. 12 Janae Jefferson, No. 72 Lauren Burke, No. 86 Mary Iakopo & No. 97 Molly Jacobsen.
- Softball America also listed Jefferson (No. 4), Burke (No. 22) & Iakopo (No. 24) among their top 25 returning juniors, while rookie pitcher Ryleigh White was rated No. 19 in the top 25 freshmen listing.
- Texas is facing a daunting schedule in 2021 as the Longhorns will now play 20 total games against eight teams ranked or receiving votes in the 2021 USA Today/NFCA preseason poll. Three of those squads were rated in the Top 10: No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 LSU and No. 9 Louisiana. Texas will also battle No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 20 Mississippi State and No. 22 Baylor as well as two teams receiving votes in North Texas and Texas Tech.
- Texas junior second baseman Janae Jefferson, junior utility player Mary Iakopo and sophomore pitcher Shea O'Leary were included as three of 50 student-athletes named to the prestigious 2021 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. With its three total selections, Texas tied Arizona, Mississippi State and Oklahoma for the fourth-most combined nods in the nation, trailing only UCLA (six selections), Alabama (four) and Washington (four).
- Texas welcomed three new additions to its coaching staff for 2021 as former Ball State head coach (and Notre Dame standout) Megan Ciolli Bartlett joined as an assistant coach, while former Alabama pitcher Courtney Gettins became the volunteer assistant coach. Former Liberty player Keely McMillon also took over the program's Director of Operations role.
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball