The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Wednesday, February 16
Austin, Texas
4 p.m. CT
University of Texas
vs
McNeese State
No. 11/9 Softball preview: vs. McNeese State
02.15.2022 | Softball
The Longhorns prep to host the Cowgirls in their 2022 McCombs Field home opener
No. 11/9 Texas (4-1) vs. McNeese State (5-0) | Feb. 16 | Red & Charline McCombs Field, Austin, Texas
Schedule:
Wednesday, February 16
4 p.m. McNeese State vs. #10/8 TEXAS
Location: Austin, Texas (Red & Charline McCombs Field)
Ticket Information: LINK
Live Stats: LINK
Television: Slated for broadcast on Longhorn Network and WATCH ESPN with Alex Loeb (play-by-play) and Cat Osterman (color): LINK
Radio: Texas' games this season are 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 105.3 FM as part of the Austin Radio Network supported by the flagship radio station of the Longhorns, 104.9 FM The Horn.
Base Knocks:
- Texas enters Wednesday's match-up against McNeese State with a 22-3 all-time record in home openers. UT has won seven straight McCombs Field lidlifters dating back to a 4-2 loss to UTSA on Feb. 12, 2014.
- The Longhorns have come up with the theme of "One More = 390" for this season. The belief is that by doing ONE MORE of everything...one more rep in the weight room, one more hitting drill, taking one more ground ball in practice, etc., that effort will help the team break through again to make the program's sixth 390-mile trip to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series (first since 2013). You'll often see the players wearing special t-shirts with the theme on the back during pregame warm-ups!
- The Longhorns are 2-0 all-time against McNeese State, including 1-0 in Austin. Last season in Lake Charles, La., Texas erupted for four runs in the top of the seventh to rally past the Cowgirls, 5-2.
- Senior transfer pitcher Hailey Dolcini wasted no time making a strong impression in the Burnt Orange & White during her debut weekend. The Ferndale, Calif., native shutout No. 15/14 Clemson while going 2-0 from the circle with a 1.08 ERA, two complete games and 16 K's over 13 innings. She also reached the 600-career strikeout mark while striking out 12 vs. FGCU as part of her 17th career double-digit K effort.
- Overall, Texas' pitching staff got off to a solid start last weekend at FGCU, posting a 1.27 team ERA (second in Big 12) with three shutouts (fourth in NCAA Division I) and 28 strikeouts over 33 innings. Transfer pitchers Hailey Dolcini and Logan Hulon each tossed complete-game shutouts in their Texas debuts. Hulon even took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Boston College before settling for a two-hitter.
- In three seasons under head coach Mike White, Texas is 104-8 when scoring three-or-more runs in a game, 102-10 when out-hitting its opponent, 85-9 when scoring first and 51-8 when scoring during the first inning.
- Softball America put three Longhorns on its various preseason All-American Teams. Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson was tabbed to the first team, while junior pitcher Shea O'Leary and senior transfer pitcher Hailey Dolcini were named to the second and third teams, respectively.
- Senior second baseman Janae Jefferson, senior catcher/first baseman Mary Iakopo and junior pitcher Shea O'Leary were three of just 12 total players named to the inaugural Preseason All-Big 12 Conference Team.
- Softball America listed five Longhorns among its 2022 Preseason Top 100 player rankings: No. 6 Janae Jefferson, No. 27 Shea O'Leary, No. 31 Hailey Dolcini, No. 73 Mary Iakopo & No. 94 Lauren Burke.
- D1Softball released a Top 150 national player ranking prior to the start of the 2022 campaign with six Longhorns cited: No. 12 Janae Jefferson, No. 44 Hailey Dolcini, No. 66 Lou Gilbert, No. 71 Mary Iakopo, No. 85 Shea O'Leary & No. 105 McKenzie Parker.
- Texas senior second baseman Janae Jefferson and senior transfer pitcher Hailey Dolcini were included as two of 50 student-athletes named to the 2022 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. Both players were top 25 finalists for the prestigious award during the 2021 campaign.
- Texas is certainly challenging itself schedule-wise during the 2022 season as the Longhorns are slated to play 27 total games against 14 teams ranked or receiving votes in the 2022 USA Today/NFCA preseason poll. That includes the entirety of the top 5: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Florida State & No. 5 Oklahoma State, as well as No. 14 LSU, No. 15 Clemson, No. 21 Arizona State and No. 23 Louisiana. Texas will also battle "teams receiving votes" in UCF, Minnesota, Auburn, Notre Dame and Iowa State.
- Coming off a 43-14 record in 2021, a No. 12 final ranking in the ESPN.com/USA Softball & USA Today/NFCA polls and an appearance at the NCAA Stillwater Super Regional, Texas is returning 10 players that appeared in at least 30 games (six appeared in at least 40 contests and four in at least 50 match-ups) and 13 total letter winners that combined to total 68% of the runs, 66% of the hits, 53% of the doubles, 86% of the triples, 59% of the HR's, 59% of the RBIs, 68% of the walks and 77% of the stolen bases from last season's program-record-setting offense (.342 team avg. - third in NCAA Division I) as well as 47% of the team's pitching victories and 51% of the pitching strikeouts.
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball