The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Eastern Illinois
No. 3/4 Softball preview: NCAA Austin Regional
05.14.2025 | Softball
Texas set to host third consecutive, ninth all-time NCAA Softball Regional
AUSTIN, Texas – For the 20th consecutive completed season, The University of Texas softball program will participate in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship as the Longhorns host the NCAA Austin Regional that will begin at 1 p.m. CT on Friday, May 16, when third-seeded Michigan and second-seeded UCF take the field at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
NCAA AUSTIN REGIONAL SCHEDULE:
Friday, May 16
Game 1 – No. 3 Michigan (38-19) vs. No. 2 UCF (33-22-1), 1 p.m. CT – ESPN2
Game 2 – No. 4 Eastern Illinois (34-20) vs. No. 1 Texas (46-10), 3:30 p.m. CT – ESPN+
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 12 p.m. CT
Game 4 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2:30 p.m. CT
Game 5 – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 5 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 3, 12 p.m. CT
Game 7 (if necessary) – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 2:30 p.m. CT
TELEVISION:
Eric Frede and Madison Shipman will serve as the broadcast talent throughout the entire three-day regional.
Michigan and UCF's Friday afternoon matchup can be seen on ESPN2, while EIU and Texas will be available to stream on ESPN+. Saturday's television designations will be determined upon the conclusion of Friday's action, while Sunday's will be set after the end of Saturday's games.
RADIO:
Andrew Haynes can be heard with the radio call of Friday's Texas game on KVET-AM 1300 "The Zone," while all Longhorn action can also be heard at https://texas.leanplayer.com/.
SERIES HISTORY:
- UCF and Texas were slated to be conference opponents for multiple seasons after the Knights joined the Big 12 Conference, but the Longhorns changed course and joined the Southeastern Conference.
- Despite the conference realignment, though, Texas took a three-game Big 12 series from UCF in Orlando, Fla., in late March 2024, when the Longhorns won 5-0, 4-2 and 3-1.
- A potential matchup between Texas and UCF this weekend would mark the first time the two softball programs have played a game against each other outside the Sunshine State.
- The Knights took the first-ever meeting between the two on Feb. 19, 2022, when UCF won, 15-10, in Clearwater, Fla.
- A potential meeting this weekend would mark the first time UCF has ever played Texas in Austin.
- Michigan holds a 4-10 all-time record against Texas with the Longhorns having won three of the last five, including the last on Feb. 29, 2020, when UT knocked off the Wolverines, 1-0, in Fullerton, Calif.
- Texas has never won back-to-back games over Michigan.
- In fact, neither team has won back-to-back games in the series history since Michigan took a 2006 meeting (2-0) and followed it with a 6-2 win in Austin in 2008.
- The Longhorns hold only one victory over the Wolverines in games played in Austin: a 3-0 win on Feb. 23, 2018.
- Michigan has won four of the five all-time meeting with Texas in Austin.
- Both teams have not scored in the same game since a 2014 matchup in Fullerton, Calif., which was four meetings ago.
- Furthermore, both teams have not scored in the same game in Austin since Feb. 15, 2008, when Michigan earned a 6-2 victory.
- Texas has never won back-to-back games over Michigan.
- Eastern Illinois and Texas have met only once on a softball diamond, where the Panthers picked up a 5-1 victory in Charleston, South Carolina on March 16, 2018.
LEADING OFF:
- Entering Friday afternoon's game, Texas will be riding a seven-game winning streak in NCAA Regionals.
- The Longhorns have not lost a NCAA Regional game since May 22, 2022, when they dropped a 2-1 contest at then-No. 11 Washington in Seattle.
- Under seventh-year head coach Mike White, Texas is 16-3 all time in NCAA Regional contests.
- Texas softball head coach Mike White, as a collegiate softball head coach, has never failed to advance to a NCAA Super Regional.
- White, in his 16th season, will be looking to advance to his 15th NCAA Super Regional in his 15th attempt.
- There was no opportunity to achieve the feat in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- White, in his 16th season, will be looking to advance to his 15th NCAA Super Regional in his 15th attempt.
- With five hits throughout this weekend's action, Ashton Maloney would become just the fourth student-athlete in program history with 80-or-more hits in a single season.
- Maloney would join Janae Jefferson (92 – 2022; 80 – 2019), Lindsay Gardner (83 – 2000) and Reese Atwood (80 – 2024).
- With three walks during Texas' games this weekend, Reese Atwood would become just the fifth student-athlete in program history with 40-or-more walks in a single season.
- Atwood would join Taylor Hoagland (73 – 2013; 42 – 2011; 41 – 2012), Desiree Williams (49 – 2009), Devon Tunning (41 – 2015) and Taylor Thom (40 – 2014).
- If Texas scores at least one run during its first three games on the weekend, the Longhorns will have scored at least one run in 90 consecutive games, marking the first time in program UT has accomplished the feat.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
