The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Forty Acres Insider: May 13
05.13.2026 | Forty Acres Insider
Important news happening in and around Texas Athletics compiled by Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte
Longhorn Nation,
The Tower stayed lit again last week — celebrating our conference-leading SIXTH SEC CHAMPIONSHIP this year and, of course, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS' GRADUATING CLASS OF 2026. Softball took the SEC Tournament by storm, stampeding to the title and raising that trophy high in Lexington. Meanwhile, back in Austin, nearly 100 student-athletes joined their UT classmates in walking the stage and receiving their precious diplomas at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, with our very own Colt McCoy providing sage words of advice as commencement speaker. You can check out that and the full commencement ceremonies on the LHN app. Men's Tennis gave us even more to cheer about, winning its Super Regional, advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, and remaining laser-focused on a National Championship. Texas Fight, Texas Fight, Yeah Texas Fight!
your SEC Tournament champions, y'all 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/fnapY7VeUN
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 11, 2026
Let's get those Horns Up — WE'RE RIGHT BACK AT IT THIS WEEK. Fresh off the SEC Tournament title, the NCAA Championship bracket was unveiled on Sunday, and our hotter-than-fish-grease Softball squad earned the field's No. 2 overall seed. That means our defending National Champions will begin their Road to OKC in the Austin Regional right here in the friendly confines of Red & Charline McCombs Field, starting with Wagner on Friday (3 p.m. CT/ESPN+) — where y'all can bring the heat and provide the home field advantage you've delivered all season long. But wait, there's plenty more. Women's Golf is competing for a spot in the NCAA Championships at the Chapel Hill Regional as we speak. Men's Tennis heads to Athens to face Baylor on Thursday (9 a.m. CT) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament — marking the sixth time in the last seven NCAA Tournaments that Coach Berque and our squad have reached at least the Elite Eight. Baseball hosts its final SEC series of the season vs. Missouri on Thursday through Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, while Track and Field heads to Auburn for the SEC Outdoor Championships. It's championship season, and as always, the pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas is on full display!
the No. 2 national seed 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/3GZpUErRIN
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 10, 2026
Speaking of that winning-rich Longhorn pride and tradition, Softball's SEC Championship made it SEVEN Conference Crowns for our Longhorns this year — including SIX SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS, the most of any conference school (with the seventh coming from Beach Volleyball's MPSF title). That makes it 16 Conference Championships — including a conference-best 14 SEC titles — over the last two years. How about that for the Eyes of Texas shining on all that hardware! And the best part —we're not done yet! As y'all know, the standard is the standard around here, my friends!
Texas has a league-leading 6️⃣ SEC Championships this year — and 7️⃣ Conference Championships overall, including Beach VB's MPSF Title 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
— John Bianco (@UT_Bianco) May 11, 2026
Over the last 2 years, our Longhorns have claimed:
1️⃣6️⃣ Conference Crowns
1️⃣4️⃣ SEC Championships — MOST of any program 🤘🏻🔥 pic.twitter.com/RHgCDZOenG
Our defending National Champion Softball squad certainly knows the standard — and understood the assignment last week at the SEC Tournament in Lexington. Coach White and our Horns earned a double-bye as the No. 4 seed, then proceeded to literally STAMPEDE THEIR WAY TO THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP. First came a 6-0 quarterfinal shutout of Ole Miss. Then it was Viviana Martinez delivering a dramatic walk-off two-out single to fuel a thrilling 5-4 win over No. 13 Georgia. And finally, an all-around dominant performance in a 7-1 dismantling of No. 3 Alabama in the Championship Game. Tournament MVP Teagan Kavan led the way with 12 strikeouts in the title game, while our offense belted out 13 hits, including a blast from SEC Player of the Year Katie Stewart. Leighann Goode, Viviana Martinez, and Jaycie Nichols joined Kavan on the All-Tournament Team, but this was truly a total team effort — one that delivered our first conference tournament title since 2005. That championship run, combined with our incredible 42-10 record, earned our Horns the No. 2 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Now we get to bring the postseason party right back home to McCombs Field. Y'all have been absolutely incredible all season long, and we know you'll be really fired up to help us get the Road to OKC rolling this week. See you at the Yard!
woke up champs 😉#HookEm pic.twitter.com/glxWdf3Qks
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 10, 2026
Coach Berque's No. 2-seeded Horns did their thing, too, continuing to THRIVE AND ADVANCE — taking down all challengers with eyes on the prize. Our squad stormed into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Championship on the heels of three decisive home-court wins by a combined score of 12-1 over the past two weeks. That stretch was capped by Friday's Super Regional Championship-clinching 4-1 victory over San Diego at the Texas Tennis Center. And wow, the atmosphere was absolutely En Fuego for that one. Y'all showed up big-time and delivered the juice, and our guys responded in spades. We can't thank you enough for that incredible support — on Friday, and all season long. Talk about an elite program — this marks SIX trips to the Elite Eight in that last SEVEN NCAA Tournaments. Now our Horns head to Athens, Georgia, seeking a trip to the Final Four for the fourth-straight year and sixth time in that seven-tournament stretch — a run highlighted by the 2019 National Championship. The mission continues Thursday morning against a familiar foe in Baylor (9 a.m. CT). For Coach Joffe and No. 9 Women's Tennis, it was a sixth-straight Sweet 16 appearance before the season came to an end with a 4-2 loss at No. 8 NC State last week.
super regional champs 🏆🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/pM5B12br3u
— Texas Men's Tennis (@TexasMTN) May 9, 2026
NCAA ACTION IS UNDERWAY for Coach Ianello and No. 5 Women's Golf, who opened play on Monday as the No. 1-seed at the NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill, N.C. Our Horns have been outstanding during the first two rounds of the regional, including a program-best 18-hole score on Tuesday, and finish play today in the 12-team field, with the top five teams punching their tickets to the NCAA Championships — hosted by us at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. (May 22-27). Our women's squad is aiming for a 10th-straight trip to the NCAA Championships — a streak equaled by only a handful of elite programs nationally. We join USC, Stanford and Florida State as the only schools with an active streak of nine consecutive appearances. Let's keep it rolling! There's even more to celebrate for our program, as Farah O'Keefe (Team USA) and Lauren Kim (Team International) earned spots for this summer's Arnold Palmer Cup, while Coach Ianello was selected co-head coach of Team USA.
Cindy (-8) and Farah (-5) are currently 1-2 on the leaderboard after 36 holes in the Chapel Hill Regional 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/kCmeeBkLdP
— Texas Women's Golf (@TexasWGolf) May 12, 2026
Meanwhile, The NCAA postseason field was unveiled last week for Coach Fields and our No. 4 Men's Golf team — and our LONGHORNS ARE THE NO. 1 SEED in the Bryan Regional. We'll be one of 14 teams competing at Traditions Club next week (May 18-20), with the top five teams advancing to the NCAA Championships on May 29-June 3 at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif — where we once again serve as host. Our squad enters NCAA Regionals looking to extend the nation's longest active streak of NCAA Championship appearances (currently at 18 straight). And if we get there, we'll be taking dead aim at adding to our four National Titles (1971, 1972, 2012 and 2022). While we're talking Men's Golf, Horns Up for our five all-conference honorees — SEC Newcomer of the Year Matt Comegys, First-Team All-SEC selection Christiaan Maas, and Second-Team All-SEC picks Daniel Bennett, Tommy Morrison and Luke Potter. The standard remains the standard on the Forty Acres with our Longhorn men and women both earning No. 1 NCAA Regional seeds.
Number 1️⃣ seed just up the road in Bryan as we begin the Road to La Costa 🤘#TakeDeadAim | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/B0JPQ3sIqL
— Texas Men's Golf (@TexasMGolf) May 6, 2026
After a couple of tough losses, Coach Schloss and No. 4 Baseball wrapped up their series at Tennessee with a 13-6 win on Sunday and now return to UFCU Disch-Falk Field to CLOSE OUT THE REGULAR SEASON AT HOME this week. Powered by an offensive explosion that featured four home runs — including a pair from Casey Borba — our Horns also made history, becoming the first college baseball program ever to reach 1,500 conference wins. We enter the final week of the regular season at 16-10 in SEC play, currently tied for second place and fighting to the finish for a coveted top-four seed and double-bye in next week's SEC Tournament. With all that's on the line, Missouri rolls into The Disch beginning Thursday (6:30 p.m. CT/SEC Network+) for the final home series of the season before it's time for Hoover. Let's pack the house, bring the heat, and help our Horns finish strong!
in a league of our own 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/zjtlLNwIZ4
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) May 10, 2026
It's ANOTHER FULL WEEK OF LONGHORN ACTION ahead — with plenty more still on the horizon. We've got NCAA Championships competition for Softball, Men's Tennis, and Women's Golf. SEC Championship action for Track and Field. And the regular-season curtain closing for Baseball. And beyond that — the calendar stays loaded with Men's Golf NCAA Regional action, the SEC Baseball Tournament, and hopefully much, much more. Rowing will regroup following a heartbreaking conclusion to the SEC Championships in an oh-so-close second place finish on Sunday and now turns its full focus toward the National Championship on May 29-31 in Lake Lanier, Georgia. Let's keep those Horns Up and Hook 'Em!
more on the line this week 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/gntcvSZJP8
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) May 11, 2026
While I've got you, are you ready for some football (and many more moments like these)?! — IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO TALK TEXAS FOOTBALL. We got news from ESPN on Tuesday that included some kick times and confirmation that College GameDay is returning to the Forty Acres. First, those precious game times for everyone's planning purposes — and we anticipate more coming in the weeks ahead around the SEC Spring Meetings. Our blockbuster early-season clash with Ohio State is set for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC, while the Cotton Holding Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M in College Station on Friday, November 27, is also slated for a 6:30 p.m. CT start on ABC. And then came a big one … GameDay is headed back to Austin, y'all! ESPN announced on Tuesday that College GameDay will broadcast live from the Forty Acres ahead of our epic prime-time matchup with Ohio State. It marks the 11th time the iconic show will originate from Austin. Including Allstate Red River Rivalry appearances (8) and road or bowl selections (10), a Texas game will now be featured on GameDay for the 29th time overall. We're fired up to welcome Rece, Kirk, Desmond, Pat, and Coach Saban back to the ATX to shine the national spotlight on The University of Texas and our football program — and we know y'all will absolutely show up and show out!
🚨 Game time announcements 🚨
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) May 12, 2026
Texas vs. Ohio State
Sat Sept. 12 • 6:30 PM CT on ABC
Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown
Fri Nov. 27 • 6:30 PM CT on ABC pic.twitter.com/E6Um6bGT5P
And in closing — it's MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, and it's an important reminder that while we chase greatness and championships, there are pressures that come along with that pursuit. Supporting the psychological, emotional and mental well-being of our student-athletes is every bit as important as physical training and performance. It remains one of the highest priorities for our department. As Coach Sark said: "We've got to do a great job as an athletic department in supporting our student-athletes so they can be in the best frame of mind to not only play well, but to be healthy and to be great human beings. We've got a responsibility to support them in that."
Plan your commute in advance this weekend! Fill out a survey for a chance to win a $250 Team Shop gift card
It's going to be a busy weekend on the Forty Acres this weekend with Baseball, NCAA Softball Regional, UIL Track & Field State Championships, and Moody Center events all taking place. We encourage fans planning to attend any of these events who do NOT have a designated parking permit to please purchase your parking in advance via ParkMobile or use rideshare. Speaking of rideshare, please take a moment and fill out a survey via our partners at Uber. One lucky fan will win a $250 gift card to the Texas Longhorns Official Team Shop!
Celebrating our Graduates!
UT President Jim Davis said it best, "It was a great weekend to be a Longhorn." There's nothing like COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND ON THE FORTY ACRES and this year's version was certainly one to remember. We got the party started last Thursday with our annual T-Ring event hosted by our outstanding T-Association and Student Services staffs in the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame. How cool it was to see so many of our graduating athletes come together with family, coaches and teammates to pick up their hard-earned T-Ring, pose for the camera and raise a toast for their tremendous achievement! A total of 96 current and former University of Texas student-athletes either participated in commencement exercises last Friday and Saturday, are expected to graduate in May or August 2026, or are completing a graduate credential. When you add in the 16 student-athletes who earned their degrees in December 2025, our number is at 112 for the 2025-26 academic year! Talk about getting it done at an ELITE level, both on the playing fields AND in the classroom. And how about the representation our Athletics family had all over campus during commencement ceremonies throughout the day on Saturday?! Former Women's Basketball star Fran Harris got things rolling by delivering the keynote address at the Moody College of Communication Graduation Ceremony. Head Diving Coach Matt Scoggin gave the keynote address at the School of Social Work Commencement Ceremony, and legendary Football Head Coach Mack Brown served as the commencement speaker at the School of Law's Sunflower Ceremony. Then it was time for the grand finale on Saturday night, when former Texas QB, NFL veteran and now real estate and Texas higher education leader Colt McCoy returned to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium to deliver the keynote address at The University of Texas at Austin's 143rd Commencement Ceremony. And just like he did so many times during his playing career, Colt handled the situation with poise and confidence and delivered a heartfelt message to the Class of 2026 with three key pieces of advice: 1) Build your life on something that lasts, even if it takes a little longer; 2) Start with the small things and stack wins each day; and 3) Make the right choices, even when they're hard. A big-time Hook 'Em to the Class of 2026!
Happy Graduation, Longhorns 🤘
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) May 9, 2026
proud of all y'all and the 9️⃣6️⃣ student-athletes in the Class of 2026!#HookEm pic.twitter.com/p4ocUsdtkE
Volleyball is taking its show to Vegas, baby!
Coach Elliott and our Volleyball program are HEADED TO THE BRIGHT LIGHTS IN AUGUST for a marquee event at T-Mobile Arena. Our Horns will face TCU on Saturday, August 29, before renewing one of college volleyball's premier rivalries against Nebraska on Sunday, August 30 as part of the inaugural Players Eara Challenge. The duel with the Huskers will mark the first meeting between the two powers since the unforgettable 2023 National Championship Match — when we took down Nebraska to bring home the title. And the Players Era Challenge is just one part of what's shaping up to be an absolutely loaded 2026 non-conference slate. Our Horns already have heavyweight tilts lined up against Arizona State and Marquette at the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee, Louisville at the Sprouts Farmer Market Broadway Block Party in Nashville, SMU in Dallas as part of the ACC/SEC Showdown at the Net, and Wisconsin at Moody Center on September 13. In other words, get ready for some big-time Texas Volleyball. It'll be here before you know it!
we're all in 🤘
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) May 8, 2026
see you in Sin City Longhorn Nation! #HookEm pic.twitter.com/zEu1MaL3z5
Hook 'Em Horns,
P.S. — All-SEC Softball!
Lots of All-SEC recognition for @TexasSoftball 🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/nY7nXHCCB4
— John Bianco (@UT_Bianco) May 8, 2026
P.S. — SEC Softball Tourney Honors for our Horns!
she is that. girl. 🤘 #HookEm pic.twitter.com/wbYZTKWJF4
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 10, 2026
your 2026 SEC All-Tournament team 🤘🏆#HookEm pic.twitter.com/QzSbVejNs1
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 10, 2026
P.S. — Here's to our trio of Horns in the WNBA!
Longhorns in The League 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/Fd8iyuulFT
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) May 8, 2026
P.S. — 20 incredible years — Congrats on an awesome career, P.J.!!
2️⃣0️⃣ years of P.J. 🤘
— Texas Men's Basketball (@TexasMBB) May 9, 2026
congrats on an incredible career🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/mEQH2A145o
P.S. — What Starts Here — on the World Stage!
CHAMPION X3🤘🏆
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) May 7, 2026
Chiaka makes history becoming just the 2nd American to win 3️⃣ CEV Championship League titles ‼️#HookEm pic.twitter.com/cgwxwN1hpE
P.S. — What Starts Here — a Texas Gridiron Hero!
An Eagle. A Longhorn. A 49er. Forever Cedar Creek. 🦅
— Bastrop ISD (@BastropISD) May 8, 2026
Today we honor Alfred Collins and officially retire #99.
From Cedar Creek to @TexasFootball to the @49ers, Alfred continues to build a legacy that will live on forever in Cedar Creek history. pic.twitter.com/UgBGBJDi1c
P.S. — Horns Up for Coach Elliott and his induction into the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame!
congrats Jerritt on your introduction into Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/a9gvE5lCde
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) May 6, 2026
P.S. — Blessings right here!
In January, Jordan Shipley nearly lost his life in a fire. This week, he joined @CoachMackBrown, @VinceYoung10 & @BobBallouSports to detail what happened that day, his incredible recovery, the support he's received & how this accident has changed his perspective. pic.twitter.com/23WFT0OQJd
— THE STAMPEDE (@TheStampedeUT) May 6, 2026
HEADLINES:
No. 5 Women's Golf in second after opening round at NCAA Chapel Hill Regional:
No. 1 Rowing finishes runner-up at SEC Championship:
No. 9 Women's Tennis concludes season in NCAA Sweet 16:
Three former Longhorns set for 2026 WNBA season:
Ogden invited to USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team Training Camp:
No. 5 Softball blanks Ole Miss, advances to SEC Tournament semifinals:
No. 5 Women's Golf's O'Keefe named to WGCA Player of the Year watch list:
No. 3 Men's Golf's Maas named to Fred Haskins Award Postseason Watch List:
Tinney's grand slam lifts No. 4 Baseball to 11-8 win over UTSA:
No. 5 Women's Golf's O'Keefe and Kim selected to Arnold Palmer Cup teams:
No. 3 Men's Golf's Bennett named to 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup team:
Men's Basketball signs Elyjah Freeman:
