Forty Acres Insider: June 9

Chris Del Conte head shot 2025

Longhorn Nation,

Once again – you can LIGHT THE TOWER ORANGE WITH THAT BIG BEAUTIFUL NO. 1! That's thrice this year for our programs, and it's BACK-TO-BACK for Coach White and our amazin' Softball squad! What a scene it was in Oklahoma City with so much Burnt Orange helping the team bring that trophy right back to Austin, Texas, for the second-straight year! And then to see so many more of you right there at McCombs to give them a hero's welcome on Friday – undeterred by a little dousing by Mother Nature – it was just awesome! That's 71 all-time National Championships, and we're looking to just keep that counter going up! Not only that, but Coach Schloss and our OmaHorns are going back home to Omaha for an all-time record 39th time after an incredible sweep of a really tough Oregon team over the weekend. The air at the Disch was thick with drama on Sunday night, and my friends, I don't know that I've heard you bring it stronger than you did throughout that game, and especially as the tying and winning runs crossed the plate in the eighth inning. It was truly a spectacle to behold, and there's no doubt y'all had an impact with the reverberation of your pride, passion and Texas Fight! We already know we'll start out on Saturday (7 p.m. CT/ESPN) against No. 3 Georgia – one of the FIVE SEC teams to reach Omaha this year, which is the all-time record for any conference for an MCWS! It just means more! We've also got Coach Flo and Track & Field starting NCAA Championship action in Eugene tomorrow through Saturday, so we've still got a lot left to cheer for! We're hittin' the homestretch of the 2025-26 athletics year and lookin' for that final kick to a third-straight LEARFIELD Directors' Cup and fifth in the last six years! We need Longhorn Nation to help bring it home, and we wouldn't be where we are without your support! We can't thank you enough!!

YOUR TEXAS LONGHORNS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS… AGAIN 🤘🏆#HookEm pic.twitter.com/uJ6NnbQlk1
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 5, 2026

lit the tower for our back-to-back national champions 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/z5eIn9rTXN
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 6, 2026

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT OMAHA 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/HmHUE98G7w
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 8, 2026

Omaha on deck 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/S6g4Q5ebM1
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 8, 2026

Softball's championship gives us 71 ALL-TIME NATIONAL TITLES, including 67 NCAA Championships. Combined with titles by Rowing and Men's Swimming and Diving, that makes THREE this year, tying for THIRD-most in a season ever in our storied history at Texas! And we've now captured 16 NCAA Crowns by eight different programs in the last six years!! How about that?! And it doesn't stop there – five of our programs have now gone back-to-back in that six-year span, with Volleyball and Women's Tennis joining the other three! In all, Softball has become our 11th program to repeat!

The @TexasSoftball National Championship joins @TexasRowing AND @TexasMSD to make it THREE NCAA Championships this year — tied for THIRD-most in a season in UT history — and 7️⃣1️⃣ all-time for Texas🤘🏻

1️⃣6️⃣ of those NCAA Team Titles have come over the last SIX years‼️#HookEm pic.twitter.com/kkJM4SSLwf
— John Bianco (@UT_Bianco) June 5, 2026

Texas Softball – you're simply the best – again! Like I said at our celebration, Coach White and our Horns are second to none after what they've done these last two years. I joked that they did it the hard way, but what could be more revealing about the character of this group than staring elimination in the face, not once, not twice, but SIX times in this NCAA tournament, never blinking and simply saying, "not today." It was awe inspiring! This group showed resolve, never took their eyes off the prize and trusted their process and culture, and that's what Texas Fight is all about. Nothing embodies that more than what Goodey said on SEC Network after the game, recounting the story of just before her last at-bat that she drove in the final run of the game on. Coach White called her over and said, "I believe in you." I tell ya, when I heard her tell that story, I just welled up with pride for what this program has become. And now, with 7-3 and 4-1 victories over Texas Tech in the Champ Series, we're one of just FIVE schools to ever wear the WCWS crown in back-to-back years! Not only that, but only one of those five programs has EVER produced a back-to-back MVP, and that would be your Texas Longhorns and one of our GOATs – Teagan Kavan! Ladies and gentlemen, if there were ever someone who stepped up more when the lights were brightest, I'd like to see them because she has pure ice running in those veins. The demeanor, the focus, the skill – just fantastic. And what did she say after a performance like that? "I played for Reese Atwood." There it is again. Every single one of them chose a teammate to play for and they simply could not be stopped. With Teagan bringing the ice to the mound, Stewie brought the firepower at the plate as she made more history becoming the first player in WCWS history to hit a home run in four consecutive games! Wow! Both were well-deserving of being put on the All-Tournament Team! There were so many other heroes – Citlaly, Kayden, Reese – just to name a few, and so many could have been right there with Teagan and Katie, but that's why this was the definition of a team and one for the history books!

had a Texas-sized celebration for the two-time champs 🤘🏆#HookEm pic.twitter.com/fH2BTJJpfE
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 6, 2026

woke up CHAMPS 🤘🤩#HookEm pic.twitter.com/cynXIuy5wo
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 5, 2026

Folks, for the 39th time, your Horns are Omaha bound! Get this, that's almost half of the 79 times the CWS has been played and FOURTEEN more times than any other school in the country. Let that sink in for a minute. It's just unbelievable and truly means we're back home in Omaha. Coach Schloss has led our squad back there, and the pride and winning tradition of the Texas Longhorns continues! That makes him one of only four coaches to guide three different schools to the College World Series, and we couldn't have anyone better as the skipper of our ship! I just loved being able to see him hand off that Super Regional trophy to the team in our last game of the year at The Disch. The ticket was punched with two outstanding wins, starting with a decisive 11-3 victory in game one on Saturday and followed by a 6-5 nailbiter on Sunday. But our Horns would show they're tough as nails! Back-to-back home runs by Aiden Robbins – his 25th to put him alone in third on the UT all-time single-season list – and Carson Tinney in the first two at-bats of the game had set the stage. Then ARod brought the house down with in his SIXTH and SEVENTH RBIs of the two games, and Sam Cozart followed by bringing the curtain down, striking out four of the final six batters to send the team streaming onto the field as OmaHorns once again! It all capped what's been a record-setting season, and once again, Longhorn Nation showed up and showed out in record force to witness the history!

raise it high 🏆 #HookEm pic.twitter.com/zBV8D6BBFp
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 8, 2026

TICKET PUNCHED 🎟️#HookEm pic.twitter.com/YGsQxXHiJx
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) June 8, 2026

I know a lot of you would like to join the team in Omaha, and we're unfortunately not able to offer tickets directly through Texas Athletics, but tickets may be available for purchase through the NCAA here.

And if you're not able to get to Omaha, you can cheer along just like you were there by ordering your College World Series apparel today!

Coach Flo and Track and Field are in Eugene for the NCAA Championships this week from Wednesday through Saturday. All totaled, 13 INDIVIDUAL LONGHORNS AND ALL FOUR RELAYS HAVE PUNCHED THEIR TICKETS and will be ready to take on the nation's best! Our No. 20 men will be competing Wednesday and Friday, and our No. 24 women will be Thursday and Saturday at Hayward Field. Follow all the action on ESPN and ESPN2 for the track events, and on ESPN+ for the field events.

We've got a few special things happening away from the 40, as well! Here's to our INCREDIBLE STUDENT-ATHLETE and all-around great guy, Sam Acho, on his induction into the CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame on Monday. A truly deserving honor for a Longhorn Legend who embodies what it means to excel in every arena and fully represents our "What Starts Here Changes the World" motto. Sam completed one of the rarest doubles in college athletics — earning first-team All-America accolades on the field, while also collecting first-team Academic All-America recognition in the classroom. As a senior in 2010, he claimed the National Football Foundation's highest honor for a student-athlete, the William V. Campbell Trophy. His list of accolades is remarkable — including the Wuerffel Trophy, recognition as an NCAA's Top VIII Award honoree, and Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year — all reflecting excellence not only in performance, but also in leadership, character, and impact. That standard carried into the NFL, where across nine seasons he was twice named his team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and served as vice president of the NFL Players Association. Today, he continues making an impact as an author, public speaker, humanitarian and familiar face on ESPN. Sam Acho is a Hall of Famer in every sense, and we couldn't be more thrilled to see him become our first-ever men's student-athlete inducted into the CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame — joining Cat Osterman, who became our first Longhorn inductee overall in 2025. Hook 'Em, Sam!

Congrats to @TheSamAcho, the newest member of the CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/dvmJ0uVLdV
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 22, 2026

Speaking of that All-America/Academic All-America double and continuing in the category of what starts here changes the world, I've got another special shoutout to give to one of our great Longhorn Legends. Congrats to Corby Robertson who has been selected as part of the 2026 Southwest Conference Hall of Fame Class by the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Corby was a great defensive player and All-American for us from 1966 to 1968. Not only was he an All-American but he doubled up as an Academic All-American. Following his athletic career, Corby achieved significant success as an energy sector executive and prominent philanthropist, directing millions in funding toward Texas higher education. He's already in our Hall of Honor and the Texas Business Hall of Fame, and he really is an awesome example of leadership and success by our student-athletes. He couldn't be more deserving, and he'll get inducted at a ceremony at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco on August 4. Congrats, my friend!

And how about a big Hook 'Em to our 12 student-athletes and four UT Athletics staffers who recently spent six days (May 10-15) as part of the 2026 Costa Rica Impact Tour?! It was a transformative leadership development program for some of our student-athletes from Football, Beach Volleyball and Swimming & Diving that immersed them in Costa Rican culture. It was a truly impactful experience that included visiting local schools to talk to children, conducting clinics for them, and even doing some high-level networking at the U.S. Embassy there. It was all about humanity, breaking down barriers between cultures, getting a sense of place in the world and personal growth, and we couldn't be prouder of them for wanting to immerse themselves in that experience. So special shout out to Ridge Barker, Devin Coleman, Jordon Johnson-Rubell, Ty Boatright, and Hudson Powell of Football, Lily Davis, Vivian Johnson, Caroline Mackechnie, and Carys Patton of Beach Volleyball, and Spencer Aurnou-Rhees, Ryan Branon and Holden Smith of Swimming & Diving! What starts here changes the world!

One last note to leave you with about the awesome combination of Softball and Baseball – that makes us one of only two schools with Alabama to get both to their respective College World Series with Alabama! That's more success that wouldn't be happening without you – the best fans in the land! Your support is contagious, and a united Texas is a reckoning!

trophy season for @TexasTFXC & @TexasBaseball 🤘🏆#HookEm pic.twitter.com/k1eoGFQ25m
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) June 8, 2026

Hook 'Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte

P.S. – If it's in the game…I know Colin is!

Colin Simmons • Cover Athlete 🤘🎮@ColinSimmons__ x @EASPORTSCollege pic.twitter.com/ub6bc5WU9m
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) June 2, 2026

P.S. — Football process and culture!

Obsessed with the process 🤘 pic.twitter.com/zUUiw35y5D
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) June 6, 2026

P.S. — We see you Softball…and so did everyone!

All eyes were on the '26 #WCWS Champ Series 📈

🥎 2nd most-watched Finals EVER
🥎 Game 2 between @TexasSoftball-@TexasTechSB 2.5M avg. viewers, most-watched college softball game ON RECORD

Complete WCWS viewership coming Tuesday#NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/UbghWdNPkT
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 8, 2026

P.S. — It just means more!

a record-tying trophy haul 🏆

10 National Championships secured – matching the '98-99 school year for the most ever by the league.#ItJustMeansMore pic.twitter.com/gfQn9VR5kC
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) June 5, 2026

P.S. — Horns supporting Horns!

wouldn't want to be anywhere else than with @texassoftball 🤘🫶#HookEm pic.twitter.com/IZWRHEZRS7
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) June 6, 2026

P.S. – Rowing racking up the All-Americans after their natty!

congrats to our 5⃣ All-Americans 🤘🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/jp6cyWYzfD
— Texas Rowing (@TexasRowing) June 6, 2026

P.S. – And don't forget Captain Dave and the Crew!

CRCA Regional Coach and Staff of the Year 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/26MczMF5LC
— Texas Rowing (@TexasRowing) June 6, 2026

P.S. — Congrats to FOUR-time All-American Christiaan Maas!

congrats to our guy @christiaanmaas1 🤘

Christiaan becomes just the 6️⃣th player in program history to earn FOUR career All-America honors, joining Justin Leonard, Brad Elder, Jason Hartwick, Doug Ghim & Pierceson Coody !! #TakeDeadAim | @GolfCoachesAssn pic.twitter.com/KcN6gpqHua
— Texas Men's Golf (@TexasMGolf) June 3, 2026

P.S. – Men's Tennis best in Texas!

Congrats to Sebastian Gorzny – @ITA_Tennis Texas Region Senior Player of the Year!

That's three times in the last four years that award has gone to a Longhorn!

📖 https://t.co/VSivJV4DKL #HookEm 🤘🎾 pic.twitter.com/PDUVfZAylB
— Texas Men's Tennis (@TexasMTN) June 9, 2026

P.S. — Excited to see Coach Miller's new team come together!