Texas coach Mike White during a Women's College World Series softball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Longhorns at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Monday, June 2, 2025. Texas won 2-0. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns Softball Wins Coaching Staff of the Year Award

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Ylver Deleon-Rios | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 5:15 PM ET

With Texas Longhorns softball Head Coach Mike White leading the Longhorns to their first national championship in program history, it's no surprise when awards begin to roll in for him and his coaching staff.

On Thursday morning, the Longhorns' coaching staff was named as the ATEC/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year. It is just the second time the Longhorns are recognized as the best coaching staff in the country; the first time since 2003.

Led by White, associate head coach Steve Singleton, and assistant coaches Kristen Zaleski and Pattie Ruth Taylor guided the Longhorns to their first-ever national championship and set a program record with the most wins in a season with 56 victories after the Women's College World Series game three victory.

The Longhorns' coaching staff was essential in guiding the Longhorns to a national championship, having their players leading in many statistical categories across division I softball; finishing first with 630 base hits, finishing second with 460 RBI, and third with a .352 batting average and 486 runs scored.

They also ranked inside the top-15 in win/loss percentage (5th / .824), doubles (9th / 99), home runs (9th / 94), slugging (10th / .583), shutouts (10th / 15), strikeout-to-walk ratio (12th / 3.07), scoring (14th / 7.15), ERA (15th / 2.55) and WHIP (15th / 1.18).

Assistant and pitching coach Pattie Ruth Taylor played a big part in the Longhorns' journey to become national champions. The biggest being the development of star ace Teagan Kavan, who had an all-American second team caliber season in her sophomore year, finishing the season 28-5 with an ERA of 2.16, becoming one of the nation's top pitchers, and as the WCWS Most Outstanding Player.

The Longhorns' pitching staff was solid as a whole, with three pitchers with an ERA under three, shutting out 15 teams on the season, holding the opposing teams' batting average to .228, and a combined 414 strikeouts.

The impact the coaching staff has had on its players is paramount, as sophomore Teagan Kavan talked about how important it was to win the WCWS not just for them but also for their head coach.

"Without Coach White, I don't know if we are here." Kavan said. "He's the best, he is so competitive and wants it just as bad as we do. He pushes us to be better every day, and he makes me a better pitcher, mentally and physically, and so there's no one else I'd rather play for. He's the bomb, and I'm glad we got it done for him."

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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