Watch NiJaree Canady in the WCWS
USAT’s Callie Fin, Sam Cardona-Norberg, and Meghan L. Hall explain why NiJaree Canady should be the number one player you watch in the 2026 WCWS.
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The Women’s College World Series has not crowned a back-to-back national champion not named Oklahoma in over a decade.
No. 2 Texas ended that drought Thursday at Devon Park.
A costly two-run error from Texas Tech shortstop Hailey Toney in the fifth inning and some locked-down pitching from Citlaly Gutierrez and Teagan Kavan helped the Longhorns defeat No. 11 Texas Tech 4-1 in Game 2 of the best-of-three series for the program’s second national championship — both coming against NiJaree Canady and the Red Raiders.
Kavan came in relief of Gutierrez in the sixth inning. Last year’s Most Outstanding Player of the WCWS combined for 11 strikeouts in two appearances in the championship series, including a complete-game effort in Game 1. The Longhorns provided her with two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning: a solo home run from Kayden Henry and a single into right field from Leighann Goode that popped out of the glove of Lauren Allred.
The Des Moines, Iowa native was named the first-ever back-to-back MOP of the WCWS for her clutch efforts in the circle this postseason. Kavan finished with 30 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings of work in Oklahoma City in the last week.
The Longhorns become the fifth different Division I softball program to win back-to-back national championships at the Women’s College World Series, and the first to reach that feat not named Oklahoma in over a decade.
Here’s what you need to know about who won the WCWS championship series between Texas and Texas Tech, including a look at the box score, stats, highlights and more:
Who won WCWS 2026?
Texas took the WCWS championship series for the second straight season, this time around winning it in just two games.
The Longhorns never looked back after their five-run first inning in Game 1, even when Texas Tech’s Mia Williams hit a two-run home run in the fifth to bring Texas Tech within two runs. Texas added an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to center field from Viviana Martinez to secure the 7-3 win.
Katie Stewart was one of Texas’ most important hitters at the WCWS. The Longhorns’ first baseman hit four home runs in seven games in Oklahoma City this season, including a two-run home run in Game 1.
WCWS Game 2 score: Texas beats Texas Tech
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | F |
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Tech | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Here’s a breakdown of each team’s stats from Game 2 of the WCWS championship series:
- Runs: Texas 4, Texas Tech 1
- Hits: Texas 8, Texas Tech 4
- Errors: Texas Tech 1, Texas 0
- Extra-base hits: Texas 1, Texas Tech 0
- Strikeouts: Texas Tech 8, Texas 3
- Runners left on base: Texas 9, Texas Tech 7
- Runners in scoring position: Texas Tech 1-for-5, Texas 1-for-9
Here’s a look at the final out at the WCWS that helped Texas clinch back-to-back championships:
Texas vs Texas Tech WCWS Game 2 highlights
Here’s a look at all the runs scored by the Longhorns in their WCWS title clinching win over Texas Tech on June 4:
WCWS champions history
Here’s a year-by-year history of past WCWS winners, dating back to 2010:
- 2026: Texas (defeated Texas Tech)
- 2025: Texas (defeated Texas Tech)
- 2024: Oklahoma (defeated Texas)
- 2023: Oklahoma (defeated Florida State)
- 2022: Oklahoma (defeated Texas)
- 2021: Oklahoma (defeated Florida State)
- 2020: Canceled due to COVID-19
- 2019: UCLA (defeated Oklahoma)
- 2018: Florida State (defeated Washington)
- 2017: Oklahoma (defeated Florida)
- 2016: Oklahoma (defeated Auburn)
- 2015: Florida (defeated Michigan)
- 2014: Florida (defeated Alabama)
- 2013: Oklahoma (defeated Tennessee)
- 2012: Alabama (defeated Oklahoma)
- 2011: Arizona State (defeated Florida)
- 2010: UCLA (defeated Arizona)
WCWS repeated champions
Here’s a list of the programs that have won back-to-back WCWS titles:
- Texas: 2025-2026
- Oklahoma: 2017-2018 and 2021-2024
- Florida: 2014-2015
- UCLA: 1984-1985; 1988-1990; and 2003-2004
- Arizona: 1993-1994; and 2006-2007
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