Previewing Texas Longhorns Softball's Path to the WCWS Final

Texas Longhorns Softball aims to win its first national championship in program history

The Texas Longhorns celebrate the 6-5 win over Texas A&M in the game three NCAA Super Regional at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Austin. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

The Texas Longhorns road to the 2024 Women's College World Series final starts on May 30 against the Stanford Cardinal.

On a double-elimination format with the final two teams facing each other in a best-of-three series for the national championship, Texas has some fresh and familiar faces on its way.

The first opponent following the Stanford matchup will be, depending on the first round result, the winner or loser of the Oklahoma State-Florida matchup.

The Texas Longhorns celebrate the 6-5 win over Texas A&M in the game three NCAA Super Regional at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Austin. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

While the Longhorns haven't played the Gators this season, fellow Big 12 team Oklahoma State hosted Texas in March for three games. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, the series ended 2-1 for the Cowgirls and lost the first and third games 5-0 and 3-0.

The Cowgirls' state rivals and Texas' arch-enemies Oklahoma sit on the top half of the bracket. Texas made history in April after it won a series over the Sooners for the first time since 2009. The defending national champions and second-seeded team will be facing Duke in the first round, and won't have the possibility of meeting its south-of-the-river neighbors until Game 9.

Texas and Duke don't have much history, but the one they have is favorable to the Blue Devils. In February 2020, Texas hosted Duke and dropped the game 1-0.

When it comes to the last two teams in the tournament, some recent memories come up. Texas' 2023-24 season started in Los Angeles in the Stacy Winsberg tournament. While the first game ended with a close 3-2 win for the Longhorns, the second was a scoreless result for the Bruins -- Texas won the game with 16 runs in five innings.

Alabama, on the other hand, might not bring as fond memories. The last time the Longhorns and the Crimson Tide met was in 2023, and though Texas won the first game 5-3, Alabama brought its A-Game the following day and defeated the hosts in a thrilling eleven-inning 4-3 win.

Regardless of regular season results, all teams are expected to bring their top game to the tournament. The closest Texas has gotten to glory was a runner-up finish in 2022, but an already historical 2024 season hopes to end on the highest high.

The championship finals in Oklahoma City start on June 5.