It's time for Texas softball to again challenge for its first national title. Standing in the Longhorns' way once again is Oklahoma, the team that has jousted with the Longhorns for the No. 1 ranking all season.

The Longhorns have won this season thanks to a deep roster that features plenty of strong bats and hard-throwing arms. Oklahoma has just as deep of a lineup, and both teams have standouts who could swing the series in their favor depending on how they perform.

More: Texas, Oklahoma split four previous softball games this year. What that means in the WCWS

Here's a list of key players to keep an eye on heading into Game 1 of the Women's College World Series Final.

Texas catcher Reece Atwood

For the Longhorns, it all starts with Reese Atwood. She's been one of the top hitters in college softball this season, with a .429 batting average, a .502 on-base percentage and an .880 slugging percentage. She won Big 12 player of the year honors and was one of three finalists for USA Softball's collegiate player of year award.

That being said, she hasn't been quite as good in the WCWS. She hasn't hit a home run yet or driven in a single run. So far that hasn't mattered (thanks to a few others on this list), but with the Longhorns' toughest test of the season coming up, this is the ideal time for their best player to start mashing.

Oklahoma outfielder Jayda Coleman

The hero of the WCWS semifinal, Coleman had been mashing long before she hit her walk-off homer vs. the Gators.

With a .385/.546/.708 triple slash, the senior hitter has exemplified the Moneyball philosophy of "getting on base" while also producing with power as well. One of the eight Sooners selected to the All-Big 12 first team, Texas should be wary of how Coleman will be riding a high heading into the finals.

Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan

Kavan isn't your ordinary freshman pitcher.

She outdueled Stanford's All-American and national player of the year NiJaree Canady on Monday, allowing only one hit and shutting down the Cardinal for a 1-0 win. And she's earned the blessing of the GOAT pitcher of Texas softball, Cat Osterman. She'll likely be the first pitcher Oklahoma faces in the series and Kavan picked up the win last time she faced off against the Sooners.

However, Kavan only pitched 3⅔ innings in her last outing vs. OU, allowing three hits and one homer. Texas coach Mike White will be hoping to squeeze a longer appearance out of his freshman phenom this time around.

Oklahoma pitcher Kelly Maxwell

Kelly Maxwell's arm is the glue that's holding the OU pitching staff together. But she threw 148 pitches on Tuesday as the Sooners scraped by a strong Florida team thanks to Coleman's walk-off home run. Maxwell has allowed six earned runs in 18⅔ innings — the rest of Oklahoma's staff has allowed nine runs in six innings.

Maxwell will likely be productive in the series. The question is if the rest of the Sooners' pitchers will be able to survive against a tough Texas offense as well.

Oklahoma infielder Tiare Jennings

One of the most clutch hitters in college softball, Jennings has showed up in big spots multiple times this year.

“When she comes up, you know something good is going to happen, especially on these big stages," Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said.

A team captain, the veteran Sooners go as Jennings goes. She's their power hitter, boasting a .375/.470/.828 triple slash, though this has been far from her best season. Regardless, the Longhorns have to be wary of her power, as Jennings has hit 24 home runs in 2024, with her career high being 29.

Texas infielder Alyssa Washington

With runs being in short supply on Monday, it was Washington who eventually slid in for the winning run, nimbly dodging the tag at the base on a squeeze play.

While her legs may have been the story of the game, the senior has had a career year at the plate, hitting for .344/.422/.634. The Longhorns' captain isn't the premier hitter on a team filled with top talent, but as seen in the WCWS semifinals, Washington will do whatever it takes to win the game.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: WCWS 2024: Key players in Texas softball vs. Oklahoma matchup