OKLAHOMA CITY — Don’t be surprised if the Texas softball team opens next season in the same spot it entered this year's NCAA Tournament: No. 1.

Based on pure production, that projection seems likely. The Longhorns will welcome back the bulk of a team that powered its way to 55 wins — tied for the most in school history — as well as its first Big 12 regular-season title since 2010 and its first-ever No. 1 overall NCAA seed. Four of the five pitchers from a staff with a collective 2.06 ERA are eligible to return, and the lineup loses just two regular starters after finishing the season third in Division I with 7.8 runs per game.

More: Until Texas or someone else proves otherwise, OU still college softball's standard | Bohls

But the psychological development of the program can’t be measured by metrics. How will reaching the Women’s College World Series championship series only to fall to rival Oklahoma for the second time in three years affect a team that had nine freshmen or sophomores on its 21-player roster?

One of those youngsters, freshman outfielder Kayden Henry, can’t wait to answer that question next season.

“You just learn,” Henry said. “This year, anytime we've had a loss, what do we learn out of this experience? We've done it here with a very young team. I'm excited to see what we do next year. We showed our Texas fight the whole entire year. We worked our way to No. 1 for a reason. We'll be back again.”

More: Texas softball legend Cat Osterman praises freshman Teagan Kavan for talent, composure

Oklahoma is still tops, but Texas is on the rise

Oklahoma fans might scoff at the idea of anyone else but the Sooners hoisting the trophy, and rightfully so. After all, Oklahoma just swept Texas by a combined score of 16-7 to claim its fourth consecutive national title. Yes, the Sooners lose 10 seniors, including core members from their dynasty in Tiare Jennings, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen and Rylie Boone as well as pitcher Kelly Maxwell, the Oklahoma State transfer who earned the WCWS most outstanding player award.

But coach Patty Gasso, the architect of the Oklahoma powerhouse, took a moment after the title-clinching win Thursday to acknowledge the development of the Longhorns’ program under coach Mike White, who has not fallen short of the super regionals in his first six years at Texas. She said she expects both teams to remain contenders as they enter the SEC together.

“I respect Texas and that program and what they've done,” Gasso said. “They are an elite program, and they're going to maintain that for a while. They've got a lot of very good young players, great coaching. They've done a great job with their staff. Their pitching staff is outstanding.

“I would be remiss to make sure I didn't shout that out. We're both going into a new conference together, but Texas always makes us better. I think that we could both agree that we do that for each other. That's how we get here. That's why we're looking at each other on the national championship stage.”

The Longhorns hope to eventually stare down at Oklahoma from the top of the podium instead of having the bittersweet view from second place. But White and his players think the program’s growing pains at the championship level will lead to unprecedented heights.

“They've been in this position before, and they know how to conduct themselves in big moments, big games,” Henry said about Oklahoma. “They've done it four times in a row. They know how to conduct themselves when it comes to a championship series.”

White said experience remains one of the key factors for any championship squad.

“I mean, you're looking at some kids that are 23, 24 years old in that (Oklahoma) lineup, and they've seen a lot of pitching,” White said. “They're confident. They know they don't have to do it all themselves. They're able to do that. I want to be on the other side of the podium here one of these days, making that last speech more enjoyable than it is right now.”

More: Texas softball's fixes in WCWS final must come immediately, and the Horns know it | Bohls

Longhorns have just a few holes to fill in 2025

Things should certainly be plenty enjoyable for Texas next season based on a quick glance at the roster, even though the transfer portal always adds an element of unpredictability to the offseason.

“We're right where we need to be,” said pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez, a sophomore who had an 11-2 record and a 2.03 ERA. “Last year when we lost in supers (to Tennessee), I said this team is going to be special in the coming years. I 100% still agree with that. We have a lot coming back next year.”

Veteran pitcher Estelle Czech will depart after three seasons, and the staff will miss her steady presence in the circle and in the dugout. But freshman Teagan Kavan, the team’s leader in appearances, innings, wins and strikeouts, looks like an emerging star, especially after she threw a pair of one-hit shutouts at the WCWS. Junior Mac Morgan gives the team a scrappy, salty presence in the circle, and Gutierrez has won 24 games over the past two seasons.

Sophia Simpson, a former freshman All-Big 12 pitcher, also has one more year of eligibility, although the portal could prove tempting after she saw sparse work this season.

White said “we didn’t have a superstar” pitcher on the staff after Thursday’s loss to Oklahoma, which means he might try to lure another arm to Austin. He’ll also welcome in blue-chip freshman Cambria Salmon, a right-hander from California who’s ranked as the third-best pitching prospect in the nation for her class by Extra Inning Softball.

The lineup remains loaded, since the team will lose only outfielder Bella Dayton, second baseman Alyssa Washington and reserve Jordyn Whitaker. All-American catcher Reese Atwood and two All-WCWS players, junior third baseman Mia Scott and freshman utility player Katie Stewart, will presumably return in the heart of the order, and Henry and Ashton Maloney seem like natural options to replace Dayton in the leadoff spot. Sophomore Leighann Goode started at second base and has star potential.

White also will be tempted to get freshman Victoria Hunter in the lineup after the highly touted recruit hit .385 with 17 RBIs and four home runs in just 39 at-bats this season. She’s a natural at first or third, and Scott has the athleticism to play multiple positions, which gives White options. Lien Brister, the only other recruit in the 2024 class, can play either spot in the middle infield and should help ease the loss of Washington. White also said he will probably bring in a player or two from the portal.

Regardless of how the lineup looks next season, sophomore shortstop Vivi Martinez said the team expects to learn from the painful end to this season and make another run to Oklahoma City.

“We're still growing as a team,” Martinez said. “We're pretty young and still learning and growing. We've proved a lot this year, so I think we're still coming up. It's a bright future for us.”

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Longhorns softball team has tasted WCWS title series, wants more