2025 WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

May 29, 2025

Mike White

Joley Mitchell

Teagan Kavan

Texas Longhorns

Postgame Press Conference

Texas 3, Florida 0

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from Coach White, go to questions for both players, and then the players will be dismissed and back to questions for Coach White.

MIKE WHITE: Obviously we're very familiar with each other. Florida, they've always been a class organization. Coach Walton has done a tremendous job with their program. We knew it was going to be a tough game. We were able to come out front because of Joley Mitchell's home run and, of course, Teagan Kavan's pitching.

Good start. Just happen to be in this position right now.

THE MODERATOR: We'll go to questions for players.

Q. Teagan, what is it about this field? I think you threw two shutout complete games last year. What do you like about this setting?

TEAGAN KAVAN: I mean, it's the place to be. There's no other place I would rather be. A lot of people would give a lot to be here. So I'm grateful to be here to give my all for my teammates and come out with some wins for us.

Q. Joley, what was the plan going in against Keagan? You had good success against her last year...

JOLEY MITCHELL: I didn't face Keagan last year in the game here. Kind of a clean slate for me. I knew I needed to be on time, and that's kind of just the forefront of my thoughts.

Q. I just want to ask you, we don't know who the opponent is going to be tomorrow, but is it beneficial when you know you have seen three games against both possible opponents?

JOLEY MITCHELL: I would say yes. I think a big thing is we manage the things we need to work on from the series this past season with them. So it's going to be a fun game to watch for sure, but just picking up on some of the tendencies that they're doing now, instead of like they were back in the season, and make adjustments from there.

Q. When you're in that winner's bracket, how beneficial is it to get that day off and not play back-to-back days?

TEAGAN KAVAN: Yeah, I think it's huge. It's a good reset to get some more rest, for us especially. Temps were cooler today, but in the past it's been really hot. It's good to relax, good to watch some more softball and just hang out with your teammates. But it's definitely helpful.

Q. Teagan, having already faced Florida's offense earlier in the season, how much did that help, knowing what to expect with their hitters?

TEAGAN KAVAN: Yeah, I think it was helpful to go back and watch film prior. We're both different teams now obviously. We used that, but we also scouted some new stuff to help with the scout.

But overall I think it is beneficial. But I think when you get here, a lot of things change and it kind of is a new slate. Post-season is a new season. So same and different.

Q. One for each player. Joley, if you just describe what it feels like to hit not one but two home runs in this place. And then, Teagan, the majority of your outs were groundouts on the infield. What was helping you get a lot of soft contact? And also what impressed you about your defense behind you?

JOLEY MITCHELL: I think it was pretty awesome. I didn't hit a home run last year; so that was my personal goal for this year. But now I've just got to keep moving forward and being a good teammate. Now that's the forefront of my focus for the next week.

I know my teammates have my back and I have theirs, and I'm confident we can keep going forward together.

TEAGAN KAVAN: Yeah, for me it was huge to trust down in the zone for me to get those ground ball outs. Got me out of some situations that could have been bigger. And just my defense kept me locked in the whole game. It helps to keep my pitch count down.

And Joley, too, kept me locked in the whole time the defense was talking to me. They wanted the ball, so I was going to fish it to them. So it really helped me throw less pitches but also throw a little different, because I think it's different than sometimes what I usually do.

Q. Joley, I think you have a little individual competition with Katie about home runs on the season. In a game like this, what's that banter like after you get two, she gets one?

JOLEY MITCHELL: Honestly, I didn't even think about it. And she came up to me after we both hit one, my second one and her first, and she said, So what's that now? And it didn't cross my mind. I said, What did you have before? She said 15. I said, So now you have 16 and so I do.

It's nice to have those fun things going on behind the scenes with all the grit that we're going through.

THE MODERATOR: Any questions for players? Okay. Players, you're dismissed. Questions for Coach White.

Q. What does it speak to Teagan's control and spin? She doesn't have the Ks, but just a ton of weak contact against a really good lineup.

MIKE WHITE: I think just the ability to mix the pitches up now. Last year she was more one-dimensional, like a lot of more rise balls. Now that the hitters know, she can go with one of three pitches. And she was pretty much in control of it today. A couple of walks, but for the most part she was throwing the ball, being aggressive.

And Florida is really good at being patient and trying to get you behind, and then they attack the pitch they're looking for. And fortunately we were able to mix it up enough.

Q. Mike, Joley was talking about that thing she has with Katie. How do those little fun battles in the dugout help in stressful situations like the World Series?

MIKE WHITE: Hey, man, it's like your wife, happy wife, happy life... happy players -- whatever you want to make of it. If they're performing well, let's do it. I wasn't really brought up that way myself. I was more mental and to task and everything else. But they get to play relaxed. If that's the way they play the best and carefree and giving their best effort, that's what really matters.

Q. Coach, kind of a similar question, you're going to play an opponent you have seen a lot this year. How beneficial is that?

MIKE WHITE: It goes both ways, no doubt. They know our pitching staff inside and out, and we know theirs. So it's going to come down to the team that executes the best. It's going to be a fun game to watch. One of the best pitchers in the country going against one of the best offenses in the country. Not to mention Landry is a really good pitcher too. So don't get me wrong there either.

Either team that comes through, there's going to be two really good battles again between four SEC teams, the winners and the losers.

But it's fun right now to be in that conference and playing such softball and seeing success that all softball is having right now, to tell you the truth.

Q. There's still a lot of softball to be played, but you have had a lot of wins on this field. The victory celebrations after the wins like today, do they ever get old?

MIKE WHITE: No, not at all. Just like getting here, it never gets old either. One of the hardest parts is getting to this tournament, without a doubt. You got to win this first game, it makes it a little bit easier, but the second game it gets even bigger, going into the next round. It's great to see the team celebrate the way they're doing right now.

Q. Mike, plenty was made about Mia playing nine positions last month, but even at her home position at third base, her glove has been massive for you guys. How valuable is that, and how have you seen her develop as a fielder in terms of a corner starting the infield there?

MIKE WHITE: Yeah, watching her day in and day out, the same thing she does at practice, she short-picks and takes tough hops and is not afraid to go get the ball. Some people would let it play them a little bit.

And for the most part, she's really accurate with her throws as well. So she's able to kind of not only play well defensively, but offensively. She's one of the kids I want to have come up at the plate as well. I'm glad she got the All-American nod this year. So it was well-deserved.

Q. Mike, every year there's chatter about re-seeding teams at the World Series. What do you think about that?

MIKE WHITE: I think I answered that question yesterday in the press conference. I don't necessarily think that's what needs to be done. Right now the parity, would you re-seed the College Football Playoffs? Would you re-seed the NCAA basketball playoffs? It is what it is, and that's what makes it interesting in some respects.

I know some people say the top bracket is more loaded than the bottom, but the bottom teams are pretty good too. There's really good pitching down there, and offenses. How would you do it? Straight off seedings? Just not something I'm a fan of.

Q. Just wanted to follow up about Mia, her experience playing in the World Series. Have how have you seen her embrace her role as a leader this year?

MIKE WHITE: I have seen her grow each and every year. We're talking about a kid that was really nervous to... in fact, she doesn't do press conferences, by the way. I'm working on that. She's running out of time, I keep telling her, as well. A kid that is really self-conscious, I think, a little bit, and is not as sure of herself in front of people.

But what a great person she is. She's a kid that's first-generation going to graduate with a degree from a tough university, which is an accomplishment and something I take pride in as a coach, having players graduate with degrees. And just now she's able to stand in front of people and talk to them and actually smile, and just the growth is tremendous.

That's what means the most. We may or may not win a national championship, but the feeling you get as a coach when you see someone grow like that, it's awesome.

Q. Coach, just talk about now that you guys have played a game here, the momentum that came from the Clemson series, winning the last two games, how much do you think that carried over to today? You had a few days off, but do you think it did a little bit?

MIKE WHITE: I hope so. And now the key is you have to keep the momentum going. This game is about swings and momentum and ups and downs. Fortunately we were able to get the big outs today to stop their momentum from gathering some speed. Saw some double plays, couple of deep fly balls, a deep fly ball that might have left the ballpark with the wind blowing in, so that helps. Same for both teams too.

But the Clemson series was extremely tough. This team kind of... they just seem to feed off that. It's frustrating as a coach. A number of times we were down and didn't score until the fourth or fifth, and finally now we're starting to score first, which is somewhat a sigh of relief.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.