2026 WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

May 29, 2026

Mike White

Kayden Henry

Kaiah Altmeyer

Teagan Kavan

Texas Longhorns

Postgame Press Conference

Texas 4, Mississippi State 0

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Texas. We'll start with an opening statement from head coach.

MIKE WHITE: Congratulations to Mississippi State on their season. Obviously they're all warriors, got a great pitching staff, hitters, never gave in. Coaching staff has done a great job there with their program. I wish them luck going forward.

It's kind of win or go home at this point of the season. Fortunately we're able to stay for another couple of days, get to fight again. Hopefully we can put on another good performance like we did today.

Played pretty clean defense. Had good pitching from Teagan Kavan. Timely hitting. We left some people on base, which is a bit concerning, we know that. Find ways to work on and improve on that. Proud of the way the team was able to bounce back and fight. So thank you.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions for players.

Q. Kaiah, your first home run of the season. What has been your experience at the World Series so far? What did it feel like when that got out of the ball field?

KAIAH ALTMEYER: I think we talk about not making any game bigger than it needs to be. The fan are still the fans, the game is still the game. Keeping the moment not too big, just playing my game still. Doesn't affect me.

I think once the ball went off the bat, I knew it was out. It was a good feeling.

Q. Teagan, you held them to no runs, very few hits. What went right for your game today? What did you learn about what you needed to do?

TEAGAN KAVAN: I think I was efficient, missed more barrels. That was helpful. My defense stole a lot of what could have been a lot of hits. I credit them on that. They were huge for me and took a lot of momentum they could have gotten.

Not think about yesterday. It's a new day. Know we can perform under pressure. My teammates are going to have my back. They showed that. Just wake up, new day.

Q. Teagan, when you're noticing an offense is being more aggressive in the counts, can you talk to Pattie Ruth?

TEAGAN KAVAN: Yeah, for sure. I think that's always kind of the focus. But I think I was able to kind of not put that pressure on myself to get a strikeout or anything like that. It was nice to kind of throw less pitches. Hopefully it will help with the rest of the week with the workload.

Awesome to give fly-outs. I think we joked in the locker room that every single person had a ball on the field had a ball today. So that was awesome. Yeah, my defense was awesome behind me, so it's cool to feed them.

Q. Teagan and Kayden, what is it about elimination games that brings out the best in both of you and the team?

KAYDEN HENRY: I guess we're just not tired of being around Coach White yet (smiling). I'm kidding.

No, I kind of just said it in a press conference earlier that I think this team has become not just only like friends and memories, but more of a family. We're not tired of each other, playing for each other.

I don't know why we keep putting our backs against the wall. At that time that's when we grind and get gritty. I love a team that brings out different sides of us.

TEAGAN KAVAN: We're resilient. We showed that all season. It's win or go home, and we know that. We're going to give it everything we have. We're going to empty the tank on the field for this team to get every moment with them.

Q. Kayden and Teagan, does Kaiah get a special home run celebration, since it was her first? What has she brought to the team this year?

KAYDEN HENRY: I don't think Kaiah has a celebration. When she gets on base, she does this cute little stomp. We're like, Give more energy, Kaiah (smiling).

I'm really happy for her to be here on this team. She's brought a lot of leadership, a lot of insight being from another university, coming to our university.

Although she is a transfer, she's been almost like another captain for us. She leads on the field, off the field. Yeah, her knowledge is very usable and wise.

TEAGAN KAVAN: She was respected from the moment she got here in the program as a leader. That's huge for us. She has so much experience, she's so good. She's always working hard. Always one of the last in the cages getting extra work. She works really hard for us, puts her head down, trusts the process, the whole thing. I'm glad she's a Longhorn.

Q. Can you walk me through Katie's run, as a teammate and player?

KAYDEN HENRY: I was very surprised Coach White sent her. Stewart getting to first -- Stewart getting from first to home was huge. Immediately we were like, Oh, she's safe. And get her some water, please, because she desperately wanted some and needs some. I was like, Oh, my God, that girl is moving right now.

TEAGAN KAVAN: Home to first is the only thing we were talking about. She can move. Good slide, too.

THE MODERATOR: Texas players, thank you. We'll continue with questions for Coach White.

Q. Sticking with Kaiah, she hasn't had a home run all year. You've been patient with her. What does it mean to have her have that moment in the World Series? To your perspective, what has she brought to the team?

MIKE WHITE: She came in and had a lot of expectations, coming from a successful program, being a successful player on Arizona. The transition is always difficult. You try to explain that to them.

She started off really, really well. Hit as high as three in the order. Then went through a little bit of a struggle. She never pouted, never got down, never did the pity party or anything like that. She stayed, worked hard.

It's just great to see her get this moment. It's just reward for her keeping her head up and being a real teammate. Like the ladies said, she's got their backs, using her experience in other places, being ready to contribute to the team whenever she can. It's just a great story.

Q. Walk us through what you may have saw differently in Teagan's stuff between today and yesterday.

MIKE WHITE: In the 70s pitches, a lot more aggressive in the zone. Taking her chances. The ball was moving through the zone. They were on the change-up a little bit, but she still kept throwing it just to keep their stride out of a little bit.

We made some great plays behind her. There were some difficult catches, Ashton Maloney's in the sun, in right field, Kaiah Altmeyer, a couple of left field that weren't easy catches. Of course, made some good plays on the infield.

That's what you've got to do. But we put the ball on Teagan, and Teagan said she felt like she let the team down a little bit. That's what someone who is a competitor is going to do, is going to say. Give me the ball back, I've got this for my team. That's what she did.

Q. Speak of Kayden's value in these games.

MIKE WHITE: Just take the first night. I mean, 0-3 on the scoreboard, but hit three rockets. She's always there. You just don't know what you're going to get out of her sometimes.

She's always electric. She's one of those kids that you want to come watch and pay money to go play. You can see just the ability there, just running the bases, a character, just really light. She's one that's got to keep it light. I wish she would get a little more serious sometimes. That may not be to her benefit.

She's the light one on the team. I just love having her part of the program.

Q. Between Teagan's efficiency today and being that you guys are either going to play Nebraska or Alabama, who you've already played, how does that change and make it easier for you to prep going forward?

MIKE WHITE: First we need to relax a little bit, take a chill pill here, just sit back and enjoy the moment. Wait to see what happens. We get to sit back and see who plays tomorrow, who loses and who comes through. Then we'll take it from there.

We'll come out and continue to compete and see how far we can go in this tournament.

We've played both programs. Nebraska was early on. We split them 1-1. Of course, Alabama, we beat them the first game, they beat us the next two. We did beat them in the SEC Championship game.

We have a lot of history already this year, especially with Alabama. I'm looking forward to the opportunity of playing either program. Should be a fun matchup. Can't say enough about the crowd showing up. Last night set a session record. Today, there was a pretty good crowd out there today. Great to see all the fans showing up and watching some great softball.

Q. I think this was Teagan's seventh complete game win up here. Is there something different in her demeanor up here? How do you account for her success in Oklahoma City?

MIKE WHITE: She just takes it moment by moment. We talk a lot about that, being where your feet are, not making too big of a deal out of it, not thinking about those things. Just win this pitch. That's really what we wanted to do this team, just win the pitch, whether it was offense or defense. I think she focused on that.

You look in the last innings. Seventh innings, two leadoff hits, you could be going, Oh, my God, what could happen? You've seen all this stuff happen in the post-season, could be flashing through your mind. Remind yourself reset, come back to the present moment, make your next best pitch.

She was able to do that, get a jam shot, a fly out, a then of course the last out.

THE MODERATOR: That will wrap things up for Texas. Thank you.

MIKE WHITE: Thank you.