Not many rivalries span across all sports the way that the Red River Rivalry does, as intense for football as it is for softball (if not more so), and that extends to the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners targeting the same prospects on the recruiting trail.
That much was true when it came to Sophia Schlader, the No. 1 pitcher and No. 3 overall prospect in the class of 2028, who committed to the Sooners on Wednesday evening, choosing crimson and cream over burnt orange.
Schlader was heavily recruited by Texas, Oklahoma, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the three biggest powerhouses of college softball over the last few years.
Adding insult to injury, Schlader's commitment helped the Sooners mount yet another elite recruiting class, with both their 2026 and 2027 classes outranking those of the Longhorns.
It stung for the Horns and head coach Mike White to miss out on landing the blue-chip pitcher, but seeing her commit to the Sooners only rubbed salt in the wound. However, it is far from the end of the road for an elite bullpen at Texas.
Texas has unbelievable pitching depth, but Teagan Kavan will still run the show
Returning senior and two-time Women's College World Series MVP (the first college softball player to ever do so) Teagan Kavan is set to throw out her final season for the Longhorns, providing the consistency, accuracy, and leadership that any bullpen needs.
And, even without Schlader joining the rotation, the Longhorns have a jaw-dropping amount of talent that can enter the circle at any time, even if Kavan continues to be White's go-to pitcher.
Joining the Texas roster this offseason are five-star Madi Doty, the No. 2 pitcher and No. 5 overall prospect in the class of 2026, as well as transfer portal addition Samantha Lincoln, who spent the last two years with the Red Raiders.
Additionally, White has already received a commitment from Brooklynn Hagerty, a four-star pitcher in the class of 2027.
Not to mention the fact that left-handed pitcher Brenlee Gonzales is returning for her second season with the Horns, as is right-handed pitcher Hannah Wells, who made an appearance in the National Championship series last spring as a true freshman.
So, yes, it hurt to see a top prospect commit to a bitter rival, especially when Texas has been on such a hot streak over the last two years (both on the softball field and the recruiting trail).
However, Schlader's choosing Oklahoma by no means is a sign that the Horns' pitching rotation is losing its shine.
As of right now, the Longhorns and Sooners are not scheduled to play in 2027, with the SEC opting to not have the two rivals play a regular-season series next year. But with how heated this rivalry can get, especially when it comes to softball, don't be surprised if White and Patty Gasso pull off something special.
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