The Red River Rivalry is taking center stage at the WCWS, as Texas looks to unseat three-time reigning champion Oklahoma in the final series.
The Longhorns and Sooners are ranked as the top two teams in the country. Each is loaded with talent, and it should be a tightly battled series, especially since the two teams got to the championship series by virtue of one-run victories.
Texas swept Oklahoma during the regular season but fell to the Sooners in the Big 12 championship. The Longhorns now have a chance to avenge that defeat and their loss to Oklahoma in the 2022 championship series and create parity atop the softball rankings for the first time in years.
The Longhorns seem likely to rely on one of their freshman phenoms to carry them to victory against Oklahoma. That would be pitcher Teagan Kavan, who has already established herself as one of the best pitchers in softball.
Here's what to know about Kavan as she looks to guide Texas to its first-ever WCWS title.
MORE: Where Patty Gasso, Patrick Murphy rank among all-time winningest softball coaches
Who is Teagan Kavan?
Kavan is a freshman pitcher for Texas who emerged as the team's ace during the 2024 softball season. She appeared in a team-high 30 games with 23 starts and threw just under 25 innings more than the team's second-ranked starter.
Perfect Game ranked Kavan the No. 5 softball prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. She was tied for 11th in Extra Inning Softball's 2023 Extra Elite 100. She played exclusively for Iowa Premier Fastpitch and struck out a whopping 1,444 batters over 772 2/3 innings pitched with the club. She earned 45 shutouts and six no-hitters during her high school days.
Kavan was also the youngest among 32 invitees to try out for the 2021 USA Softball U19 Women's National Team.
Kavan is one of the best players in the College World Series and will look to power Texas to a win and deny Oklahoma a shot at a fourth consecutive championship.
MORE: Has Texas ever won an NCAA championship in softball?
How tall is Teagan Kavan?
Kavan is listed on Texas' official roster at an even 6-0. That ties her as the tallest player on the team with catcher/first baseman Reese Atwood.
Kavan will not be the tallest player participating in this year's WCWS. That honor belongs to Oklahoma pitcher Paytn Monticelli, who stands at 6-1.
The Sooners also list catcher Kinzie Hansen and utility player Riley Ludlam at 6-0, so there will be plenty of tall players competing in the Red River Rivalry series.
How old is Teagan Kavan?
Kavan is 19 years old. She was born on Feb. 28, 2005, as confirmed by a birthday post by her father on X (formerly Twitter) in 2023.
Happy 18th Birthday Teagan! So incredibly blessed & proud to call you our daughter!! I hope you have a GREAT day! Luv u!! @teagan_kavan pic.twitter.com/1ULxidNA33
— Harold Kavan (@hakavan) February 28, 2023
She responded to her father's post with a simple, "Thank you Dad," followed by a heart emoji.
MORE: How Oklahoma can break NCAA record with WCWS four-peat
Teagan Kavan jersey number
Kavan wears the No. 17 jersey. She has not provided a reason for her choice of number.
Teagan Kavan stats
Kavan has been Texas' best pitcher during the 2024 season and WCWS. She one-hit Stanford to get Texas to the championship series and leads the team across most major statistical categories.
Below is a look at Kavan's stats from her strong freshman season and where she ranks among the Longhorns' five pitchers for 2024:
| Stat | Total | Rank |
| Wins | 20 | 1st |
| Innings | 128.2 | 1st |
| ERA | 1.96 | 5th |
| WHIP | 0.95 | T-1st |
| Strikeouts | 135 | 1st |
| Opponent's average | .169 | 2nd |
| Shutouts | 6 | 1st |
| Saves | 4 | 1st |
Impressively, Kavan's 135 strikeouts are 76 more than Citlaly Gutierrez's 59, which ranks second on the team. In total, Kavan is responsible for 46.2 percent of Texas' strikeouts and has struck out 29.3 percent of the batters she has faced.
Kavan will face one of her toughest tests yet in battling Oklahoma, but she succeeded against the Sooners earlier in the year. She pitched 3 2/3 innings against them and allowed just one run.
If she can repeat that feat in the WCWS, that may jeopardize Oklahoma's bid at a four-peat.
