The rings are in! The defending national champion Texas Longhorns softball team showed off their championship rings this week. The sparking jewelry even includes a touching tribute.
The Longhorns begin their title defense Friday, as the 2026 college softball season begins against Nebraska in San Antonio. Texas beat Texas Tech in three games to secure the first Women’s College World Series title in program history.
The ring is covered in diamonds and includes “Texas” and “2025 National Champions” on the top. But hidden on the underside of the ring is a special tribute to star pitcher Teagan Kavan’s grandmother, Anna Lukehart, who died on May 31, 2025, during the team’s WCWS run. Lukehart was 97 years old. The tribute includes a single black diamond and the words “20 years in the making.”
The @TexasSoftball 2025 national championship ring, which includes a black diamond on the interior in honor of #Longhorns’ pitcher Teagan Kavan’s 97-year-old grandmother Anna Lukehart, Kavan’s inspiration who died during the WCWS. pic.twitter.com/WizJPZKbOv
— Chip Brown (@ChipBrown247) February 3, 2026
Kavan, who went on the one of the most dominant WCWS runs of any pitcher in history, drew inspiration from her grandmother and is the reason the pitcher wears number 17.
“She was born on November 17, and so I wear that number in honor of her. She was my biggest fan in everything,” Kavan said. “She knew everybody’s name. She knew everyone’s nickname. She would ask me all about them, and they all loved her, too. It was super special for them to also get to know her and love on her. It made it even more special during the [Women’s College] World Series [that] they were able to rally around me during a tough time when we lost her.”
Texas begins its 2026 season on Friday, Feb. 6, against Nebraska in San Antonio at the UTSA Invitational.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: See Texas Softball’s dazzling, touching National Championship rings
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