Forty Acres Insider: February 17

Longhorn Nation, 

We got to celebrate an awesome Valentine’s Day weekend of Longhorn action together, and HOW SWEET IT WAS on the Forty Acres and beyond, my friends! A storm rolled through Austin on Saturday and kept us on our toes with time and schedule adjustments, but a little rain couldn’t slow the stampede or dampen our Texas Fight. With Longhorn Nation behind us and plenty of picture-perfect weather, all we did was win, folks! Men’s and Women’s Basketball were straight-up road warriors, each grabbing huge SEC victories. Men’s Tennis battled through two wins to survive and advance at the ITA National Indoor Championships. Softball was flawless — a perfect 5-0 at Red & Charline McCombs Field. Baseball opened the season with a sweep of UC Davis, and Women’s Tennis capped it Sunday with a home win over UTRGV to push the overall record to a perfect 13-0 on the courts and fields last week! Track & Field added three school-record individual performances as the indoor season hits the stretch run. That’s how you do Valentine’s Weekend on the Forty Acres — our Longhorns are en fuego and we’re all so fired up to keep the party going!

WINNING THE WEEKEND: Horns go 13-0🤘🏻

🔸Men’s Tennis back-to-back top-10 wins advancing to ITA National Indoor Championships semis
🔸Softball goes 5-0 in Bevo Classic
🔸Baseball posts season-opening sweep
🔸Men’s & Women’s Basketball with SEC road wins
🔸Women’s Tennis gets a win pic.twitter.com/0FVe8gldGl

— John Bianco (@UT_Bianco) February 16, 2026

After an unforgettable weekend, the momentum only built on Monday. CHAMPIONSHIP HARDWARE IS ON THE LINE. Texas Fight is alive and well as Coach Berque and No. 7 Men’s Tennis delivered a clean sweep of No. 19 Baylor in Dallas to punch their ticket to the Championship Match of the ITA National Indoors. It marks just the second time in program history that the Horns have advanced to the title match — and this time, it’s No. 2 Ohio State (a very familiar foe on the tennis courts) standing between us and a national indoor crown. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. CT TONIGHT and you can watch the live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NSg6CURgY0. What a run it’s been. Our Horns took down two top-10 teams over the weekend to reach Monday’s semifinals — a 4-2 Round of 16 win over archrival No. 8 Texas A&M, followed by a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over No. 5 TCU in the quarterfinals. Then on Monday against Baylor, it was a solid sweep! From claiming the doubles point to Lucas Marionneau sealing it with a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles, the Horns left no doubt against another top-25 squad. Now it’s time to play for it all. Get those Horns Up and bring the energy — let’s go win a championship.

And there it is!! For the second time in program history, the Horns are into the final of the @ITA_Tennis National Indoor Championships!

They sweep #19 Baylor to move on to the title match 🆚 #2 Ohio State tomorrow at 6:30 pm CT!#HookEm 🤘🎾 | #ITAIndoors pic.twitter.com/S92LBsg8em

— Texas Men’s Tennis (@TexasMTN) February 17, 2026

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BOTH HELD SERVE (note that tennis lingo transition) with always-critical SEC wins in tough road environments over the weekend. For Coach Miller and the men, Saturday’s 85-68 statement win at Missouri was their fourth-straight SEC victory. And how about Coach Miller showing the guys how it was done at the free throw line during Friday night’s walk-thru?! Lesson learned. Our Horns went 21-of-23 from the stripe in knocking off a Mizzou squad that was 13-1 at home entering that contest. That’s poise under pressure! The men are right back at it tonight against LSU at Moody Center (8 p.m. CT/SEC Network) before heading to Athens to take on Georgia on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT/SEC Network). Let’s be sure to pack The Mood tonight! On the women’s side, Coach Schaefer and our squad faced their fifth-straight ranked opponent on Sunday and held off No. 22 Tennessee 65-63 in Knoxville. That makes it 10 top-25 wins on the year — quite a resume already for our 24-3, No. 4-ranked Longhorns. Next up – a trip to Arkansas on Thursday (6:30 p.m. CT/SEC Network+) before returning home Sunday to face Mississippi State (1 p.m. CT/SEC Network). You’ve got to be in Moody Center for that one, as we’ll celebrate Senior Day and also welcome back a lot of former players as part of Alumni Weekend that will include special recognition for the 40th anniversary of our 1985-86 National Championship team!

No. 3 BASEBALL OPENED ITS SEASON AT HOME WITH A SWEEP. Our Horns took care of business against UC Davis, outscoring the Aggies, 27-6, across three dominant wins at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The energy was rockin’ all weekend — and we’re so grateful to everyone who brought the juice – rain or shine – to both The Disch and McCombs Field. Coach Schloss and our Horns are right back on the diamond later today hosting Lamar (5 p.m. CT/SEC Network+) before welcoming Michigan State to town this weekend. Looking forward to seeing everyone back at the yard!

takin’ care of business 🧹#HookEm pic.twitter.com/YoSbIcxKug

— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 15, 2026

SOFTBALL KEEPS ROLLING! Coach White and No. 2 Softball opened at home in style (including the unveiling of that beautiful National Champions signage) with an 11-0 run-rule win over Abilene Christian on Thursday, followed by run-rule victories over Ohio State and Syracuse by a combined score of 28-6 on Friday. After Saturday’s washout, our Horns bounced back Sunday with wins over Ohio State and Northern Illinois to go 5-0 in the Bevo Classic and improve to 9-1 on the season. And in the middle of all that, Reese Atwood was putting on a show — launching three home runs on the weekend (six already this season) to move atop the Longhorns’ all-time home run chart. Simply sensational! Now it’s time to hit the road. The ladies will head west for the DeMarini Invitational in California, facing a loaded field that includes host Stanford and top-15 foe Arizona. The bats are hot, the vibes are strong, and Texas Fight is alive and well! See y’all soon!

A certified Longhorn Legend 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/LQaDcyApSF

— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 13, 2026

Now we’re ramping up championship season. Swimming and Diving is already underway and laser-focused on defending those SEC titles in Knoxville at the SEC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS. Coach Bowman’s No. 1-ranked men and Coach Capitani’s No. 2-ranked women are loaded and locked in, taking dead aim at bringing more hardware back to the Forty Acres. Track and Field is up next. Records have been falling this season and Coach Flo and Track and Field compete at the SEC Indoor Championships on Feb. 26-28 in College Station. Championship season energy is building fast. There’s plenty more going on this week with Women’s Golf in the heat of competition at the Moon Golf Invitational in Florida, Beach Volleyball opens its season in Hawaii at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic (Thursday-Saturday) against a stacked field, and both Men’s and Women’s Tennis open SEC play on the road as the men head to Alabama on Saturday (1 p.m. CT), and the women are off to College Station for the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown on Sunday (12 p.m. CT)! It’s that time of year — trophies on the line, rankings at stake, and Texas Fight in full forces. Let’s go Horns!

another packed week for the Horns 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/cJ6nHYWm6j

— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) February 16, 2026

And while I’ve got you, let’s talk NFL futures. Seven of our Longhorns — OL DJ Campbell, TE Jack Endries, DB Jaylon Guilbeau, LB Anthony Hill, Jr., DB Malik Muhammad, LB Trey Moore, and DB Michael Taaffe — have been invited to the NFL SCOUTING COMBINE (Feb. 26-Mar. 1) in Indianapolis. It’s their chance to showcase their talent in front of scouts and decision-makers from across the league as they take the next step toward their NFL Dreams. And the numbers speak volumes about the consistency Coach Sark’s program has built. Over the last three years, 32 Longhorns have earned Combine invitations — the fourth-most in the nation behind only Georgia (35), Michigan (35) and Ohio State (34), and ahead of Alabama (31). Last year’s group set a school record with 14 invites — breaking the previous mark of 11 set the year before. That’s development. That’s momentum. That’s What Starts Here! We’ll be locked in following all the coverage as our guys do their thing in Indy.

Next stop: NFL Combine 🤘 pic.twitter.com/F20rJwX9NA

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) February 11, 2026

And SPEAKING OF EXCELLENCE BEYOND THE FIELD OF PLAY … 93 Longhorn student-athletes earned a spot on the Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll. The breakdown by Fall sports was: Football (55), Cross Country (15), Soccer (15), and Volleyball (8). What Starts Here happens on and off the field! A huge shoutout and emphatic Horns Up to our student-athletes for excelling in the classroom — and to our academic services staff for the incredible work they do to support their pursuit of greatness. Championship standard. Everywhere and All the Livelong Day!

making our academic advisors proud 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/YgSsDaAE1D

— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) February 12, 2026

Collaborating with our friends at Humann during Heart Health Month


February is American Heart Health Month — a national campaign dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. That mission is one of the many reasons our relationship with Humann is so meaningful. Together this month, we’re bringing new focus to cardiovascular wellness through a series of immersive, in-game experiences designed to help fans see — and feel — what heart health looks like when it matters most. It’s about education, awareness, and empowering our community to take proactive steps toward better health. What makes this collaboration even more special? Humann’s products were developed right here on the Forty Acres by scientists working in campus labs — innovation born at The University of Texas and now making an impact nationwide. Here’s to purpose-driven collaboration, groundbreaking research, and changing the game in cardiovascular health — together.

bringing heart health to Texas 🤘

this Heart Health Month, Humann and Texas Athletics are turning Moody Center red to highlight cardiovascular health in action. endurance, recovery, focus. it’s in our veins 💪

➡️ https://t.co/hfQUrGBm8f#HookEm | @LiveHumann pic.twitter.com/m0rprDlvVN

— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) February 12, 2026

Men’s Basketball back in The Mood tonight sporting a four-game win streak!


The calendar is quickly approaching March, and it’s so cool to see Coach Miller and our guys playing their best basketball of the season! Our Horns made it FOUR-STRAIGHT SEC WINS with an 85-68 win at Missouri on Saturday night. My guy Dailyn Swain was doing the thing, scoring 18 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, and earned some well-deserved recognition as SEC Co-Player of the Week. Big V or Just-Call-Me-Matas notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and I’ve got to give a shoutout to Nic Codie who stepped into the rotation and produced nine points, six boards and some solid defense. Longhorn Nation, you’ve got a few hours now to get ready but let’s ALL meet at The Mood here shortly as we’ll host LSU tonight (8 p.m. CT/SEC Network). Then the guys will head back on the road for a trip to Athens to face the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m. CT/SEC Network).

Horns win in CoMo 🤘#HookEm | #AlwaysCompete pic.twitter.com/BkSLxFTE8P

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) February 15, 2026

Let’s Pack The Mood for Women’s Basketball Senior Day on Sunday!


Talk about a big-time bounce back! After a tough loss at No. 5 Vanderbilt last Thursday, Coach Schaefer and our Horns dusted themselves off, went back to work and the proof was in the pudding on Sunday in Knoxville. The ladies clamped down on defense and forced 23 turnovers, including one on the final possession of the contest, to deliver an impressive 65-63 victory at No. 22 Tennessee. Mid-Range Maddie led the way with 14 points, and point guard extraordinaire Rori Harmon added 12 points, four steals and three assists. Our Horns are back on the road this week for their third-straight game away from Austin, as they’ll head to Fayetteville to battle Arkansas on Thursday (6:30 p.m. CT/SEC Network+). Then mark your calendars and get your tickets now, as Coach Schaefer’s team will be back in Moody Center to host Mississippi State on Sunday (1 p.m. CT/SEC Network). We need The Mood rockin’ that day, as we’ve got a full day of salutes and recognitions planned. That game is part of Alumni Weekend, and you don’t want to miss the special recognition of the 1985-86 National Championship team on the 40th anniversary of that historic season. Be sure to make plans to stick around after the game, as we’ll host our Senior Day celebration and salute following the final buzzer.

last night’s highlights for your viewing pleasure 🎬🍿#HookEm pic.twitter.com/HG2VsCAx2l

— Texas Women’s Basketball (@TexasWBB) February 16, 2026

Hook ‘Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte

P.S. — Our Longhorn Legend and NBA All-Star, KD!

seeing KD ball out at the All-Star game is nothing new🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/gUQ2M3zO7l

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) February 16, 2026

P.S. — Great having Tre Johnson back on campus for a few days!

don’t worry @WashWizards, he’ll be back at practice tomorrow 😎🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/arZXmOCkib

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) February 16, 2026

P.S. — Things you love to see!

Reese Atwood’s mom and dad after she broke the @TexasSoftball HR record ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jLytIM9A7O

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) February 13, 2026

P.S. — Fun weekend at UFCU Disch-Falk Field!

who ordered broom service? #HookEm pic.twitter.com/CBpL4Wbrlp

— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 15, 2026

P.S. — Rori Harmon getting the SportsCenter love!

always a good day when @roriiiharmonnn‘s on your TV! @SportsCenter 📺🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/cycmEOe8nL

— Texas Women’s Basketball (@TexasWBB) February 12, 2026

P.S. — Thanks for the support y’all!

brought the Forty Acres on the road 🤘#HookEm | #AlwaysCompete pic.twitter.com/BlS1HLUpzp

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) February 15, 2026

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