With the season on deck, five things to know about Texas softball this year

What new faces are in the Longhorns’ softball program?

Texas lost four players from the lineup that started against Oklahoma in last season’s Women’s College World Series championship series as well as starting pitcher Hailey Dolcini. But head coach Mike White likes the new arrivals, who include former Arizona State pitcher Mac Morgan and LSU utility player Baylea Brandon, a former All-Central Texas player of the year from Leander. Five freshmen also should compete for immediate playing time: utility player Maddie Pomykalski, catcher Reese Atwood, infielders Viviana Martinez and Leighann Goode, and pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez.

More:Alyssa Washington, Texas softball team hope to make another 'dream' season reality

Who will replace All-American infielder Janae Jefferson?

No loss will be felt more than at second base with Jefferson, the best position player ever to step into the batter’s box for the Longhorns. Alyssa Washington is one of the top shortstops in the Big 12, and newcomers such as Martinez and Goode could step into the starting role alongside her in the middle of the infield. Extra Inning Softball tabbed Martinez as the top infield prospect in the nation for the 2022 class while Goode led San Antonio O’Connor to the 2022 Class 6A state championship in her last appearance at McCombs Field.

What about catcher, where Texas loses Mary Iakopo?

White loves the preseason work by Reece Atwood, who looks like the heir apparent to Iakopo behind the plate. Atwood showed a live arm during the Longhorns’ scrimmage and hammered a couple of home runs. Replacing Iakopo’s dugout presence and ability to work with the pitchers might take a little longer.

Who will be the new pitching ace?

Dolcini earned the most work in the circle last season, garnering a 24-12 record with a 2.53 ERA while throwing 216 innings in 32 starts. Estelle Czech and Sophia Simpson both started 16 games and attack batters in different ways. The 5-foot-8 Czech, who walked only 25 batters in 103.2 innings, showed her precision and poise in a complete-game 5-0 win over Oklahoma State in the WCWS semifinals. Simpson brings more power; she had 105 strikeouts in 86.1 innings but issued twice as many walks as Czech in fewer innings. Of course, Morgan also looks like a strong candidate to claim the lead role after recording a 2.82 ERA, an 18-3 overall record, seven complete games and 75 strikeouts over a team-high 119 innings for an Arizona State team that won the Pac-12.

To which games should fans pay particular attention?

This opening weekend should be telling. The No. 14 Longhorns will face four nationally ranked programs — Missouri, Northwestern, Tennessee and Kentucky — at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. That high level of competition should immediately provide a sense of the team’s strengths and weaknesses. The Longhorns will make just four out-of-state trips this season, including a series at defending national champion Oklahoma from March 31 to April 2. The home series against No. 3 Oklahoma State (April 21-23) looks like a crucial test late in the season.

2023 Texas softball roster

• No. 1, OF Mya Holmes, soph., Texas City

• No. 3, UTIL Vanessa Quiroga, soph., Corpus Christi

• No. 5, OF Jordyn Whitaker, jr., Jacksonville

• No. 6 OF Bella Dayton, jr., Wylie

• No. 7, OF Ashton Maloney, r-fr., Liberty, Missouri

• No. 9, OF Lou Gilbert, sr., Kansas City

• No. 10, IF Mia Scott, soph., Angeton

• No. 11, IF Alyssa Washington, jr., Abilene

• No. 13, UTIL Maddie Pomykalski, fr., Frankfort, Illinois

• No. 14, C/1B Reese Atwood, fr., Sandia

• No. 15, 1B/DP Courtney Day, jr., Pearland

• No. 16, OF Alyssa Popelka, jr., Austin

• No. 22, P Estelle Czech, jr., Downers Grove, Illinois

• No. 23, IF Viviana Martinez, fr., Tolleson, Arizona

• No. 27, UTIL Baylea Brandon, soph., Leander

• No. 28, UTIL Camille Corona, jr., Dripping Springs

• No. 43, IF Leighann Goode, fr., San Antonio

• No. 44, C/IB Katie Cimusz, soph., Humble

• No. 55, P Mac Morgan, soph., Creighton, Missouri

• No. 77, P Citlaly Gutierrez, fr., Stamford

• No. 99, P Sophia Simpson, soph., Mont Belvieu

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What we know about the Texas Longhorns' 2023 softball season