Mike White finally reaches the college softball mountain top

Mike White, national champion head coach. How does that sound? After eight Women’s College World Series trips and two defeats in the championship series, White finally captured his first title after the 2025 championship series.

“I’m still trying to process the whole thing,” he said. “Actually, it’s something you dream about. First of all, you start dreaming about going to the World Series, that’s never easy. And then finally achieving that, actually when we beat Texas at Texas in the super regionals to go to the first College World Series in 2012, I think it was. And that was like stepping onto another thing. It was completely different. It was like the big major leagues, basically is what it was.

“Now to fast-forward to this point in time, having been here eight times to three national finals and then to finally win it, it’s amazing. You can’t do it without good people behind you. I’ve had great administrations at both places, excellent coaching staffs. That’s just really important. It’s really a combination of everything. And I’m just the lucky one to be sitting here right now.”

White, one of the best pitching minds in our game, has had plenty of great arms during his time at Oregon and Texas. He has always connected with his pitchers and got to watch 2025 WCWS Most Outstanding Player Teagan Kavan throw 37.2 innings scoreless in Oklahoma City.

“Without Coach White, I don’t know if we’re here. He’s the best,” Kavan said. “He’s so competitive. He wants it just as bad as we do, of course. And he pushes us to be better every day. He makes me a better pitcher mentally and physically. And so there’s no one else I’d rather play for. He’s the bomb, and I’m glad we got it done for him.”

White has made the Super Regional round every year since he took the head coaching job at Oregon in 2010. He took the Ducks to Oklahoma City five times, but it never came together for Oregon to reach the Women’s College World Series.

He decided to make the change to Texas after his top-seeded Ducks lost in the 2018 WCWS. Many of his players followed him to Austin, making for a quick rebuild. The Longhorns made two straight Super Regional appearances. However, it wasn’t until the unseeded Longhorns made the title series in 2022 before running into Oklahoma. The Longhorns were in a good spot to capture the title last season before the Sooners knocked them out again.

Of course, this title run included a 4-2 win over Oklahoma at Devon Park.

“So exciting to be able to finally beat the Sooners in Oklahoma, first time since I’ve been part of the program,” he said after that win.

Although Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco came out on the wrong side of the championship series, he was happy to see his peer win the title.

“I’m thrilled for Coach White,” Glasco said. “Just absolutely thrilled to see him get that national championship. When you look at his coaching career and his playing career, it’s just historic. I think he’s won every single regional since he’s been a head coach. I think this is his third time in the finals. I’m sure it was a lot.

“He had all the great teams at Oregon and he didn’t get that title. Then to see him get that and fulfill that tonight, I’m so proud for him and his family, and all the players that have played for him through the years. It’s going to mean a lot to everybody. And the Texas program, they just were really talented and really classy.”

White has had multiple assistants become head coaches, including Cal head coach Chelsea Spencer, who worked under him both at Oregon and Texas.

“This championship means everything to him, his family, and Texas softball,” she said. “It’s the result of years of hard work, belief, and resilience. To see him be the last one standing in 2025 makes me proud to have had the opportunity to be mentored by him.”

White heads home with a title and has to start recruiting in the transfer portal. After the press conference, he said he has a well-deserved trip to Hawaii and plans to play some golf. Hopefully, his golf game is half as good as his coaching.