Why Texas Tech, Texas will win 2025 WCWS
It’s a Lone Star State Women’s College World Series this year, and reporter Jenni Carlson breaks down one reason Texas Tech will win and one reason Texas will win the WCWS.
Texas Tech and Texas softball will begin their best-of-three championship series at the 2025 Women’s College World Series Wednesday from Devon Park in Oklahoma City, with the winner of the first matchup getting a crucial leg up in their quest for an NCAA title.
The Red Raiders and Longhorns are inextricably linked in a number of ways. They’re large public universities in the same state. For nearly 70 years, they were members of the same conference, first in the Southwest Conference and later the Big 12. These two particular teams have already faced off this season, with Texas winning two games in mid-February.
Between their coaches, though, there’s an even deeper, more meaningful bond.
While at Oregon, Longhorns coach Mike White coached Geri Ann Glasco, the late daughter of Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco.
A utility player and pitcher, Geri Ann Glasco helped lead the Ducks to the WCWS in 2015 and was a second-team All-Pac-12 honoree as a senior in 2016. In 2019, while working as a volunteer assistant under her father at Louisiana, Glasco was killed in a car wreck on Interstate 10 involving several vehicles, including an 18-wheeler. She was 24 years old.
When asked about her Tuesday, White had fond memories.
“I just had so much fun with her,” White said. “What a special person she was, not only as a player, but as a person. She was a proponent of softball and promoted it everywhere she went. Kids loved her. She had that great smile and demeanor about her. I always had a fun time with her in the bullpen, as well, joking to her about the trenches she used to leave with the drag foot. Some great times. She was also a special hitter, as well. I just loved coaching her. It was certainly a very sad day when that tragic thing happened.”
Gerry Glasco, who White described as a “softball stalwart” Tuesday, is in his first season at Texas Tech following a decorated seven-year run at Louisiana. This season, he has led the Red Raiders to a program-record 53 wins and their first-ever WCWS appearance. Now, they’re just two victories from a national championship.
Even if they don’t win, Glasco believes his daughter would be satisfied with the result, with her former coach leading Texas to its first title.
“If Geri Ann could talk to you, she’d be just as happy if coach White wins the national championship as her dad,” Glasco said Monday. “She loved Coach White.”
