In their inaugural season as full-fledged members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Texas Longhorns made a seismic statement—not just by competing but by dominating. With eight SEC titles across multiple sports and the crowning achievement of winning the SEC All-Sports Trophy, the University of Texas has officially planted its burnt orange flag atop the landscape of college athletics’ most competitive conference.
While skeptics doubted how well the Longhorns would adjust to the gritty competition of the SEC, especially with legacy powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and LSU entrenched in dominance, Texas not only held their own—they excelled.
A Groundbreaking Year
When Texas formally joined the SEC ahead of the 2024–2025 academic year, expectations were cautious but optimistic. Even the most fervent Texas faithful couldn’t have predicted such a prolific debut campaign. Let’s dive into the eight championships that formed the backbone of this historic season.
Women’s Soccer (SEC Tournament Champions)
The Texas women’s soccer team set the tone early in the fall, capturing the SEC Tournament title in dramatic fashion. Led by head coach Angela Kelly, the Longhorns relied on a mix of defensive toughness and explosive counterattacks. The final saw Texas edge out perennial power South Carolina in a tense 2-1 contest. With standout performances from goalkeeper Mia Justus and striker Trinity Byars, the Longhorns proved they could hang with the SEC’s finest and walk away with hardware.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Few programs entered the SEC with a legacy as strong as Texas men’s swimming and diving. Head coach Eddie Reese’s program has been a dynasty in NCAA swimming, and the SEC only added more fuel to the fire. Dominating the competition from start to finish, the Longhorn men won multiple individual and relay titles en route to the team championship. Carson Foster and Luke Hobson stood out as anchors, combining for record-breaking times and dominant performances that left the rest of the SEC gasping for air.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the Texas women’s swimming and diving team also captured the SEC crown in emphatic fashion. The women’s team, led by Emma Sticklen and Dakota Luther, turned the meet into a Longhorn showcase. From backstroke to butterfly to diving boards, Texas controlled the lanes and boards. This dual sweep in the pool cemented Texas as the SEC’s new aquatic powerhouse.
Women’s Basketball (Regular Season Champions)
The arrival of Vic Schaefer’s Lady Longhorns in SEC women’s basketball was nothing short of transformative. In a league long ruled by programs like South Carolina and LSU, Texas navigated a treacherous schedule to finish atop the standings. The team combined physical defense with balanced scoring led by Rori Harmon and Madison Booker. Highlight wins included a road upset at LSU and a sweep of Tennessee. This title made a statement: Texas is here to contend for national titles.
Men’s Tennis (Regular Season and Tournament Champions)
A twofer in tennis saw the Longhorn men clinch both the regular season and tournament championships. Michael Center’s squad entered the SEC with a target on their backs but turned up their game when it mattered most. Powered by star players Eliot Spizzirri and Micah Braswell, Texas ran through the regular season before putting an exclamation point on the postseason with a tournament title win over Georgia. Their aggressive doubles play and disciplined singles sealed the deal.
Women’s Rowing
In a sport traditionally dominated by East Coast schools and emerging SEC contenders, Texas made waves—literally. The women’s rowing team surged to the top of the conference standings and captured their first SEC title behind the power and technique instilled by head coach Dave O’Neill. With victories across multiple boat classes, including the varsity eight and second varsity eight, the Longhorns rowed their way into history, proving their elite depth and conditioning program.
Baseball (Regular Season Champions)
The cherry on top of Texas’ stellar year came in the form of a regular-season SEC baseball title. The Longhorns, under head coach David Pierce, tackled the gauntlet of SEC baseball head-on and emerged as the most consistent and complete team in the conference. With standout pitching from ace Lebarron Johnson Jr. and a powerful batting lineup featuring slugger Jared Thomas, Texas clinched the title with a series win over Arkansas in Fayetteville—arguably the toughest road environment in the sport.
This championship was especially symbolic. In the sport where SEC dominance has long been unquestioned, Texas not only competed—they won.
SEC All-Sports Trophy: A Testament to Depth
Perhaps the most impressive accolade of all was Texas winning the SEC All-Sports Trophy, awarded to the top-performing athletic department across all sports. This trophy is a measure not just of excellence but of consistency and depth across men’s and women’s athletics.
Texas outpaced long-standing SEC giants in every season—fall, winter, and spring. Their excellence spanned from the pool to the pitch, from the court to the diamond, and from tennis to rowing. This kind of all-around success is rare, even more so for a debuting member of the league.
A Cultural Fit—Faster Than Expected
There were cultural concerns when Texas and Oklahoma were announced as new SEC members. Would the Longhorns mesh with the ethos of the SEC—a conference defined by fierce rivalries, physical play, and rabid fanbases?
The answer came swiftly: yes.
Fan engagement skyrocketed across campuses. Texas road games drew packed stadiums, and Longhorn fans traveled in droves—whether it was for a tennis match in Athens, Georgia, or a baseball series in Baton Rouge. The move galvanized not just the athletic department but the entire university.
Texas athletes have embraced the SEC mantra of “It Just Means More” and elevated it with their own legacy of swagger and success.
Building Blocks for a Long-Term Powerhouse
What makes this season even more impressive is that many of the championship rosters are young or loaded with underclassmen. This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan success story—it’s a foundation for future dominance.
- Women’s basketball retains most of its core roster.
- Swimming and diving continues to reload with elite recruits.
- Baseball is attracting top-tier pitching talent, bolstered by a recruiting surge following this season’s success.
- Tennis is building a pipeline that mirrors the sustained success of bluebloods like Florida and Georgia.
If Texas continues to combine world-class facilities, elite coaching, and now an SEC pedigree, the Longhorns could rival—and potentially surpass—the dynasties of Alabama football or Florida gymnastics in terms of all-around excellence.
The Oklahoma Factor
Of course, Texas isn’t alone in joining the SEC; bitter rival Oklahoma made the jump too. But in terms of athletic performance, the Longhorns outshined the Sooners in this first year. While Oklahoma had a few notable successes—most especially in softball—Texas’s eight championships and the All-Sports Trophy win put them in a league of their own.
Red River Rivalry bragging rights, at least for now, belong to the burnt orange side of the Red River.
What Comes Next?
The momentum is palpable. Texas now enters the 2025–2026 athletic year with targets on their backs in every sport. But as history has shown, the Longhorns don’t shrink from expectations—they rise to them.
The university has announced further investments in facilities, including expansions to the swimming and diving complex, renovations to the baseball stadium, and a new high-performance center for Olympic sports. These aren’t just cosmetic improvements—they’re part of a strategy to sustain SEC-level excellence.
Athletic Director Chris Del Conte summed it up perfectly at the end-of-year celebration in Austin:
“We didn’t just want to join the SEC. We wanted to change it. And we’re just getting started.”
Final Thoughts
Texas has long been known as a sleeping giant in college athletics. With deep pockets, passionate fans, elite recruits, and an unmatched brand, the move to the SEC has awakened that giant.
Eight SEC titles. One All-Sports Trophy. And the reverberations are still being felt across the country.
The SEC didn’t just get bigger in 2024—it got better. And Texas made sure the whole world knows it.
