OKLAHOMA CITY (TVC) – The Tennessee Lady Vols’ season comes to an end following a 4-0 loss to the Texas Longhorns Monday.
Tennessee’s bats went cold, unable to string together enough offense to score runs. It was a similar situation to the first game of the day, although they were not shut out in that contest.
Tegan Kavan started for Texas after pitching a complete game against Nebraska to advance to the semifinals. The lack of rest did not prove to make a difference for Kavan, as she went on to pitch another complete game Monday against the Lady Vols, and managed to shut down Tennessee’ offense.
The shut out against the Lady Vols offense was the costliest effect in both losses Monday, in particular after their first 2-0 WCWS run since 2013.
Karlyn Pickens opened the first two innings scoreless, even striking out the side in the first, before allowing three runs to score in the third, putting Tennessee in an early deficit in Game 2 of the semifinal doubleheader.
Katie Stewart hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to extend Texas’s lead and increase the Lady Vols deficit to 4-0. Although Pickens gave up the home run, she recorded her fifth and sixth strikeouts in the same inning, ending the season with a sixth strikeout game.
Karlyn Pickens’ Last Game as a Lady Volunteer
The semifinal game marked the final game of Karlyn Picken’s collegiate career as a Lady Vol, and the third straight year she has been to the WCWS, where the Lady Vols have not been able to advance to the championship series.
“Karlyn has already left such a great legacy as a Lady Vol and has taught me what it means to truly wear the jersey and just play softball,” teammate Emma Clarke said. “I could not have put on this uniform again, but I’m just so grateful for all the experience I’ve had.”
Head coach Karen Weekly reflected on Pickens’ growth and character throughout her career and spoke to her loyalty throughout her career and what that meant to the program.
“In this day and age when people jump ship and do it for the dollars, Karlyn had those opportunities, and Karlyn said, no, I’m a Lady Vol through and through,” Weekly said. “That meant so much to me and to everybody in our university.”
Pickens pitched for Tennessee all four years of her college career and will now begin her professional softball career in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
“I’m just so grateful for my coaches, my teammates, just all the support staff, all the relationships I’ve made here at Tennessee,” Pickens said after the game. “It’s given me a platform to play the sport I love with the people I love and do so with just so much joy and fun. I’ve soaked in and loved every single moment of it, and I’m very excited that my playing days aren’t over, but it’s definitely the end of a chapter. It sucks that I won’t get to put on this uniform again, but I’m just so grateful for all the experience I’ve had.”
Pickens leaves behind a lifelong legacy and one of the most memorable careers at the University of Tennessee from her last four years.
“Karlyn will have a legacy forever at Tennessee, forever. Her name is synonymous with some of the greats who have come through Tennessee,” Weekly said. “All you have to say is Karlyn. Everybody knows what you’re talking about. Just like you say Peyton or Chamique or whatever, Candace, everybody knows who you’re talking about. The fact that Tennessee means so much to Karlyn and the Lady Vols softball program means so much to her is what really makes my heart happy.”
Despite their loss, the Lady Vols are finishing their 2026 season with a positive outlook and gratitude for advancing this far in the WCWS.
“I’m really proud of our team, really proud,” Weekly said. “I think a lot of people counted us out, didn’t think we’d get here. We certainly had our ups and downs during the season. Then when we got here, probably thought we wouldn’t make much noise, and we made a lot of noise.”
The Lady Vols will continue to utilize their character, sportsmanship, and their strengths on and off the field as they look towards the offseason after this postseason run.
