A LOOK BACK
 
The Patriots reached the top of the Division II softball world for a second straight season in 2025, becoming the first team to win back-to-back national championships since California (Pa.) in 1997-98. They went 62-5 on the season and 40-4 in LSC play.
 
The Patriots won the South Central Region title for the fourth straight year and won a share of the LSC Regular Season title for the fifth straight year. They earned six All-America honors, 16 all-region honors, and the Patriots coaching staff was named ATEC/NFCA Division II Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
As a team, they went 10-1 in the NCAA Tournament. After sweeping through their side of the regional bracket, they met with #2 seed West Texas A&M in the super regional round. The Lady Buffs won the first game, but the Patriots battled back with two straight wins and a reverse sweep to put themselves into the World Series.
 
At the World Series, they stayed hot, going 5-0 for the second straight season. In the championship series, they swept #2 seed Tampa 6-0, 3-0, becoming the first team to shut out their opponent in that championship series since its inception in 2016.
 
A NEW FACE
 
This season marks the first in UT Tyler program history that Mike Reed will not be at the helm. Reed announced his departure into a full-time athletics administration role within the UT Tyler athletic department earlier this month, and in his place will be interim head coach Jason Miller.
 
Miller joined the program in the summer of 2025 after an eight year stint at Grayson College and a one year run at Oklahoma Baptist. He helped guide the Bison to their first ever appearance in the GAC Championship game this past season after going 36-17 overall. At Grayson College, Miller spurred the Vikings to a 104-24 record in his last four seasons and two appearances at the NJCAA World Series, including a runner-up finish in 2021.
 
PRESEASON POLLS
 
The Patriots were selected as unanimous #1 in the NFCA/GoRout Division II Coaches Poll after garnering all 16 first place votes and 400 total points. In the LSC Preseason Poll, the Patriots picked up 39 of a possible 51 first place votes and 849 points to be the number one team.
 
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler will open 2026 at the DII First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas this weekend with six games over the course of three days at the Scrap Yards Sports Complex. The Patriots face off with two teams from the GNAC, one from the GAC, one from the GSC, and one RMAC program. The highlight of the weekend will be the opening matchup that sees the Patriots take on Saint Martins, a team who qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season.
• UT Tyler softball begins the 21st year of the program with an all-time record of 880-156 (.849) dating back to the inaugural 2005 campaign. The Patriots are 281-38 (.881) in six seasons of Division II play and have gone 174-21 (.892) in Lone Star Conference games over that timeframe.
• The Patriots have won 50-plus games in the last three seasons after going 50-5 back in 2015 and have not registered double-digit losses in a season in 14 straight years. 
• UT Tyler has made 14 appearances in an NCAA National Championship Tournament between the Division II and III levels, and have advanced to the NCAA World Series in 11 of those 14 trips.
• The Patriots coaching staff earned a second straight ATEC/NFCA DII National Coaching Staff of the Year honor, their third in program history. The Patriots have won the award in each of their national championship seasons (2016, 2024, 2025).
• The Patriots coaching staff also garnered ATEC/NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors for a fifth consecutive season. The honors come in each of the first five complete seasons at the NCAA Division II level. The Patriots staff have been named regional staff of the year by the NFCA on 11 different occasions (2025, 2024,2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009) dating back to the program's inaugural season in 2005. 
• UT Tyler softball is 388-47 (.891) all-time on their home field at Irwin Field, and completed the 2025 season with a 25-2 mark at their home ballpark. The Patriots are 127-10 (.927) in home Lone Star Conference games and have never lost more than six games at home in a season.
• UT Tyler led all of Division II softball in 2025 in hit by pitches with 101, on-base percentage at .451, RBI at 475, shutouts at 28, sacrifice flies at 30, triples at 36, and win-loss percentage at .925.
• Taryn Barney, Sam Garcia, Berlyn Grossman, and Keona Wells will return to the fold as the four players with returning World Series experience. They will lead a host of newcomers into battle this season that include several Division I, Division II, and NJCAA transfers.