Mike White has Texas on the verge of history.
The Longhorns coach, who is in his sixth season with the softball program, can win the school's first softball title in history. To do so, they'll have to overcome the perennial powerhouse that is Oklahoma.
The Sooners are vying for a record fourth straight Women's College World Series title. This road bump is minuscule compared to the challenges White has faced to reach this point.
The sixth-year head coach traveled across the world, become one of the best fast-pitch softball players and now is embarking on a tremendous coaching career.
The Sporting News details White's journey and what led him to become Texas' head softball coach.
WATCH: 2024 Women's College World Series live with Fubo (free trial)
Where is Mike White from?
White hails from Wellington, New Zealand.
Softball wasn't always White's passion. He originally wanted to play soccer for the New Zealand national team. When that plan flopped due to "civil unrest in Fiji," White took a different path.
He became an excellent fast-pitch softball pitcher and even continued to play once moving to the United States. He won 70 tournament games in world fast-pitch softball, which was more than any other player, according to the International Softball Congress.
White pitched for Ed Smith Welding of Bakersfield, California and Teleconnect of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He ran his own small business while living in Iowa.
He didn't enter the coaching realm until speaking with Ralph Weekly, the Tennessee softball coach at the time. Weekly has since retired.
MORE: Breaking down Teagan Kavan's stats for Texas
Where did Mike White coach before Texas?
White began his coaching career at Oregon in 2010. The program, which had never won a conference championship before, won five in six years, including four straight from 2013-2016.
White's nine-year tenure with the Ducks was impressive. He reached the Women's College World Series five times, though never won the whole thing. He finished with a 435-111-1 record or a 79.6% win percentage.
MORE: Who has the most wins in NCAA softball history?
He left the program after the 2018 season for Texas and is in his sixth season with the Longhorns. It's arguably a more difficult job now since Texas shares a conference with Oklahoma, who has tormented its competition over the past few years.
Nonetheless, White has kept Texas as a consistent threat in the postseason, even capturing the Big 12 championship this year. His 250-77-2 record gives him a 76.3% win percentage, and he's made two Women's College World Series finals (2022, 2024).
The Longhorns, who lost to the Sooners in 2022, can win their first title in NCAA history this year. It would etch Texas' name into the history books, while proving White is one of the game's best coaches.
