Showing off a powerful swing and a consistent ability to come through in the most important moments, Lincoln-Way East alum Katie Stewart shined on softball’s biggest stage.
Stewart helped Texas win its first softball national championship. And what a ride it was.
“Honestly, I still don’t think it’s set in yet,” Stewart said. “It’s everything I ever dreamed of as a little girl. To win a national championship, and even to play in that game, was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more.”
The Longhorns beat in-state foe Texas Tech 10-4 in the third and deciding game of the Women’s College World Series on June 6 in Oklahoma City.
Stewart, a sophomore utility player, delivered an RBI single and a run-scoring double and scored a run — all in the first three innings — as Texas rolled to a 10-0 lead.
“It just felt so good to be able to produce for my team when they needed it,” Stewart said. “To play a part in us scoring runs, that was everything I needed to do. I did my job.
“Anything that happened after that didn’t matter as long as we came out on top.”
In the seventh inning, after Texas Tech had rallied a bit to get within 10-4, Stewart made another big play, throwing out a runner at third base from left field for the second out of the inning.
That was followed by a game-ending groundout, starting the Longhorns’ party.
“Closing out the game, we were just trying to stay clean,” Stewart said. “To keep my head in the game, stay focused and be able to get that girl out at third, I was proud of myself.
“When we finally got that last out, we could finally relax and I was so excited to celebrate with my team.”
Lincoln-Way East coach Elizabeth Hyland was having a blast watching her pupil reach the top of the college softball world.
“I think it’s an amazing experience for her and her family and for our community,” Hyland said. “We couldn’t be more excited and happy for her.”
For the season, Stewart hit .381 with 17 home runs and 80 RBIs. She improved on a strong freshman year in 2024, when she batted .369 with 13 homers and 58 RBIs.
“Last year was last year so I had to grow to continue to be successful,” Stewart said. “I used last year as a stepping stone and my confidence went up as this season went on.
“By the end of this season, I was very confident in myself and I wasn’t too worried about the results because I knew what I had done the whole year.”
It’s certainly not easy for a young player to go into a powerhouse program and make an impact right away like Stewart has, but Hyland isn’t surprised.
“I knew she was very capable of it and her determination alone gave her that capability,” Hyland said. “It’s her mindset, her demeanor and her approach to the game and then just being so modest. I mean, the girl is as nice as can be.”
Stewart credited her experiences at Lincoln-Way East and tough competition in the Southland with getting her ready for the next level.
“A lot of teams in the area had a lot of really good pitching,” Stewart said. “Even when I didn’t have my best game against those girls, that struggle really helped me prepare for college.
“When I have a bad day in college, I know how to learn from it and be better next time.”
Texas finished as the national runner-up last season. This spring, with Stewart coming through in the clutch, there was no falling short.
“It was our goal to finally do it this year,” Stewart said. “We wanted our seniors to go out on top. It feels amazing.”
