Texas Longhorns Advance to Women's Final Four for Second Straight Year

Madison Booker and Rori Harmon lead the way as Texas routs Michigan in regional final

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:33am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes in burnt orange, royal blue, and white, capturing the energy and movement of a women's basketball game.The Texas Longhorns' return to the women's Final Four showcases the team's dynamic, multifaceted play on the court.Fort Worth Today

The Texas Longhorns are headed to the women's Final Four for the second consecutive year after a dominant 77-41 victory over Michigan in the Fort Worth Regional 3 championship game. Madison Booker scored 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, while Rori Harmon dished out 13 assists to lead the Longhorns. Texas built a big early lead and never looked back, flirting with the largest margin of victory in an Elite Eight game.

Why it matters

Texas' return to the Final Four continues the program's resurgence under coach Vic Schaefer, who has now taken the Longhorns to the national semifinals in back-to-back seasons. The Longhorns are looking to capture their first NCAA championship since 1986, when they went undefeated. Their matchup with UCLA in the national semifinals is a rematch of an early-season meeting that Texas won.

The details

Texas jumped out to a 22-9 lead after the first quarter, making 11 of their first 12 shots. The Longhorns then went cold, missing 12 of their first 14 shots in the second quarter, but still led 34-21 at halftime. Texas pulled away in the second half, building a 40-point lead before resting their starters late. Olivia Olson and Mila Holloway each scored 11 points for Michigan, which shot just 22.8% from the field.

  • Texas is making its fifth Final Four appearance overall, and second in a row.
  • The Longhorns last made consecutive Final Fours in 1986 and 1987.
  • Texas and UCLA will meet in the national semifinals on Friday in Phoenix.

The players

Madison Booker

An AP All-American forward who had 19 points and 7 rebounds for Texas.

Rori Harmon

A fifth-year senior guard who dished out 13 assists for the Longhorns.

Vic Schaefer

The sixth-year Texas coach who has now taken the Longhorns to the Final Four in back-to-back seasons.

Olivia Olson

Scored 11 points for Michigan in the loss.

Mila Holloway

Also scored 11 points for the Wolverines.

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What they’re saying

“It was because of my teammates. The people behind me doing all that crazy stuff. I can't do anything without them. I'm not me without them. I'm really proud. I'm super happy to be back in the Final Four.”

— Rori Harmon, Guard

“Well this group is awfully special. They're tough. We call it Texas tough in Austin. But I told them they're good enough. I've been on this trip before but I want them to really be focused. Enjoy today. Don't take this for granted.”

— Vic Schaefer, Head Coach

“Texas is great team. But we're a better team than we looked tonight.”

— Kim Barnes Arico, Michigan Head Coach

What’s next

Texas and UCLA will play in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Friday in Phoenix. It's a rematch of an early-season meeting that Texas won 76-65 on November 26.

The takeaway

Texas' return to the Final Four cements the Longhorns as one of the elite women's basketball programs in the country under coach Vic Schaefer. Their dominant performance against Michigan shows they have the talent and toughness to potentially win their first national championship since 1986.