Texas will send a mix of familiar faces and new pieces to Birmingham for SEC Basketball Tipoff, with both Longhorns programs preparing to make their first big public impression of the season.
On the women’s side, head coach Vic Schaefer will be joined by senior forward Madison Booker, projected starting point guard Bryanna Preston and center Breya Cunningham. Booker and Schaefer have been through this routine before, but Preston and Cunningham are making their first trip to media days for Texas. Last year, the Longhorns brought former point guard Rori Harmon and center Kyla Oldacre before both moved on to the WNBA after the season.
Preston and Cunningham are new to this stage, but not new to the program. Preston arrived as a true freshman in 2024, while Cunningham transferred in after two years at Arizona.
Texas women’s basketball made its media-day selection official on Oct. 8, 2026.
For Sean Miller’s men, the group in Birmingham looks very different. The head coach will have only one returning Texas player with him: center Matas Vokietaitis. He is also the lone returning starter in Miller’s lineup, as Texas leans heavily on transfer additions and the 2026 recruiting class.
Among the newcomers heading to Birmingham are small forward David Punch, who came over from TCU, and point guard Isaiah Johnson, who transferred from Colorado. Both are projected starters, along with true freshmen Austin Goosby at shooting guard and Marcus Spears Jr. at power forward.
Texas is bringing plenty of buzz into the SEC’s annual preseason showcase. The men have been ranked as high as No. 6 in preseason polls, while the women have stayed in the top four conversation for years. Even the oddsmakers like both squads, with the men tied for seventh and the women sitting fourth among national championship favorites.
In Other News...
Texas Gets A Rivalry Boost From A Familiar Face Returning
Hollywood Smothers has already become a useful part of Texas run game after arriving from Oklahoma by way of North Carolina State, and his presence has been felt in 2026 even with the Longhorns still sorting out their backfield. He missed a recent game because of a lower leg injury, but the timing of his return could hardly be better for a Texas team heading into one of the most charged dates on the schedule.
Smothers is healthy again and expected to be available for the Red River Rivalry against the Sooners, the program he once called home. For Texas, that adds both depth and a little extra bite to a matchup that rarely needs any help getting there. [Read more 🡒]
Red River Just Got More Personal For Texas In A New Way
The buildup to the Red River Rivalry already has plenty of familiar edge, but Texas is also dealing with a newer kind of familiarity on the other sideline. Parker Livingstone, a junior wide receiver, transferred from Texas to Oklahoma after the 2025 season, adding another layer to a matchup that always seems to find a way to feel personal. Steve Sarkisian has acknowledged the reality of letting Livingstone and other players move on, and now the Longhorns have to sort through those departures as part of the backdrop to one of the sports most emotional weekends.
Livingstone has not been as productive at Oklahoma so far this season, but his presence still gives Texas another reason to pay attention to who is lining up across from it. Arch Manning noted the personal dynamics that can come with former teammates facing each other, which only underscores how much this game can stretch beyond the scoreboard. For Texas, the rivalry now carries a little extra locker-room history, and the Longhorns will see exactly how that plays once the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Could Get A Huge Red River Boost At Perfect Time
A bye week can be a handy reset in October, and Texas may be getting the timing just right with the Red River showdown looming. The Longhorns are heading into the Oklahoma game with several key pieces trending back toward full health, including senior running back Hollywood Smothers and sophomore tight end Nick Townsend, while junior defensive back Xaiver Filsaime is in line to make his season debut.
For a rivalry game that often comes down to depth as much as star power, that kind of reinforcements matters. Texas is still navigating the usual injury uncertainty this time of year, with several players from both sides listed as questionable or unavailable, but the Longhorns at least appear to be moving in the right direction at the perfect moment. [Read more 🡒]