OKLAHOMA CITY — ESPN released video of the handshake lines between the Texas Tech softball team and Tennessee after their nine-inning thriller from the 2026 Women’s College World Series.
During the postgame press conference after the Lady Vols’ 2-1 win on a walk-off home run from Emma Clarke, Texas Tech’s Taylor Pannell said Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly told her she “made a mistake” in transferring. Pannell spent the first three years of her career playing for Weekly with the Vols before joining the Red Raiders last summer.
Weekly vehemently denied the accusation, calling it an “outright lie” in a statement to the Knoxville News Sentienal.
During a break in the Nebraska-Texas elimination game on ABC, the ESPN crew provided a video breakdown of the situation on the broadcast and posted the clip to social media.
The first video angle shows Weekly and Pannell making their way down the handshake line. Weekly’s head is blocked by Texas Tech’s Hailey Toney as she high-fives Pannell so it’s unclear what Weekly said, though she claimed all she said was “good game” as she did with everyone else.
The next shot shows Pannell and the Red Raiders heading toward the dugout. As Pannell passes some of the Tennessee coaches, she turns to react toward the field. Weekly is several yards away from Pannell, though other Tennessee assistants are visible in the shot.
Pannell then starts talking to other Texas Tech players and Gerry Glasco is seen trying to get the Red Raiders off the field. Glasco is seen asking Pannell if somebody said something. Pannell is seen responding though only “made a (expletive) mistake” can be made out.
Glasco said after the game the alleged incident happened behind him and he wasn’t aware of what transpired.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Video shows more of Texas Tech softball, Tennessee handshake line exchange
Reporting by Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
