Texas Star Keeps Winning With Unusual Lucky Charm

Every athlete seems to have a lucky charm.

Some carry a special token. Some wear the same gear. Some follow the exact same pregame routine every time they take the field.

Then there's the Texas softball player whose good luck tradition has the internet doing a double take.

The Texas Softball Tradition Nobody Saw Coming

Texas Longhorns softball player Hannah Wells eats ladybugs. Yes, actual ladybugs!

The revelation came during the Women's College World Series when ESPN's Holly Rowe reported that Wells eats ladybugs for good luck. Naturally, the internet had the same reaction most of us did: wait, she does what?

After Texas advanced to the championship series, Wells confirmed the story herself.

The freshman said eating ladybugs is a tradition that dates back to her childhood in Coahoma, Texas. Eventually, her entire high school team joined in.

And it's hard to argue with the results. Wells helped lead Coahoma to three straight Texas 3A state championships before bringing the tradition with her to Austin.

Texas Keeps Winning And The Ladybugs Keep Disappearing

Wells has continued her ladybug ritual throughout Texas' run at the Women's College World Series.

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She's been one of the Longhorns' hottest hitters in Oklahoma City, recording hits in five of the team's first six games while helping Texas reach the championship series.

At some point, it stops sounding ridiculous and starts sounding effective!

Whether it's luck, confidence, or coincidence, Texas probably isn't asking too many questions.

Turns Out Ladybugs Are Not A Secret Texas Superfood

Once the story started making headlines, people naturally wondered if ladybugs had some hidden nutritional value.

According to entomologist Alicia Bray, not really.

She told ESPN that ladybugs weigh less than a pinch of table salt and contain less than one-tenth of a calorie. They also have a bitter taste thanks to defensive compounds that most animals try to avoid.

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So while Wells may have found a winning superstition, she probably hasn't discovered the next great protein source.

If It's Weird But It Works Is It Really Weird?

Sports are full of odd traditions and lucky rituals.

Lucky jerseys. Lucky seats. Lucky routines. Hannah Wells just happens to have one of the more memorable ones.

With Texas playing for a national championship and Wells continuing to come through at the plate, nobody seems interested in changing a thing.

Whatever works, works.