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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 23 University of Missouri Softball program will head to Clearwater, Florida, to compete in the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic Feb. 10-12 to open the Tigers 2023 campaign. Mizzou will take on No. 9 Texas, Fordham, No. 8 Northwestern, Louisville, and Prairie View A&M at the three-day Classic held at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Mizzou will face No. 9 Texas in their 2023 opener on February 10 at 3 p.m., CT before battling against Fordham at 5:30 p.m. Day 2 of the Classic begins with another ranked opponent for Missouri as they face No. 8 Northwestern at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. The day will conclude with a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Louisville. The Tigers will wrap up their weekend against Prairie View A&M at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12.
Following the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, Mizzou will stay in the Sunshine State for a midweek against UCF on Wednesday, Feb. 15 in Orlando, Florida, before heading to the Florida International Panther Invitational Feb. 17-19 in Miami, Florida.
NFCA DIVISION I LEADOFF CLASSIC
• Location: Clearwater, Florida (Eddie C. Moore Complex)
• Tournament Central Page
Schedule
- No. 23 Missouri vs No. 6/9 Texas, Friday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m., CT – Field #3
- No. 23 Missouri vs. Fordham, Friday, Feb. 10, 5:30 p.m., CT – Field #1
- No. 23 Missouri vs No. 8/8 Northwestern, Saturday, Feb. 11, 3 p.m., CT – Field #9
- No. 23 Missouri vs Louisville, Feb 11, 5:30 p.m., CT – Field #8
- No. 23 Missouri vs Prairie View A&M, Feb 12, 11:30 a.m., CT – Field #2
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Live Stats: Texas | Fordham | Northwestern | Louisville | Prairie View A&M
Twitter: @MizzouSoftball
Notes: Missouri
No. 23 Missouri vs. No. 18/18 UCF
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 15
Time: 5 p.m., CT
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: UCF Softball Complex
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Series History
- Missouri leads the all-time series with Texas, 20-17.
- The Tigers have a 2-0 edge in the all-time series on Fordham 2-0.
- Northwestern has a 5-1 advantage on Mizzou in the all-time series.
- Louisville holds a slight 7-6 lead in the all-time series between the two institutions.
- The Tigers and Prairie View A&M will meet for the second time in softball program history at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic. Missouri leads the all-time series, 1-0.
- Missouri and UCF are tied in the all-time series, 1-1. The Tigers last met with the Knights in 2021 (Feb. 24), with Mizzou prevailing, 6-5, in Orlando, Florida.
Last Time at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic
The Tigers last commenced their season at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic in 2020. Mizzou went 5-0 over the weekend, earning wins against Notre Dame (RV, 3-1 Win), South Alabama (7-5 Win), Baylor (RV, 9-1 Win in five innings), Louisville (5-1 Win), and a thrilling 7-4 win in extra innings over then No. 8/7 Minnesota. Missouri hopes to replicate its success from 2020, which catapulted them to a 9-0 start on the year, and an impressive 19-7 record before COVID-19 cut the season short.
2023 Preseason SEC Poll
Missouri Softball program was selected to finished eighth in the Southeastern Conference in 2023, the league announced Jan. 26. The Tigers received 63 points in the annual preseason poll voted on by the conference’s 13 head coaches.
Preseason Top 25 Polls
The Tigers were ranked No. 23 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Top 25, USA Softball announced Jan. 24. Mizzou received 88 points in the preseason poll after finishing the 2022 season at No. 22 in the final USA Softball Poll.
In the 2023 USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, Missouri was the top listed team that received votes on the fringe of the top 25 rankings, NFCA announced Jan. 31. The Tigers finished 2022 ranked 23 in the final NFCA Poll.
Jenna Laird Preseason Accolades
Missouri Softball junior shortstop Jenna Laird has been named to five 2023 preseason lists ahead of the season. She was named to the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team on Feb. 2, to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on Jan. 25 and has also been named to D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Players, Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings and Softball America’s 2023 Preseason Top 100.
Laird led the Tigers in 2022 for batting average (.338), doubles (11), triples (3), runs scored (44) and stolen bases (22) as she garnered 2022 NFCA Third Team All-Region honors.
The East Meadow, New York, native, was named to the 2022 SEC All-Tournament Team after she led the Tigers to the Championship Final, batting .500 over the four games. She was also selected to the 2022 All-SEC Second Team after posting a hitting line of .291/.519/.341 in conference play.
In the field, Laird was tabbed a 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove recipient for her play at shortstop. She posted a .975 fielding percentage, turning 10 double plays in total over 163 chances.
Top Returners
Besides Jenna Laird, other top returners for Mizzou in 2023 are sophomore third baseman Kara Daly, right fielder Alex Honnold, junior outfielder Chantice Phillips, junior first baseman Riley Frizell and sophomore infielder Julia Crenshaw.
Kara Daly, a 6-0 sophomore from Jefferson City, Missouri, made 59 appearances as a freshman in 2022 including 55 starts at third. She knocked 13 home runs, which was third on the team in 2022, to go with a .270 batting average on 40 hits. Daly homered in five straight games for the first time in Mizzou program history in 2022. She was named SEC Freshman of the Week on March 7, 2022.
Alex Honnold, who hails from West Des Moines, Iowa, became a steady name in the Mizzou lineup in 2022, starting all 60 games in right field. She posted a .418 slugging percentage and a .282 batting average on the season, smashing 48 hits, 16 of which were extra-bases — 11 (2B), 3 (3B), 2 (HR).
Junior outfielder Chantice Phillips made 11 appearances on the season with seven starts. Junior first baseman Riley Frizell appeared in 25 games including 10 starts. The Willoughby, Ohio, native, notched a .235 batting average with two homers and 7 RBI. Julia Crenshaw, a sophomore infielder from O’Fallon, Missouri, made 11 appearances in 2022 with two starts (left field, second base).
Other returning upperclassmen are Kendal Cook (senior outfielder), Hannah McGivern (senior outfielder), Megan Moll (senior catcher/infielder), Addie Lange (redshirt junior catcher) and Kelsee Mortimer (junior corner infielder). The 2023 team also includes sophomores Maddie Snider and Vanessa Hollingsworth.
Pitching Staff
Mizzou returns its entire pitching staff from a year ago, who posted a 2.81 ERA including a 1.00 ERA in the postseason. Jordan Weber and Laurin Krings combined to shut out No. 17/20 Auburn, No. 5/7 Alabama, and No. 13/10 Tennessee en route to the SEC Championship title game.
Senior Jordan Weber topped the Tigers’ pitching staff with a 2.51 ERA, going 15-8 over 34 appearances and 28 starts in 2022. She was named to the 2022 SEC All-Tournament Team after back-to-back seven inning standout performances against then-No.10 Auburn and then-No. 3 Tennessee. Weber was also awarded 2022 NFCA Second Team All-Region honors and racked up 120 strikeouts over 153.2 innings.
Junior Laurin Krings paced Mizzou pitchers with a winning record of 16-9 throughout her 33 appearances and 30 starts. She concluded the season with a combined total of 156.1 innings pitched with 185 strikeouts. Krings threw the 12th perfect game in Mizzou history with 12 strikeouts against Bradley (3/6/12). She also had a no-hitter in the win over Bethune-Cookman (2/19/22).
Other returning pitchers in 2023 include seniors Megan Schumacher and Emma Nichols, and sophomore Jayci Kruse along with freshmen Cierra Harrison, Lilly Whitten, and Taylor Pannell. Harrison was named the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year in her senior season at Lee’s Summit North High School.
Jordan Weber, Megan Schumacher, and Jayci Kruse combined for a no-hitter against St. Thomas (3/4/22).
Transfers
Junior outfielder Payton Jackson and junior infielder Maddie Gallagher both transferred to Mizzou ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Jackson, a Missouri City, Texas, native, started in all 46 games at Texas Tech in 2022 and led the Red Raiders in batting average (.336), OPS (1.032), triples (3), extra base hits (19), total bases (73), walks (22) and slugging percentage (.598).
Gallagher, a Port Washington, New York, native, competed in 97 games (82 starts) over two seasons at South Carolina. In 2022, she started and played in all 56 games, mostly at second base for the Gamecocks. Gallagher hit .292 and was tied for second on the team with 47 hits. She led the team with four triples.
Freshmen
The 2023 roster features five freshmen in infielder Katie Chester, righthanded pitcher Cierra Harrison, righthanded pitcher Lilly Whitten, lefthanded pitcher Taylor Pannell and first baseman/utility player Kayley Lenger.
2023 Schedule
Mizzou will face 12 opponents with a top-25 preseason ranking according to ESPN.com/USA Softball and the USA Today/NFCA in 2023.
2022 Recap
Mizzou enters the 2023 season after they hosted an NCAA Regional for the second-consecutive year and made the SEC Tournament Championship game for the second time in program history. In 2023, the Tigers look to stretch their run of 15-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Missouri posted a 38-22 mark in 2022 including a 12-11 record in the SEC. The Tigers concluded the season seventh in the SEC during the regular season.
In SEC play, the Tigers posted three-game sweeps of South Carolina (4/1-4/3), No. 9/12 Kentucky (4/23-25) and Texas A&M (4/29-5/1). The Tigers have taken each of the last six games and eight of the last nine meetings against South Carolina. Missouri’s sweep of Kentucky in 2022 was the Tigers first since 2019 when Mizzou won all three games in Lexington, Kentucky, during Larissa Anderson’s first season at the helm.
The Tigers totaled 86 home runs in 2022 which ranks second all-time in program history behind 91 homers, set in 2021.In the field, Missouri recorded a .976 fielding percentage which ranks tied for second behind 2021’s .979 clip.
Looking Ahead
Following its season-opening NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, the Tigers will stay in the Sunshine State. Mizzou will face UCF in midweek action on Wednesday, Feb. 15 in Orlando, Florida, before trekking to Miami, Florida, for the Florida International Panther Invitational Feb. 17-19.
