Missouri Tigers softball

Missouri Tigers

University University of Missouri
Conference SEC
Location Columbia, MO
Head Coach Ehren Earlywine (7th year)
Home Stadium University Field
(Capacity: 500)
Nickname Tigers
Colors Black and MU Gold

             

WCWS Appearances
1983, 1991, 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1982, 1983, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Conference Tournament Champions
1983, 1991, 1997, 2009
Conference Champions
1991, 1997, 2011

The Missouri Tigers softball team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I college softball.

History

Early history (1975–1987)

In response to the passage of Title IX in 1972, Missouri began sponsoring women's softball, women's basketball, and women's track & field, women's swimming, women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's golf, and women's field hockey during the 1974-1975 academic year.[1] Alexis Jarrett was the first women's softball coach at Missouri, also coaching the women's basketball (1974-1975) and women's track and field teams (including cross-country) from 1974-1977 while serving as the women's assistant director of athletics (1974-1976) and sports information director for the eight women's sports (1947-1977).[1]Jarrett would have success, going 14-7 in both years at the helm for a .667 win percentage and finishing 2nd in the 1975 and 1976 AIAW State Championship.[2]The 1975 team also finished sixth in the unofficial Big Eight Championship held at Kansas State.

For the next four years, Missouri would continue to have moderate success under head coach Debbie Duren, peaking in 1980 with a 2nd place finish in the Big 8 Tournament and a 5th place finish in the AIAW Region 6 Championship.[2]

In 1981, Barb Preist took over as head coach and led Missouri to greater heights, including a 5th place finish at AIAW Nationals in 1981.[2] In 1982, Preist led Missouri to an appearance in Mideast Regional in the inaugural NCAA Division I Tournament.[3]

Joyce Compton took over for Preist after the 1982 season and in her first season as head coach led Missouri to its first Big 8 Tournament Championship and to its first appearance in the Women's College World Series.[2] The 1980-1983 teams were led by Missouri's all-time wins and shutouts leader and 1983 All-America Teresa Wilson.[2] After Wilson's departure, Compton was unable to build off of that 1983 season, failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in each of her next three years before accepting the head coach position at the University of South Carolina.[2][4] Compton was replaced for one season by Rhesa Sumrell, under whom Missouri would suffer their only losing season between 1979 and 2002.[2]Missouri has had only three losing seasons (1978, 1979 and 1987).

The Miller era (1988–2002)

Jay Miller was brought in as Missouri's 6th head coach in 1988. After three years of a fair amount of success, the Tigers had a breakout year in 1991 behind All-American pitcher Karen Snelgrove, winning both the Big 8 Championship and Big 8 Tournament Championship and reaching the WCWS for the second time in school history.[2] Anchored by sluggers Mary Babb and Barb Wright, Miller would go on to lead Missouri to its third WCWS appearance in 1994 as well as Missouri's first Big 12 Championship in 1997.[2] All in all, in his 15 years as head coach, 10 different Missouri players would earn All-American honors under Miller.[2]

The Singleton years (2003–2006)

Ty Singleton took over as head coach in 2003.[2] Missouri had moderate success under Singleton, earning three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament from 2003-2005 but failing to make it past the Regional stage and unable to win any conference championships.[2] Singleton did earn Big 12 Coach of the Year honors in 2003 but ultimately was let go in 2006 following just Missouri's third losing season since 1979.

The Earlywine legacy (2007–present)

In 2007, Missouri lured Jefferson City native and 2005 ACC Coach of the Year Ehren Earlywine away from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.[5] Earlywine would earn Big 12 Coach of the Year honors in his first season and again in 2011.[2]

In 2008, in winning the Iowa City Regional, Earlywhine led Missouri to its first ever Super Regional appearance, where the Tigers fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide.[3] In 2009, Missouri would win the Big 12 Tournament and defeat the UCLA Bruins en route to the 2009 Women's College World Series, Missouri's first WCWS appearance since 1994.[2] Missouri would host a Super Regional for the first time in 2010, defeating the Oregon Ducks to advance to the 2010 Women's College World Series.[3] In 2011, Missouri won the Big 12 Championship for the second time and defeated the Washington Huskies on the way to the 2011 Women's College World Series, Missouri's third consecutive trip.[2] In Missouri's last season as a member of the Big 12 in 2012, Missouri fell just short of a fourth consecutive WCWS appearance, losing to the LSU Tigers in the Super Regionals.[3]

From 2008-2013, Earlywine led Missouri to six straight Super Regionals.[3] From 2009-2011, Earlywine led Missouri to back-to-back-to-back WCWS appearances.[3]

In seven seasons under Earlywine, six different players have earned All-American honors and three players, Rhea Taylor (2008, 2010, 2011), Ashley Fleming (2011, 2012), and Chelsea Thomas (2011, 2012, 2013), have earned multiple All-American honors.[2] Thomas won conference pitcher of the year honors three times (twice in the Big 12, once in the SEC) and was a Top 3 finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year honors in 2011.[2]

Head coaches

Year by Year Results

Missouri in the NCAA Tournament

1982
Lincoln, NE Regional

Lost to Nebraska, 0-1
Defeated Nebraska, 1–0
Lost to Nebraska, 1-4

1983
Columbia, MO Regional

Lost to SW Missouri St 1-3
Defeated SW Missouri St 3-0
Defeated SW Missouri St 1-0
Women's College World Series
Lost to UCLA 0-1
Lost to Pacific 0-1

1991
Iowa City, IA Regional

Defeated Iowa 2-0
Defeated Iowa 4-0

Women's College World Series
Lost to Long Beach State 0-1
Defeated Pacific 2-0
Lost to UCLA 0-5

1994
Lawrence, KS Regional

Defeated Kansas 1-0
Lost to Hawaii 1-2
Defeated Kansas 1-0
Defeated Hawaii 3-1
Defeated Hawaii 2-1

Women's College World Series
Lost to Cal State Northridge 3-5
Lost to Oklahoma State 3-7

1995
Northridge, CA Regional

Lost to Cal State Northridge 1-2
Lost to Illinois State 1-5

1997
Iowa City, IA Regional

Lost to Utah 1-3
Lost to DePaul 0-1

1999
Los Angeles, CA Regional

Lost to Cal State Northridge 3-7
Defeated Alabama 1-0
Defeated Cal State Northridge 3-1
Defeated Minnesota 3-0
Lost to UCLA 5-12

2003
Ann Arbor, MI Regional

Lost to Notre Dame 3-4
Lost to Wright State 1-3

2004
Los Angeles, CA Regional

Lost to Louisville 0-1
Lost to Mississippi Valley State 3-4

2005
Columbia, MO Regional

Lost to Southern Illinois 0-3
Defeated Robert Morris 9-0
Defeated Southern Illinois 9-0
Lost to Stanford 2-3

2007
Carbondale, IL Regional

Defeated Southern Illinois 8-0
Lost to DePaul 0-2
Defeated Southern Illinois 7-4
Lost to DePaul 0-3

2008
Iowa City, IA Regional

Defeated Iowa 3-2
Defeated Long Beach State 5-3
Defeated Iowa 5-4

Tuscaloosa, AL Super Regional
Lost to Alabama 1-6
Lost to Alabama 1-7

2009
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Illinois 5-1
Defeated Bradley 2-1
Defeated DePaul 1-0
Los Angeles, CA Super Regional
Defeated UCLA 2-1
Lost to UCLA 2-5
Defeated UCLA 9-1
Women's College World Series
Lost to Arizona State 3-7
Lost to Georgia 2-5

2010
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Creighton 3-2
Defeated Illinois 3-1
Defeated Illinois 4-2
Columbia, MO Super Regional
Defeated Oregon 7-0
Defeated Oregon 7-2
Women's College World Series
Lost to Hawaii 2-3
Lost to Florida 0-5

2011
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Illinois State 12-3
Lost to DePaul 1-2
Defeated Illinois State 8-4
Defeated DePaul 7-3
Defeated DePaul 8-0
Columbia, MO Super Regional
Defeated Washington 4-0
Defeated Washington 6-3
Women's College World Series
Lost to Florida 2-6
Beat Oklahoma 4-1
Lost to Baylor 1-0

2012
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Illinois State 6-0
Defeated DePaul 1-0
Defeated Illinois State 2-1
Columbia, MO Super Regional
Lost to LSU 1-6
Defeated LSU 5-1
Lost to LSU 1-3

2013
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Stony Brook 3-0
Defeated Hofstra 1-0
Lost to Hofstra 0-10
Defeated Hofstra 5-0
Columbia, MO Super Regional
Lost to Washington 1-2
Lost to Washington 0-1

2014
Columbia, MO Regional

Defeated Bradley 6-5
Defeated Kansas 6-3
Lost to Nebraska 4-11
Lost to Nebraska 1-8

Individual Awards

Missouri has had numerous players earn national or conference honors.[2]

All Americans

  • 1980
Lisa Burke
  • 1983
Karen Sweet
Teresa Wilson
  • 1986
Kris Schmidt
  • 1990
Karen Snelgrove
  • 1995
Karen Persinger
  • 1997
Mary Babb
Barb Wright

  • 1998
Wendy Harrison
  • 1999
Kim Slover
  • 2000
Stacy Gerneinhardt
  • 2001
Erin Erickson
Melanie Fisher
Karen Williams
  • 2003
Rachel McGinnis
  • 2008
Rhea Taylor

  • 2009
Marla Schweisberger
Rhea Taylor
Lindsey Ubrun
  • 2011
Ashley Fleming
Rhea Taylor
Chelsea Thomas
  • 2012
Ashley Fleming
Chelsea Thomas
  • 2013
Chelsea Thomas
  • 2014
Taylor Gadbois

All Women's College World Series

Rhea Taylor
Chelsea Thomas

National Awards

  • NFCA Golden Shoe Award[6]
Taylor Gadbois - 2014

Conference Awards

  • Big 12 Player of the Year
Barb Wright - 1997
  • Big 12 Pitcher of the Year
Chelsea Thomas - 2011, 2012
  • Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Rhea Taylor - 2008
  • Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
Megan Christopher - 2011
Corrin Genovese - 2012

  • SEC Pitcher of the Year
Chelsea Thomas - 2013
  • SEC Freshman of the Year
Tori Finucane - 2014

See also

References

External links