Jan. 18, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - The Big 12 Conference office announced today that the University of Missouri softball team has been chosen eighth in the annual preseason coaches poll, with Texas A&M leading the league with eight of the possible 10 first-place votes.

The Tigers, entering their 32nd year of competition, received 27 points to open the season ahead of Texas Tech (23 points) and Iowa State (11 points). Three Texas schools were voted to the top-five of the preseason poll with Baylor earning one first place vote and 69 points to stand in second and Texas receiving 53 points to earn a fifth place ranking. Big 12 North school Nebraska was selected No. 3 in the preseason poll and received 62 points.

Under the direction of new Head Coach Ehren Earleywine, the Missouri softball team will begin the 2007 campaign on the road Feb. 9 at the Easton Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, La. Taking on teams from Centenary College, Middle Tennessee State, Memphis and LSU, the three-day tournament will prove Missouri's first challenge of the season. The Tigers will return home to host UMKC in a doubleheader Wednesday, Feb. 14, scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (CT).

Throughout the course of the season, Missouri will meet with four of the eight teams that advanced to the 2006 Women's College World Series, including defending National Champion Arizona (March 2-4 in Tucson, Ariz.). Thirteen of the Tiger's 2007 opponents advanced to an NCAA Regional Tournament last season, of which six were Big 12 schools.

Team (first-place votes)	Points
1.	Texas A&M (8)		80
2.	Baylor (1)		69
3.	Nebraska		62
4.	Oklahoma (1)		58
5.	Texas			53
6.	Kansas			39
7.	Oklahoma State		28
8.	Missouri		27
9.	Texas Tech		23
10.	Iowa State		11