Feb. 7, 2008

Columbia, Mo. - The No. 21 Missouri softball team is set to open its 2008 campaign Friday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. (CT) against No. 15 Virginia Tech at the Florida International (FIU) Invitational in Miami, Fla. The Tigers will play five games at University Park Softball Complex and will take on teams from FIU, Texas-Arlington and Pittsburgh.

Beginning the 34th year of Missouri softball, the Tigers are 26-7 in season openers and have won nine of their last 10 openers.

Missouri returns 10 members of its 2007 NCAA Regional Tournament team and added an additional 10 players. Eight freshmen and two transfers help make up Missouri's 20-member squad. Four position players including All-Big 12 honorees, Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.), Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) and Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) are back for the 2008 campaign. Renth, a senior first baseman, was named to the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.

Sophomore Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.) and newcomer Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) are expected to see time in the circle this weekend for Missouri. Hainey closed her freshman campaign with a 0.26 ERA in Big 12 games hurling two solo shutouts against border opponents Kansas an Iowa State. In addition, Hainey threw 26.2 innings of regular season Big 12 work, allowing only two runs, one earned, while credited with two saves.

Delaney, a transfer from the University of Michigan, is in her junior year with the Tigers. A right-handed pitcher, Delaney is able to throw any of her three pitches, rise, drop and change, at any count.

The Tigers will see tough competition right off the bat as they face Virginia Tech's senior right-handed ace Angela Tincher. Two-time All-American Tincher helped the Hokies to ACC regular season and tournament titles in 2007 and took the team to its third NCAA Regional tournament. This preseason, Tincher has been named to the CSTV.com Player of the Year Watch List and ESPN.com Preseason first-team All-America squad. Virginia Tech finished 2007 with a 49-16 record and returns eight position players for 2008.

Friday's contest marks the first meeting between Missouri and Virginia Tech. Following the 2 p.m. (CT) game with the Hokies, Missouri will take on host school FIU at 7 p.m. (CT). Missouri holds a 7-7 all-time record against its upcoming tournament opponents, owning leads over FIU and Pittsburgh.