April 22, 2008

Columbia, Mo. -Missouri freshman Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) was named Big 12 Player of the Week for the second time of the season as announced today by the league office. Taylor, an outfielder, is the nation's leader in stolen bases and set the Missouri single season record at 48 in the Tiger's Sunday afternoon 4-1 win over Texas, in Austin.

Taylor earned her first Big 12 nod of the season March 4 and is one of three Missouri softball players recognized throughout the 2008 campaign. Earlier in the season, junior Lindsey Ubrun and senior Jen Bruck were awarded the weekly honor. Taylor's honor marks the first time since the formation of the Big 12 that Missouri has been awarded the weekly recognition more than three times in a single season. Previously, the most weekly accolades the Tigers received were three in 2006. Amanda Renth and Bruck combined for the honors. Taylor also becomes the first Missouri freshman in the history of the program to earn the weekly conference Player of the Week honor twice in her first year with the Tigers.

Over the course of the week, Taylor went 9-for-13 at the plate, including 4-for-4 in game two against Texas, with a .692 average and .714 on-base percentage. The freshman scored seven of Missouri's 18 runs, including three in the 4-1 victory over the Longhorns. The nation's leader in stolen bases, Taylor went 6-of-6 on the week including 3-of-3 in Sunday's win at Texas. She became the Tiger's single-season stolen base record holder after stealing her 48th bag in Austin, breaking a 20-year old record.

The Missouri softball team looks to earn win No. 41 when they take on Iowa State in a Wednesday, April 23 doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. (CST) in Ames, Iowa. Game two is set to begin at 4 p.m., at the Southwest Athletic Complex.