COLUMBIA, Mo. - The 2015 Mizzou softball squad took home their seventh NCAA Regional Championship under head coach Ehren Earleywine's tutelage. Led by a record-breaking offense, the Tigers once again proved themselves as a national power in collegiate softball.

Mizzou's offense continually gained national headlines, as they produced a .320 team average, 395 runs scored, and 355 RBI (all ranking first in Mizzou softball single-season history). The long ball was also routinely a friend of Tigers hitters, as their 79 home runs on the season ranks second most all-time in program history.

At the top of the order throughout the 2015 season was a trio of budding junior Tiger hitters. Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.), Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.), and Taylor Gadbois(Maryville, Mo.), provided Coach Earleywine with one of the most productive triumvirates in the country.

Collectively, the three Tigers put up off-the-charts numbers last season. At the plate, Gadbois, Crane, and Fagan produced a .359 (194-for-540), 16 HR, and 99 RBI slash line while also adding 161 runs, 22 doubles and five triples. The talented trio also made an impact on the basepaths, as they were an incredible 84-for-88 (.955) collectively in stolen bases.

Heading in to the upcoming 2016 campaign, the three Tigers will serve as the team's lone seniors. While they're clearly leading by example on-the-field, each of the three individuals bring different leadership styles to the table. The varying personalities and characteristics will allow for a diverse and effective leadership at the top of the roster next season.

"We're going to work together this offseason and make things happen in 2016," Crane said. "I have really high hopes. We're each different in a variety of ways. I hope fans and my teammates watch how we act on-and-off the field. In the past, I liked to lead by example, but with my outgoing personality I want to keep things light and be more vocal next season. I talked to Coach E about it as well, and we talked about getting everyone on-board early. It's the seniors' job to show everyone else what it takes to succeed at the highest level."

Similar to Crane's thinking, Gadbois also noted that each of the three seniors brings something unique and important to the program.

"We're all pretty different in our own little ways," Gadbois said. "Sami is stern and the vocal leader of us three. Emily is the fun-loving one, and wants everyone on the team to have fun and be loose. I'm kind of in the middle. I don't say much, but when I do I feel it's important. All three of us will continually work to make everything run smoothly."

Fagan's path to Columbia, Mo. and becoming one of the team's leaders is unique in comparison to the other Tiger seniors, as she transferred from the University of Florida following the 2012 campaign. The past two seasons, the hard-hitting second basemen has transformed herself in to one of Mizzou's premier players.

The outstanding leadership from Coach Earleywine and an impeccable team comradery played the biggest roles in Fagan ultimately heading west to mid-Missouri.

"I chose Mizzou because I really clicked with Coach E and the entire coaching staff right off the bat," Fagan said. "When I visited Florida in high school, I didn't know what I was getting in to. When I got interested in attending Mizzou, I asked Coach E a lot more questions. He was a great competitor and we instantly clicked on that level. I thought they'd be a great fit. I've never been on a team with greater team chemistry than this Tiger squad. It feels like my second home, and I get along with every single person here."

Under Coach Earleywine, Mizzou softball has soared to never before seen heights. Since 2008, the Tigers have seven NCAA Super Regional trips, and three visits to the Women's College World Series. For the senior class of 2016, the ultimate goal is to get Mizzou back to the big stage at the WCWS, something that has eluded the program since 2011.

For Crane, the approach that she'll preach to her teammates throughout the 2016 campaign will be simple. By sticking to the basics, she hopes that philosophy will once again bring the Tigers back to glory.

"It's all about the little things," Crane exclaimed. "You have to go all out every day at practice and in games. You have to act like this is the last game you'll ever play. Some people lose sight of what the ultimate goal is (reaching the WCWS and winning a National Championship). I want everyone on the team, no matter what they're doing, to know that their role is important. It will take contributions from everyone on the team to reach that final step."

While the little things clearly pay a big role in to the team's success, no one can also deny the crop of talent that Mizzou softball possesses heading into 2016. Whether it's providing leadership to their teammates or stepping up to the plate as the first three batters of every game; Crane, Fagan, and Gadbois will regularly set the tone next season.

"It's going to be huge for our team," Fagan said. "All three of us have been at the top of the order since playing together. We're all comfortable at that spot. We come up to bat the most in any given game, and our senior leadership will really set the tone for the offense all season long. We hope to have an even better team offense in 2016."