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Softball

Mizzou Softball to Open Season at NFCA Leadoff Classic

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Mizzou Softball will open its 2020 campaign at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Feb. 7-9, in Clearwater, Fla.

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Tigers Open Season at NFCA Leadoff Classic
Opponent  Location Day Time (CT) Watch Stats
Notre Dame (RV)           Clearwater, Fla. Feb. 7 11 a.m. CT YouTube TBA
South  Alabama   Clearwater, Fla. Feb. 7 4 p.m. YouTube StatBroadcast
Baylor (RV)      Clearwater, Fla. Feb. 8 9 a.m. YouTube StatBroadcast
No. 8/7 Minnesota Clearwater, Fla.    Feb. 8 11:30 a.m. YouTube Sidearm Stats
Louisville (RV) Clearwater, Fla. Feb. 9 9 a.m. YouTube StatBroadcast

TOUGH SCHEDULE ON TAP THIS YEAR                                                          

  • Head coach Larissa Anderson set up a competitive schedule that will test the Tigers early and often in 2020.
  • 36 of Mizzou's 54 games on the schedule will be against programs coming off an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
  • The Tigers will face five teams that reached the Women's College World Series last season.
  • Mizzou received invitations to two elite tournaments to open the season — the NFCA Leadoff Classic (Feb. 7-9) and the ESPN St. Pete/Clearwater Invite (Feb. 13-16).

TIGERS SNUBBED BY THE SEC.....AGAIN                                                               

  • Mizzou was predicted to finish 10th in the hyper-competitive Southeastern Conference in a preseason vote among the league's coaches.
  • The Tigers are sandwiched between preseason No. 9 South Carolina (56 points) and preseason No. 11 Auburn (52 points). Mizzou garnered 54 points in the preseason poll.
  • Alabama was picked as the preseason favorite to win the SEC, garnering 11 of the 13 first place. Tennessee claimed the other two first place votes.
  • Mizzou is no stranger to outperforming its predicted finish in the preseason coaches' poll.
  • In 2019, the Tigers were predicted to finish last in the conference, but rallied to finish tied for sixth in the conference with a 12-12 record — reaching the NCAA Tournament.

OPENING TEST AGAINST A TOP 10 TEAM

  • With Minnesota ranking in the top 10 in both the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Polls, the Tigers will face an early test against a top 10 team right out of the gate.
  • Since 2007, Mizzou is 42-80 against Top 10 teams.
  • Last season under Anderson, the Tigers went 6-11 against programs in the top 10, but two  of those wins came against top 5 foes.

LOOKING TO START ON THE RIGHT NOTE

  • Over the last 20 years, as far back as gameday information is available, Mizzou has excelled the opening weekend of a season.
  • The Tigers have started the season with a losing record at the conclusion of the first weekend of play only five times during that span.
  • Mizzou has opened the season undefeated on four occasions: 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2016.
  • Last season under Anderson, Mizzou went 3-2 the opening weekend of play at the Kajikawa Classic, with all five games being against Power 5 opponents. Mizzou notched wins over Utah and Kansas, as well as No. 12 Arizona State at the Sun Devils' Farrington Stadium.

TIGERS ON TV

  • Mizzou was selected for 10 national TV games in the 2020 season.
  • The Tigers will appear on ESPNU against Kansas (Feb.13) at the ESPN St. Pete/Clearwater Invite, and again on the road at LSU (April 25).
  • Mizzou was also selected for games on the SEC Network against Ole Miss (March 8), at Auburn (March 15-16), at Texas A&M (March 27-28), at Florida (April 11), against Kentucky (April 18) and the season finale against Alabama (May 3) as part of the network's Bases Loaded coverage.