Three Tigers Named to Preseason All-SEC Softball Team
2/7/2022 2:00:00 PM | Softball
Mizzou matches Florida as the only programs with three players represented.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Southeastern Conference released the 2022 Preseason All-SEC Softball Team on Monday afternoon. The Preseason All-SEC Softball Team is voted on by the league's head coaches and consists of a minimum of 21 players. No. 11/12 University of Missouri softball placed three on the list in Jenna Laird, Hatti Moore, and Brooke Wilmes. Mizzou joined No. 5/6 Florida as the only programs with three players on the list.
Reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Jenna Laird will look to improve upon her impressive rookie campaign. In her debut season, Laird batted .369 with 69 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 38 RBI. She was a perfect 12-for-12 on stolen base attempts. She was named First Team All-SEC while reaching the NFCA/Schutt Sports Freshman of the Year Top 15 list. She earned four SEC Freshman of the Week honors throughout the 2021 season. In SEC play, Laird batted .410, which ranked third in the league. She was recently named as a Preseason Third Team All-American by Softball America.
Hatti Moore returns for her fifth season with the Mizzou Softball program. She put up impressive numbers with her bat while also setting the tone behind the plate defensively. Her 17 home runs in 2021 tied for third in program history for a single season. The graduate student from La Grange, Texas was one of two Tigers to drive in at least 50 runs last season and she led the team in walks. At two points during the 2021 season, Moore hit three home runs during a doubleheader. She currently sits in ninth on the Mizzou all-time home run list with 35. Defensively, she has made 145 consecutive starts for the Tigers at catcher, spanning from the start of the 2019 season to the end of 2021.
After one of the most statistically impressive seasons in recent memory by a Tiger, Brooke Wilmes will look to lead the Tigers once again in 2022. She started all 59 games in center field and batted out of the leadoff spot while leading the Tigers in most offensive categories. Wilmes batted .373 on the year with 79 hits, 55 runs, 16 doubles, 13 home runs and 55 RBI. On the basepaths, she stole a team-leading 17 bases. Wilmes earned NFCA Third Team All-American and First Team Southeast All-Region honors in 2021. Recently, she was named as a Softball America Preseason First Team All-American for 2022.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will travel to Leesburg, Florida to kick off the 2022 season at the Northern Lights Invitational from Feb. 11-13. Mizzou will play five games over three days, including two games against ranked opponents in No. 10/13 Virginia Tech and No. 24 Liberty on the weekend. Each game will stream live on FloSoftball.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
