Rhea Taylor Named Big 12 Softball Freshman of the Year

Tiger Softball Team Earns Annual Honors

May 9, 2008

Oklahoma City, Okla.-Missouri softball player Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) was named Big 12 Freshman of the year, six Tigers were named All-Big 12 Conference honorees and five earned Academic All-Big 12 accolades as announced today by the league office. Taylor's honor is the first in Missouri softball history.

Having set the Big 12 and Missouri single season stolen base record at 52, Taylor stands second in the nation for stolen bags. Taylor, who leads the conference with her .408 average, is a two-time Big 12 Player of the Week recipient and has bat leadoff in all 58 of Missouri's games this season.

The last time a Tiger player earned individual post-season honors came during the 1997 campaign when Barb Wright earned the Player of the Year award. Taylor is the first Big 12 North Freshman of the Year since Kara Pierce of Kansas took home the honor in 2001 and is one of only three Big 12 North freshmen to win the award in the 13-year history of the program.

Following game two of the 13th annual Big 12 Softball Championships, four Tigers, seniors Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) and Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.), junior Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.) and Taylor were named first team all-conference, while juniors Lindsey Ubrun (Riverside, Calif.) and Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) were awarded second team honors. The Tigers' six honorees marks Missouri's highest total in three years and ties the second highest all-conference total set in 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2005.

The All-Big 12 honors are a first for Taylor, Allen, Ubrun and Delaney, while Renth received her fourth career award and Bruck her third. Renth becomes Missouri's first four-time All-Big 12 honoree since Jamie Lowry received honors in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. Missouri's six award winners were among a list of 38 that received the annual accolade.

 

 

Five members of the Tiger squad were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Renth, juniors Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.), Katie Milles (St. Louis, Mo.) and Gina Schneider (Liberty, Mo.) as well as sophomore Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) received first team accolades. The honor is the third of Renth's career and second of Allen's. Members of the first team have maintained a 3.20 grade-point average or better. A total of 54 individuals received Academic All-Big 12 honors, with 40 women named to the first team and 14 to the second team. Missouri had the second-most individuals of the Big 12 conference named to the first team. Baylor and Kansas both led the conference with six softball players from each program named to the first team.

Tiger Softball Presents Annual Awards

05/31/2009 - Softball

The Missouri softball team officially concluded its season by presenting its annual end-of-the-year awards to select individuals on the 11th-ranked squad. All 22 members of the Women's College World Series team voted for the Hardest Worker, Newcomer of the Year, Best Hitter, Best Pitcher, Best Defensive Player and Most Valuable Player of the Year.

Tigers Fall 5-2, Eliminated from WCWS

05/30/2009 - Softball

The Missouri softball team (50-12) saw its season come to an end after dropping a 5-2 loss to ninth-ranked Georgia (45-11) in its second game of the Women's College World Series held at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. With the loss, Missouri is the first school eliminated from the tournament, finishing eighth in its fourth WCWS appearance.

Missouri and Georgia Meet in World Series

05/29/2009 - Softball

Coming off of an opening round loss to ninth-ranked Arizona State, the No. 11 Missouri softball team looks to keep its title hopes alive with a win over No. 8 Georgia

Two Tigers Earn All-America Honors

05/28/2009 - Softball

Two Tigers from the 11th-ranked Missouri softball team were awarded second team Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America honors.

Mizzou Falls to Arizona State, 7-3

05/28/2009 - Softball

Making their first appearance in 15 years at the Women's College World Series, the 11th-ranked Tigers (50-11) suffered an opening round, 7-3, loss to ninth-ranked Arizona State (47-17) at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Tigers managed only four hits on the day, both extra base knocks, but faltered in the field, accounting for two errors.