Recap: Mizzou softball defies doubters and hosts another NCAA Regional
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Outsiders didn't expect the Mizzou softball team to be here - hosting their third NCAA Regional in Columbia in four seasons, however, the team always knew where they deserved to be.
On Sunday night, a goal that Tiger softball set at the beginning of the season came to fruition. Head coach Larissa Anderson and company earned a No. 7 seed, which means the squad will not only host an NCAA Regional, but could also host the first Super Regional in Columbia since 2021.
Mizzou will have to get through Omaha, Indiana and Washington in the Columbia Regional before evening thinking about hosting a Super, though. The Tigers will open up Regional play on Friday, May 17 at 4:30 p.m. against the Mavericks of Omaha.
"This team has worked so hard this year," pitcher Laurin Krings said. "We've put in so much work and we really bought into each other and it's just amazing."
The team worked hard to defy the doubters. There were quite a few of them, as national media picked the Tigers to finish in 11th place in the SEC in 2024, following the team's last place finish in the conference in 2023.
Anderson and company more than surpassed those outside expectations. The group made it all the way to the SEC Tournament Championship game. Although the outcome didn't go in their favor, the Tigers showed the league and the country what they can do.
"Polls, I will say, are meaningless. It's people judging where they think you belong and we know where we deserve to be," Anderson said. "We put in the work and had quality wins from the first weekend of our season all the way to the post-season run we had last week."
Sunday was the cap to all the hard work MU has put in to finish 43-15 overall and 13-11 in SEC action.
"I am so unbelievably proud," Anderson said
The team said they fell more than prepared to make a deep run in the post-season, especially after dealing with the gauntlet that is the Southeastern Conference.
All 13 SEC teams made the cut for an NCAA Regional, on Sunday, with more than half of that field hosting a Regional on their campus.
