Missouri Tigers softball team eager to move on from disappointing 2025 season

The Missouri Tigers softball team begins the 2026 season at a turning point for the program.

After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time under head coach Larissa Anderson, the Tigers enter this year with something to prove.

Despite holding a top-35 RPI in 2025, the Tigers faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation, finishing the season 25-31 (6-18 in SEC), just four games short of the .500 threshold required for postseason play.

As Missouri prepares to open the year at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic this weekend, the focus shifts from what went wrong to what comes next.

Optimism for improvement

This year's schedule certainly won't be as difficult as it was last year, and the team isn't using it as an excuse. Last year's disappointment serves as a reminder for how important every game is.

"It's an eye-opening experience for everybody," Anderson said. "You can't take any game for granted. You have to go out and you have to try to win every single game."

That message has resonated with players.

"They do not talk about last year one bit. It's a new year, it's a new team, which is the way it should be," Anderson said. "They've come in this year and they've had a different ownership and a different pride to make sure that we take care of business."

With that mindset driving them, Missouri enters the season with not just a new sense of pride, but also a new coaching staff focused on redefining how the team prepares and competes on a daily basis.

If Missouri makes a push back to the postseason, it will be with players that went through the adversity of last season and are ready to respond.

Key Mizzou Tigers returners

Under Larissa Anderson, Mizzou has developed some of the best players in the SEC. Julia Crenshaw, for example, raised her batting average from .125 her freshman year to .361 her senior year. She was an All-SEC first-team catcher last season and an example of the type of development Missouri hopes to see across the roster this year.

One player ready for a bounce-back season is Abby Hay, who, after a tremendous freshman year, had a bit of a sophomore slump. The Columbia product hit .306 with 30 hits, five homers and 23 RBIs in her first collegiate season before seeing her production dip the following season.

In 2025, Hay finished the season with a .190 average, 16 hits, three homers and 15 RBIs. A big reason for that drop off was injuries, which bothered her most of the season. With a healthy offseason behind her, Missouri enters the year optimistic for a return to form.

Another player to keep an eye out for is Stefania Abruscato, the former New York Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, who will be taking Crenshaw's place as the starting catcher this season.

"Stefania is so good," Anderson said. "She gets so loaded on the ground, which gives the umpires a really good view and she has the ability to really get underneath pitches differently than Crenshaw did."

The infield also returns with more experience, led by Madison Uptegrove, who enters her sophomore year already with 50 games of experience.

Keep an eye on the pitching staff

Marissa McCann and Cierra Harrison lead the way once again this year, providing the same stability that they gave the team a year ago. Yet, after losing Taylor Pannell to the transfer portal, management of the bullpen will be much harder.

McCann and Harrison may have to play off each other more as a result, but Anderson praised the other pitchers in the bullpen. To fill the void left by Pannell, Anderson will turn to a deeper rotation of arms.

"I think Rylee Michalak is going to be a surprise," Anderson said. "The growth that I've seen since she stepped foot on campus is really, really impressive, and she's got some late dart, breaking movement."

Anderson also praised Courtney Donahue, who, after a summer pitching in the Florida Gulf Coast League, came back to Columbia with a lot more experience. Nathalie Touchet is a dynamically different pitcher than the others, providing yet another weapon for this Mizzou team to use as the season goes on.

"I anticipate that we're probably going to relieve each other. That's kind of how I'm managing the bullpen right now, because we don't have a true reliever like we had last year," Anderson said.

Freshmen provide new energy

Perhaps the most exciting addition to the team this season is two-way pitcher Abby Carr.

The 2024-25 Gatorade Missouri Softball Player of the Year provides yet another depth piece for this bullpen while also providing some power in the batter's box when needed. During her senior year of high school, Carr posted a 23-0 record with 304 strikeouts and a .242 ERA across 144.2 innings.

During the Black & Gold Scrimmage Sunday, Carr batted in two runs, which allowed the Gold team to stay in the game. As a pitcher, she only allowed one run through two innings.

"(Carr’s) a gamer and it's extremely impressive to see when the game is on the line and even practice situations, she just elevates," said Anderson.

Another freshman, Sidney Forrester, also played well during the Black & Gold game, starting the game strong with a home run for the Gold team. Hailing from Miami, Oklahoma, The first baseman and outfielder provides Missouri with legitimate power.

Forrester finished her high school career batting .545 with 180 hits, 159 RBIs, 46 home runs and 28 stolen bases. She was named the Oklahoma Class 4A-7 District Player of the Year three years in a row.

Left-handed third baseman Addy Waits also provides offensive firepower. Waits broke practically every record while at Lee's Summit West High School, including hits (180), on-base percentage (.563), doubles (42), walks (70), stolen bases (49) and runs (157). She finished her senior year averaging .504, with eight home runs, 45 RBIs and 47 runs.

It's no surprise that all three of those players were named to Softball America's Freshman watchlist ahead of the season.

Heading into the weekend, with matches against No. 5 Oregon and No. 23 Liberty, Mizzou will get a chance to show it can still compete with quality opponents. With a healthy Abby Hay, an experienced bullpen and a plethora of freshman talent, the Tigers have the talent to make it back to the postseason.

Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian

This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Missouri Tigers softball team eager to move on from disappointing 2025 season."