summer tiger row

Exclusively for members of the Tiger Scholarship Fund

TIGER ROWTIGER ROWTIGER ROWTIGER ROWSUMMER 2012 VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 3

University of Missouri Department of Intercollegiate Athletics

Tiger Row Summer 20123

J

ALDEN’S CORNER

TIGER ROWSUMMER 2012

Dressed To Win— Page 4 —

Mizzou Wrestling Pins Big 12 Title

— Page 12 —

Mizzou Among Top Big 12, SEC Schools in APR

— Page 14 —

Congratulations, Graduates!— Page 15 —

Tiger Basketball Celebrates A Record-Breaking Year

— Page 16 —

A Vision For Excellence— Page 18 —

Don LaPoint & Robert Griggs: Best Fans Forever

— Page 20 —

Swimming and Diving Sees Unprecedented Success

— Page 22 —

The Border Showdown: A History

— Page 24 —

Crossing The Finish Line— Page 26 —

Q&A With Tiger Baseball’s Andreas Plackis

— Page 28 —

Getting To Know Ashley Fleming

— Page 29 —

2012 Blue Jean Ball— 0 —

CUSTOM PUBLISHING BY:

573-442-1430

June 30, 2012 … our last day as members of the Big 12 Conference. July 1, 2012 … our first day as members of the Southeastern Conference. Two days in our program’s history that will have a significant impact on Tiger Athletics.

We are very proud of the opportunities presented to us by being associated with the Big 12. The Big 12 is regarded as one of the top athletic conferences in the country. At one point, six of the 12 institutions were members of the prestigious AAU (Association of American Universities) defined as some of the top academic/research universities in our country. We are a better department top to bottom due to our association with the Big 12, and we are thankful to the league and its members (past and present) who provided us with wonderful academic, social and competitive opportunities.

On July 1, we enter a new era of our program and become members of the SEC, which is widely regarded as the top athletic conference in the country for all sports. We will be one of four members of the AAU (Mizzou, Texas A&M, Florida and Vanderbilt) and look forward to the future opportunities that will be presented academically, through research, scholarly activities, student development/growth, and athletically. It’s an exciting and challenging time for

our entire campus.We know that we cannot expect to be

fully acclimated to the SEC immediately; it will take us time to fully orient ourselves. Our best estimate on that orientation suggests it will take us about 24 months (until July 1, 2014) to feel fully oriented to all the aspects of the Southeastern Conference. Organization, teamwork, commitment, planning, follow-through, hard work and patience will be key as we adjust to life in the SEC. What a tremendous opportunity for our students, student-athletes, staff, faculty, alumni, fans and friends to usher in this next chapter of Tiger Athletics.

This will truly be a “OneMizzou” commitment by all of us; in every facet we need to step up our efforts. As you have heard many times — “This is our time” — and we all must take advantage of this moment and capitalize on the momentum for our future. I look forward to the work ahead as we keep building a solid foundation of success for the flagship institution of our state: the University of Missouri.

Go Mizzou!

Mike Alden


OOn April 14, 2012, the University of Missouri, in partnership with Nike, introduced a department-wide brand and identity program as well as new team looks for football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and soccer for the 2012-13 season.

During the unveiling, which took place at halftime during the Black & Gold Spring Game, student-athletes representing each of the five teams were on hand to model the new uniforms. While each uniform delivers optimal lightweight performance and protection, Nike worked closely with athletic department staff to bring relevant elements of the school’s rich heritage into a distinguished, modern uniform design. Each uniform

now incorporates consistent use of colors, logos, lettering and numbering.

“The University of Missouri brand is one that stands for pride, integrity, social responsibility and hard work, but until now our visual identity has been inconsistent across various sports,” said Don Barnes, director of Equipment Operations. “With Nike’s help we have been able to develop brand guidelines that honor our traditions and also reinforce consistency across all athletics. It was important to keep the Tiger at the forefront while creating consistency across our colors, fonts and numbering and we take great pride in unveiling the first five teams today that embody these important changes.”

Mizzou And Nike Team Up To Create New Uniforms


HELMETSThe new primary football helmets feature the tiger head, which is a nationally known brand of Mizzou.

The tiger stripes are a carryover from Mizzou helmets for more than 70 years. The new helmet stripes design features tiger stripes that are also found on the uniform jerseys and pants, creating a consistent look.

>>>The alternate helmet, which also features a much larger tiger head on a matte finish, will be a one-game deviation per season.


The fully integrated Nike Pro Combat system of dress provides enhanced durability and innovation from the inside out, where the base layer and padding work in concert with the jersey and pant. The uniform system design emphasizes improved thermoregulation and is constructed with fabric selected for its ability to help keep the body cool and wick away sweat, making the uniform and player lighter and dryer. The jerseys are made of four-way stretch woven twill that sheds moisture. A Flywire collar eliminates two layers of fabric for improved breathability, providing a more stable anchor to keep the jersey in place.

DRESSED TO WIN

FOOTBALL 24 DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS:

two helmets, three jerseys (white, black,

gold), four different

pants (white, black, gold, anthracite)


DRESSED TO WIN

This fully integrated system of dress is designed and developed so that the jersey and short work in concert with the padded Nike Pro Combat Hyperstrong base layer for optimal protection. The jersey features a fully sublimated flat-back “Aerographic” mesh panel that delivers the ultimate in lightweight performance. The lightweight game short features seamless contrast side panel construction that reduces irritation and bulk.

BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL UNIFORMS ARE 1.0 LBS LIGHTER THAN THE OLD UNIFORMS


WHITE

BLACK

GOLD

ANTHRACITE


DRESSED TO WIN

The volleyball uniform features Dri-FIT fabrication throughout, with a combination of lightweight stretch fabrication for optimized fit, as well as side mesh panels strategically placed for moisture management where it’s needed. Bold graphics across the uniform showcase team name and school colors.

VOLLEYBALL

These lightweight uniforms feature a unique thermoregulation system using the Dri-FIT flat-back mesh panel for increased airflow throughout the game. The fully sublimated design of the uniform provides superior lightweight performance allowing for freedom of movement. Bold graphics across the uniform showcase team name and school colors.

SOCCER


Through a decade-long partnership with Nike, the Mizzou athletic department was able to work with Nike designers on a special project to help bring the university’s brand values to the surface and create a color, font and logo palette that help reflect those values. This new identity system sets a foundation for all athletic communication, including products, uniforms, fan gear and facilities for this generation and future generations. In addition to providing teams with a consistent appearance, Mizzou student-athletes will benefit from the continued innovation and unique performance advantages that the partnership with Nike will deliver. Throughout the project, equal attention was devoted to maintaining an appreciation for the traditions of the past, while positioning the athletics program for the future.

NIKE 00A BLACK

NIKE 10A WHITE NIKE 06F ANTHRACITE

NIKE 79U GOLD DART

ColorsA refined color palette allows for instant team identification and heightens emotional ties to the Mizzou name. The official colors for Mizzou are black and gold, in keeping with the colors of the Bengal tiger. Gold, black, anthracite and white are used for the

foundation of the Mizzou Athletics color palette.

IDENTITY

Typography / Word MarksA custom athletics primary and secondary typeface has been designed with unique letter parts that are carried throughout

the alphabet. These unique characteristics of the typeface are infused with speed, and the serifs are sleek and powerful,

drawing inspiration from the ear of the tiger.

Primary Identity — The ‘Tiger’Soon after Missouri’s first football team was formed in 1890,

the athletics committee adopted the nickname “Tiger” in official recognition of a group of local militia called The

Missouri Tigers, who defended Columbia from guerillas during the Civil War. The tiger head logo is the primary representation

of the brand and is used as the main identifying device for athletics. It is an instantly recognizable symbol representing

Mizzou Athletics.

Tertiary Identity — Tiger Stripes

The stripes on the tiger are

unique to each animal, much in the same way

that fingerprints are to humans. A custom tiger print has been developed to

enrich the overall identity package.

Secondary Identity — Mizzou

Mizzou is the University of Missouri’s nickname, originating in a campus

cheer that used the phrase “Mizzou, Rah,

Rah” and published in the Missouri Alumni Quarterly (now called MIZZOU) as

early as 1905.


SSaturday, March 3 will be a day Head Coach Brian Smith, the Mizzou wrestling program and Mizzou Athletics will remember for a long time. On that day, for the first time in program history, the Missouri wrestling team captured the Big 12 Championship in front of their home crowd.

Not only was the title a first for the Tigers since they joined the Big 12 in 1996, it was the first ever conference championship in the 67-year history of the program. The moment was something Smith, Mizzou’s 14-year head coach, envisioned when he was hired back on May 5, 1998, although not everyone agreed with his assessment.

“Some journalists laughed at me in my first meeting here when I was first introduced and they thought I was crazy, which some people thought was true,” Smith said. “But we did it and now we just continue to build and continue to hit things that it never hit.”

To claim the Big 12 Championship, the Tigers had to go through No. 3 and two-time defending champion Oklahoma State. The Cowboys entered the event with 10 team titles in 15 tries and were the favorite to take home the trophy once again.

En route to the Big 12 title, Missouri sent eight of their 10 starters to the championship round, with four of them capturing individual titles. The four champions are the most in program history, besting the previous high of three set in 2004 and again in

2007, and all four placed first for the first time in their careers.“It is an accomplishment of so many people, though, that put

some put effort in,” Smith said. “I thank all the wrestlers that wrestled for me and all the people that donate to the program and make it get to where it is, all the trainers and doctors … there are so many people. I am just really, really proud of everybody. This team did an amazing job today.”

Sophomore Alan Waters, the top-seeded wrestler at 125 pounds, got the Tigers off on the right foot with a dominating 7-0 victory over No. 2 Jarrod Patterson of Oklahoma. The two were scoreless into the third when Waters reversed Patterson and scored five points in near falls in the final seconds of the match to get his second win over the Sooner this year.

“Going out there, we all just expect to win and expect to win at anything,” Waters said. “That’s what gives us the wins out there and gives us our confidence to go out there on the mat and know that we can beat these kids and don’t let it scare us that they are ranked ahead of us.”

Oklahoma State tightened up the team race with wins over Missouri at 133 and 149, but redshirt freshman Drake Houdashelt topped No. 1 seed Nick Lester of OU with a 3-1 win. Lester had a 1-0 lead in the third but Houdashelt reversed Lester and rode him out to secure the extra point. Lester had beaten Houdashelt in both their previous matchups during the season.

Arguably the biggest win of the tournament came from Mizzou sophomore Zach Toal, who upset top-seeded and fourth-ranked Andrew Sorenson in the championship. Toal, who was majored by Sorenson early in the season, hit the first takedown and took a 2-1 lead into the second period. After Sorenson evened the score, Toal got the escape in the third and scored the victory.

The Cowboys were victorious at 174 and 197, but junior Mike Larson captured his first individual crown at 184 in a 5-4 win over No. 2 seed Boaz Beard. Beard hit the first takedown of the match and led 2-1 after one, but Larson tied things up with an escape and hit a takedown with short time left in the second. Up 4-2 in the final period, Beard evened things up with a reversal, but Larson escaped less than 10 seconds later and held on for the win.

Heading into the final match of the night, Missouri held a four point lead over the Cowboys, who had one of the two competitors in the heavyweight bout. A win by decision would have brought the Tigers and OSU to a tie, while a win with bonus points would have given the Cowboys their third straight conference title. However, Iowa State’s Matt Gibson hit three back points in the second and rode that to an 8-3 win over OSU’s Austin Marsden, clinching the trophy for Mizzou.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Mizzou Wrestling Pins Big 12 Title

“WE ALL JUST EXPECT TO WIN. THAT’S WHAT GIVES US THE WINS ... AND GIVES US OUR CONFIDENCE.” — ALAN WATERS


“Since I have been here, which is longer than two years, we set this as one of our goals,” Larson said. “We finally reached it and do not know what is going to happen next year or what conference we are going to be in. To win it here at home, and to possibly go out on top for the first time ever, I don’t see how it can get any better than that.”

“I told them eight days ago about David and Goliath and going through the valley of Elah,” Smith said. “I told them about the Philistines, and Goliath is the Big 12, and we had never won it. David walked out there with confidence. You got to believe in all the good things that can happen. I put signs up that said ‘Be my David.’ All week, every kid I went up to, I said ‘Be my David.” They came up to me at the end and said, ‘Coach, we are your Davids.’”

Alan Waters and Zach Toal claimed two of Mizzou’s individual

Big 12 titles

ALAN WATERS ZACH TOAL


T

COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THE APR REPORT CAN BE FOUND AT THE NCAA’S WEBSITE, WWW.NCAA.ORG

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

The NCAA released its annual Academic Progress Rates (APR) on June 20, and once again, Mizzou found itself ranked among the very best in the Big 12 Conference and among the leaders in the school’s new league, the Southeastern Conference. Mizzou led the Big 12 in five sports while leading the SEC in four, ranking second and third, respectively.

For the second straight season, Mizzou football led the Big 12 in APR with a 972 (out of a 1,000-point scale), a mark that ranks second in the SEC behind only Vanderbilt. The Tigers also led the Big 12 in APR in the sports of men’s swimming and diving (993), women’s gymnastics (1,000) and women’s golf (1,000). Both women’s gymnastics and women’s golf received a Public Recognition Award for ranking in the top 10-percent of all squads nationally in each sport. Overall, Mizzou was second in the Big 12, leading the APR in five sports while 10 teams ranked among the top three. Mizzou has ranked either first or second every year within the Big 12 since the inception of the APR rankings.

Mizzou also garnered high marks among its future SEC brethren. Mizzou was third with four teams that led their respective sports in APR, while 11 teams were ranked among the top three in the league. Once again, the men’s swimming and diving teams and the women’s gymnastics and golf teams led the SEC as did the Mizzou wrestling program (958). Other notables in the SEC are: the Mizzou football program ranking second (972), the Mizzou baseball program ranking second (987), the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field team ranking second (991) and the Mizzou softball team ranking third (994).

The APR was developed by the NCAA in 2004 to measure the academic progress and performance of athletic programs at member institutions. The multiyear average for the latest Academic Progress Rate Report spans the last four years and institutions are awarded points when a student-athlete remains academically eligible for competition and when he or she either returns to the institution the following semester or graduates. A maximum of two points per student/per semester is awarded.

The NCAA does not penalize an institution for student-athletes who remain academically eligible but did not return to the institution due to circumstances beyond the student and/or institution’s control. Examples of this include student-athletes who leave to pursue professional athletics, suffer from incapacitating physical or mental illness, or experience extreme financial difficulties as the result of a specific event such as a death in the family.

Mizzou Among Top Big 12, SEC Schools in APR

BY THE NUMBERS

student-athletes earned a 4.00 GPA.*

student-athletes earned a 3.00 or higher GPA.*

MU led the conference with

a 2011 graduation success rate of

student-athletes were recognized on their

respective Dean’s List*


Congratulations, Graduates!

TIGER TIDBITS

Sixty-seven student-athletes participated in May graduation

ceremonies as part of the University’s commencement exercises.

The football team led the way with 14 graduates, followed by

men’s swimming and diving and men’s basketball with seven.

Congratulations to all our current and former student-athletes

who graduated!


TIGER BASKETBALL

TThe odds were stacked against the 2011-12 Mizzou men’s basketball team from the beginning. The squad entered the season with just seven healthy scholarship players after the loss of Laurence Bowers to a preseason knee injury. First-year Head Coach Frank Haith had to bring together a group that did not play as a team the second half of the previous season.

On the court, the big question was how would Mizzou’s small roster compete with bigger teams, as the Missouri roster featured no player over 6’8”. The Tigers had to utilize a four-guard lineup, featuring sophomore Phil Pressey and seniors Marcus Denmon, Kim English and Matt Pressey alongside senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe.

After wins over SEMO, Mercer and Niagara to start the season, the Tigers had their first true test of the year on Nov. 21 against

Notre Dame in the semifinals of the CBE Classic. The squad rose to the occasion with an 87-58 win over the Fighting Irish at the Sprint Center. Mizzou shot over 58 percent from the field, behind a 9-of-11 night from Marcus Denmon.

The Tigers followed that game with perhaps an ever more impressive performance over California in the championship game. The 92-53 win over No. 20 Cal, Mizzou’s largest win ever over a ranked team, raised expectations for the season. Thanks to better than 65 percent shooting against the Golden Bears, Mizzou’s four-guard lineup was now seen as more of a matchup problem for opposing teams than a hurdle for the Tigers to overcome.

Home wins over Binghamton and Northwestern State followed before the Tigers traveled to New York to play Villanova in “The

Tiger Basketball Celebrates A Record-Breaking Year


World’s Most Famous Arena”: Madison Square Garden, on Dec. 6. The contest remained close though the first 15 minutes until the Tigers reeled off a 12-2 run to go up 38-25 with 2:23 left in the half. A tip-in from Denmon as the frame expired gave Mizzou a

42-29 lead at the break. The Tigers came out firing

in the second and upped their lead to 16, 61-45, with 12:22 left. Villanova came storming back to pull within six, 68-62, at the 5:08 mark. But Phil Pressey found Ratliffe for a dunk, and a jumper from Denmon gave the Tigers cushion, as they held on for an 81-71 win and improved to 8-0 on the year.

With wins over Navy, Kennesaw State and William & Mary, Mizzou entered the Braggin’ Rights game against No. 25 Illinois with a perfect 11-0 record. Missouri scored the final six points of the first half for a 41-30 lead at the break. The Tigers remained comfortably in control until the Fighting Illini went on a 21-6 run and take a 62-61 lead with

seven minutes left. At the 2-minute mark, Mizzou trailed by two but reeled off seven straight points for a 75-70 lead with less than a minute remaining. The squad held on, 78-74, and claimed their third straight win in the series.

Victories over Old Dominion and Oklahoma in the Big 12 opener set the stage for a matchup with No. 22 Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan. The Wildcats took control from the get-go and handed Mizzou its first loss of the season, 75-59.

The Tigers rebounded with wins over Texas and Texas A&M to set up a game with No. 3 Baylor in Waco, Texas. Both teams entered the game 17-1 on the year and ranked in the Top 5. The Bears featured a loaded front line to combat Missouri’s small lineup. However, the Tigers left Waco with an 89-88 win, behind 27 points from Ratliffe.

Mizzou came back down to earth when Oklahoma State handed the squad its second loss of the year, a 79-72 defeat in Stillwater, Okla. However, the Tigers reeled off four more victories, including another win over No. 6 Baylor, before suffering its only two-game skid of the year. Kansas State came into Mizzou Arena and once again defeated the Tigers, 78-68. Four days later in an epic showdown in Lawrence, Kan., Missouri lost a 19-point second half advantage to fall to No. 4 Kansas in overtime, 87-86.

Missouri closed the regular season with wins over Iowa State and Texas Tech before the team headed back to Kansas City for the 2012 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Mizzou stormed

through the quarter and semifinal rounds of the championship, setting up a third meeting with Baylor. In front of an almost-home game at the Sprint Center, the Tigers led the entire way en route to a 90-75 win as the squad secured Mizzou’s second Big 12 Championship.

Over the course of the tournament, the Tigers also left their mark on the record books. The team shot 55.4 percent in its three games to set a new tournament record, led by Kim English’s 78.8 percent (26-33) three-game output. English’s 23.0 points per game in the event garnered him Most Outstanding Player honors, while Phil Pressey was named to the All-Tournament Team. Additionally, Haith became the first coach to win the Big 12 Championship in his first season at a school.

Although the Tigers’ season ended too soon to Norfolk State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the 2011-12 season was a year Tiger fans will never forget. And with Coach Haith roaming the sidelines for the years to come, the sky’s the limit for Mizzou basketball in the Southeastern Conference.

2011-12 Highlights• Big 12 Championship

• CBE Classic Champions

• Record 27 regular season wins

• Record 14 Big 12 wins

• Tied for best Big 12 finish (second)

• Rivalry wins over Kansas and Illinois

• Highest AP ranking since 2001-02 (No. 2)

• First undefeated nonconference regular season since 1972-73

• First road win at top-10 opponent since 1994 (at No. 3 Baylor)

• Most wins away from home since 1981-82 (14)

• Most wins by a senior class in a four-year period (107)


T

GOING FOR GOLD

The University of Missouri has had a historic month, officially joining the Southeastern Conference on July 1, and kicking off a $200 million facility master plan for the MU Sports Park.

Mizzou Athletics is eager to compete both academically and athletically in the league that is arguably known as the nation’s best. Southeastern Conference student-athletes not only achieved record-breaking performances on the playing fields and courts, but also in the classroom during the 2011-12 academic year.

The SEC won nine national championships in 2011-12: Football (Alabama), Men’s Basketball (Kentucky), Gymnastics (Alabama), Men’s Indoor Track and Field (Florida), Women’s Tennis (Florida), Women’s Golf (Alabama), Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (Florida), Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (LSU) and Softball (Alabama). In addition, the Southeastern Conference had 42 Capital One Academic All-Americans in 2011-12, more than any other Football Bowl Subdivision conference. The league had 22 student-athletes earn first-team honors, also more than any other Football Bowl Subdivision conference.

Shortly after the MU Board of Curators approved a $72 million bond for athletics facility improvements on June 26, a $30 million private gift from the Kansas City Sports Trust was announced to help jumpstart the $200 million master plan, which is seen as vital to MU’s future success in the SEC.

The gift has been identified as the second largest single donation in University of Missouri history, and it will play an integral role in getting a $200 million facilities master plan off and running. The comprehensive plan will change the landscape of the MU Sports Park for years to come. The initial focus will be on projects totaling an estimated $102 million, and facilities involved will include football’s Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, baseball’s Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field, softball’s University Field, and

tennis’ Mizzou Tennis Complex, as well as new team and practice facilities for the men’s and women’s golf teams at The Club at Old Hawthorne. A new indoor football practice facility, an additional weight room to better support MU’s 500-plus student-athlete population, and other Olympic sport facility upgrades will be part of future plans.

A capital campaign is officially underway to help raise funds for the master plan. Called “Going for Gold: A Vision for Excellence,” the capital campaign is geared to encourage donors and supporters to “get in the game” and help Mizzou achieve its facilities vision. The highlight of the state-of-the-art facility improvements will resonate with the construction/renovation to Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. The project is currently in the design phase; information will be forthcoming shortly detailing the enhanced game-day experience for all students, alumni and fans.

“What a poignant and symbolic showing of the support we have as we move into the Southeastern Conference,” said MU Chancellor Dr. Brady J. Deaton. “I’ve said many times that athletics is the front porch of the institution, and that a strong program benefits Mizzou immeasurably. These planned facility projects will go a long way toward helping guide the future success of our program which is already very strong, and they will help us attract the very best and brightest student-athletes in the nation.”

“We are so very grateful to the Kansas City Sports Trust for their unwavering support of our mission,” said MU Director of Athletics Mike Alden. “This historic gift is putting into motion a series of improvements that will impact Mizzou Athletics for generations to come. We are moving into the nation’s best and most competitive conference, and by committing to this master plan, we feel this is a statement that Mizzou is going to be a factor on the conference and national levels.”

A Vision For Excellence

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE TSF OFFICE AT 573-882-0704 OR GOT TO TSF-MIZZOU.COM.


MIZZOU GOLF FACILITYNew team clubhouse at The Club at Old Hawthorne will feature team and coach locker facilities, players’ lounge, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and storage. Anticipated completion for Spring 2014.

TAYLOR STADIUMAlong the third baseline, provide an improved clubhouse with a team locker room, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices and coaches’ locker room. Replace the existing outdoor picnic tables along the third baseline with an outdoor premium seating area. Anticipated completion for Spring 2014.

MEMORIAL STADIUMEast side expansion: Addition of an upper bowl with more than 5,000 general admission seats and a club level with more than 1,000 premium seats, as well as associated amenities including restrooms, concessions, back-of-house kitchen and club lounges. Additionally, circulation space will be added on the main concourse. Anticipated completion for the 2015 season.

West side press box renovation: Move the existing press functions up to Level 6 and enclose. Upgrade Level 5 to include new premium seating options. Update the amenities in the existing premium spaces. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.

North concourse: Move the rock M and berm closer to the North end zone to provide improved game-day experience for fans, while expanding north concourse for improved spacing. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.

Miscellaneous structural repairs throughout stadium. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.

UNIVERSITY FIELDExpansion of patron seating and addition of a team clubhouse and indoor batting cages. Completed in stages, with full completion anticipated by Spring 2015.

MIZZOU TENNIS COMPLEXAddition of outdoor bleacher seating with a ground level building featuring tennis team locker room, offices, concessions and public bathrooms. Anticipated completion for Spring 2014.

University of Missouri Master Plan $102 Million in Project Summaries


DDONOR PROFILE

Don LaPoint has the Midas touch. Everything he owns turns to gold. Well, black and gold, to be exact. His home is the perfect example: a tiger tail hangs from an outdoor light, a Mizzou banner waves from the yard and each of the cars in the driveway boasts Mizzou-themed license plates. And that’s just outside.

Within the main entrance hangs a framed photograph from when Mizzou hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” and set the record for having the largest crowd in the show’s history with 18,000 people in attendance. When LaPoint offers his guests a drink, he uses a Missouri-themed bottle popper. The LaPoint home embodies and emanates Missouri culture, just like the family that lives there.

La Point is a successful businessman. He resides in St. Louis, and is the co-owner and president of EWR Weather Radar, a company that manufactures radar systems for both domestic and international clients. There is no doubt that LaPoint got to where he is today because of the excellent education he received at the University of Missouri, where he earned a business degree in 1976. It was at Mizzou where LaPoint met one of his closest friends: Robert Griggs.

Griggs, originally from Charleston, Mo., came to Mizzou because of the great things he heard from friends about the university. He remembers visiting the campus and immediately feeling

that he was in the right spot — it felt like a life-changing moment. He earned a degree in agricultural economics and graduated from the university in 1977. Griggs says his time at Mizzou guided his whole life. He went on to become the

president of Trinity Products, a steel pipe manufacturer that serves the construction industry across the United States.

Griggs and LaPoint met at Mizzou while they were dating girls in the same sorority, and they have been a part of each other’s lives ever since. They were both drawn into the Missouri culture by the strong sense of community they felt there, from their first visit to the day they graduated and beyond. As a student, LaPoint frequented a hang-out spot on campus called the M-bar that was located across from Ellis Library. He would gather there with friends to eat, socialize and just absorb the Missouri atmosphere. Now, as an alumnus, he perpetuates that feeling of community and belonging in the tailgates he hosts with Griggs every football season, where they eat, socialize and revel in Missouri pride.

The popular Griggs-LaPoint tailgate is located in Lot A, on the sidewalk under the “ZOU” at the football stadium. Both of the men welcome friends, family and even friendly strangers to participate in the food and fellowship. Anywhere from 50 to more than 100 guests often show up to partake in the festivities. The tailgate has allowed Griggs and LaPoint to reconnect with fellow alumni and maintain old friendships while also introducing people to the real reason they are all there celebrating.

Don LaPoint & Robert Griggs: Best Fans Forever

Robert Griggs & Don LaPoint


VANESSA MEUIR Vanessa is a Columbia native who recently graduated from the University of Missouri with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and English. She now works in the business office for the university’s athletics department, and tutors writing for student-athletes through athletics’ Total Person Program. Vanessa has always dreamed of using her passion for literacy to benefit those in need, and this dream is coming true; she has accepted a job

through an Americorps literacy program and is moving to Florida to help the people of Palm Beach County strengthen their reading and writing skills. Vanessa has many interests, but writing is her main passion, and she has enjoyed the privilege of writing for the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Griggs, LaPoint and their families are celebrating the tradition of Missouri athletics, of course. But they are also celebrating the incredible opportunities that athletics creates for the community of students who study, train and compete for the university. While providing a fun atmosphere for fellow fans, these alums also want to introduce as many people as possible to the Tiger Scholarship Fund (TSF), which is the department of Mizzou athletics that provides scholarships to student-athletes.

Griggs became a member of the TSF about 20 years ago and has not only remained faithful in his financial contributions, but has also taken it upon himself to personally recruit others to join. Both he and LaPoint have made it their mission to dispel the myths that all student-athletes are provided state-funded scholarships. In fact, many of the athletes who receive financial aid are given privately funded scholarships that are made possible by members of the TSF.

LaPoint believes that without these scholarships, Mizzou’s student-athletes would not be able to compete at the level of excellence that they do. For many of these students, athletic scholarships may be the only means by which they are able to attend college or earn an education. LaPoint is passionate about athletics, but beyond that, he is passionate about supporting academic opportunity.

Now that Mizzou is entering into the Southeastern Conference, LaPoint says that the need for student-athletes to compete in a highly competitive atmosphere raises the standards for the university, both athletically and academically. He believes Mizzou is ready to meet this challenge, and this has stirred a lot of excitement among fellow supporters and fans. LaPoint recognizes the SEC announcement as one of the best days in Missouri history and is eager to be a part of a conference that has a reputation for showing respect to student-athletes and preserving long-standing relationships with them.

With a bigger conference comes a lot of changes, from the stadium expansion to improvements in the program as a whole. Griggs and LaPoint realized that in order to successfully transition, Mizzou will need immense support from people like them, who are passionate about what the program does to support and aid in the success of student-athletes. They felt there weren’t enough members in the TSF, or even enough people aware of the positive difference this department makes in the lives of Mizzou’s students. So, they sat down with Athletic Director Mike Alden and the directors of the TSF to create a plan for bringing awareness to the community at large.

Griggs’ and LaPoint’s vision was to host an event that would celebrate Mizzou’s transition into the SEC while also educating guests about the importance of donating to the TSF. Their goal was to recruit 100 new members to the TSF and for each of them to pledge $100. The event would be called the Griggs LaPoint MIZ-SEC Summit. The planning began in August 2011. Griggs and LaPoint began meeting with family and friends face-to-face, asking them to recommend people who might be interested in becoming supporters of the TSF.

After drafting a guest list, a print campaign developed; invitations decorated with both the Missouri and the SEC logos

were sent out and a buzz started to go around. Curiosity about the event spurred anticipation, and when the evening of the summit arrived, 170 guests attended. The summit was held at the Greenbriar Hills Country Club in Kirkwood, Mo., and as guests trickled in, they were met with the sights and sounds of Mizzou spirit. Black and gold balloons floated near framed Missouri and SEC photographs, and the fight song played in the background. Guest speakers Dave Steckel, Mike Kelly and Howard Richards addressed the guests and, by the end of the night, more than half the guests became new TSF members.

Griggs and LaPoint plan to make the summit an annual event to promote continuous support of the TSF. They have made this their passion because, although they love to win, they realize there is something more important than a winning team: supporting students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to compete. LaPoint also believes that elevating Mizzou athletics is elevating the state of Missouri as a whole, bringing the community into the national spotlight, and he couldn’t be more proud to be represented by Missouri’s program. He and his family often travel with the football team to away games and stay in the same hotels with them, and he marvels at the integrity that Mizzou’s student-athletes display. It makes him proud to be a part of it all. This pride inspired him to set up an endowment to Mizzou in his family’s name, which will continuously help student-athletes attend school.

Both Griggs’ sons graduated from Mizzou and LaPoint currently has two children enrolled at the university. Both fathers are thrilled to pass on the legacy of Missouri pride and support to their children. For LaPoint, it is important that he and his family will always feel a sense of belonging in the Missouri community. He feels that donating to the TSF means knowing that his work is going to help others, and it feels good. He realizes that the university needs people like him and Griggs to spread the word about the program’s needs. LaPoint takes on his commitment to the university as a duty, and his passion has stirred excitement in his children, who will carry on the tradition of support that he has started. He prays it will continue for generations to come.


I

SWIMMMER SUCCESS

In just two years on the job, Head Swimming Coach Greg Rhodenbaugh has transformed the Tigers into a burgeoning national power. The success of the program, which steadily improved since the Mizzou Aquatic Center opened in 2005, has skyrocketed under Rhodenbaugh’s tutelage at the helm of the Tigers.

Hired in May 2010, Rhodenbaugh came to Mizzou as one of the nation’s top assistants at national power Arizona. He saw Missouri as a place of untapped potential.

“I was looking for a place that hadn’t had too much tradition,” he said during his introduction. “Because I really wanted to instill that and build from the foundation up.

“Really, it’s just a philosophy of what’s expected. The best way to put it is I’m not sure that they’ve really thought of this as a championship program.”

After a successful first season at Mizzou that included two

national runners-up at the NCAA Championships and two Big 12 Conference titles, Rhodenbaugh and his staff added a slew of talented newcomers to the 2011-12 roster. The team added eight incoming freshmen, three of which were ranked in CollegeSwimming.com’s top 75. The women’s side added six freshman and a senior transfer Shara Stafford, who arrived in Columbia as a 13-time All-American in three seasons at Florida.

The talented newcomers joined the experienced returners and helped Rhodenbaugh and the staff take the next step in becoming a championship caliber program this past season.

The team improved week to week during the year, setting new school records just about every time out. Everything came together at the right time for the squad, as the hard work culminated at both the Big 12 and NCAA Championships.

The Tigers hosted the Big 12 Championships and gave the hometown crowd plenty to cheer about. In the four-day event in

Mizzou Swimming And Diving Sees Unprecedented Success


February, Missouri posted its most successful Big 12 Championships ever. The Tiger women claimed three individual swimming titles and its first-ever relay championship, while the men took home a 3-meter diving title, three individual second place swimming finishes and two second place diving finishes. In Rhodenbaugh’s two seasons, the Tiger women have won five total swimming titles and one diving title, compared to just three swimming and one diving title the previous 14 seasons.

After the Tigers pulled off the impressive relay feat at the Big 12 Championships, Assistant Coach Patrick Rowan did not mince words on the significance.

“That’s a defining moment for our program,” Rowan said. “It shows the whole country that Mizzou is at a different level.”

Additionally, sophomore diver David Bonuchi won the 3-meter dive to claim Mizzou’s first-ever men’s Big 12 diving title, beating defending champion Drew Livingston. The Columbia, Mo., native also posted second-place finishes on the 1-meter and platform competitions.

The men upped their game at the American Short Course Championships in early March. Nine Tigers combined to set six team records over the weekend. The final night was possibly one of the best ever in the University’s swimming history, as Mizzou set or re-set five team records during that session. Freshman Eegan Groome qualified for the NCAA Championships, while three other Tigers and the 200 medley relay team narrowly missed earning a berth.

At the NCAA Championships later in March, the country took notice of Mizzou’s dramatic improvement as both the men’s and women’s programs earned all-time best finishes. The men posted a 19th-place finish, Mizzou’s best ever. Sophomore diver David Bonuchi was the star of the meet, finishing second on the platform, fourth on the 3-meter and sixth on the 1-meter dives. He is a five-time All-American in just two seasons at Missouri.

On the women’s side, the Tigers finished a program record 14th as the squad had six first team All-Americans and set seven new team records. Stafford finished fifth in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 100 freestyle. Junior Dominique Bouchard placed third in the 200 backstroke, an event in which she claimed national runner-up honors a year ago.

In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Stafford, senior Lisa Nathanson, junior Cassie Cunningham and freshman Emily Doucette made history with a seventh-place showing.

Mizzou’s new home in the Southeastern Conference will bring tough competition, although the Tigers are used to facing top teams and student-athletes in the Big 12.

On the women’s side, four SEC teams finished in the top-10 at the recent NCAA Championships: Georgia, who finished second; Auburn and Tennessee, who tied for seventh; and Florida, who finished in 10th-place. The SEC had three men’s squads earn top-11 finishes at NCAAs, including Auburn (sixth), Florida (eighth) and Georgia (11th).

The move to the SEC is just another challenge Rhodenbaugh, his staff and the Tigers will face. And with the way Mizzou has stepped up to the challenge in the last two seasons under Rhodenbaugh, the future of Mizzou Swimming and Diving looks bright in the years to come.

Sophomore David Bonuchi

earned All-America honors and

claimed a Big 12 title in the 3-meter dive

in 2012


O

The Border Showdown: A History

HISTORIC RIVALRY

October 31, 1891. May 19, 2012. The former date marked the first-ever athletic event played between the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas. With Missouri’s move to the Southeastern Conference for the 2012-13 season, the latter date signifies the final time the two schools faced each other in a regular season athletic event, signifying the end, at least in the foreseeable future, of the Border War.

The rivalry between the two teams, which predates the Civil War, is often considered one of the best and fiercest in the nation. In fact, the teams’ nicknames are an homage to the history. The “Tigers” were a union militia that guarded Columbia from pro-confederate

guerillas. The “Jayhawkers” were guerilla fighters who fought pro-slavery groups, often in Missouri.

In football, the rivalry stands as the second-most-played in the nation, just behind Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the most-played rivalry west of the Mississippi River. In basketball, the two schools have met 267 times.

In 2002-03, the two schools created the Border Showdown Series, a contest where schools earned points in contests between the two. The Tigers claimed the inaugural title 32 points to 8.5 points, and ended the series with an 8 to 2 advantage, including wins in the last six seasons.

M&I Bank Border Showdown Series

2002-03 MU 32, KU 8.5 2003-04 KU 21.5, MU 18.5 2004-05 MU 22.5, KU 17.5 2005-06 KU 23, MU 17 2006-07 MU 25, KU 14 2007-08 MU 24, KU 15 2008-09 MU 23, KU 17 2009-10 MU 23, KU 16.5 2010-11 MU 23, KU 16 2011-12 MU 31.5, KU 8


Notable GamesFootball1960 – Mizzou, ranked No. 1 in the nation, fell to Kansas by a score of 23-7. The loss ended the Tigers’ hopes of a national championship. However, the Jayhawks were later ordered to forfeit the victory for using an ineligible player.

2007 - Both teams entered the game ranked in the top five (Kansas at No. 2, Mizzou at No. 3). Before 80,537 fans and the largest TV audience of the 2007 regular season, Mizzou won 36-28 to vault the team to No. 1 in the standings.

Basketball1907 – In the first two meetings between Missouri and Kansas on March 11 and 12, the Tigers win both

games, 34-31 and 34-12.

1990 – No. 2 Mizzou travels to Allen Fieldhouse and defeats No. 1 Kansas, 77-71.

1997 – Missouri upsets No. 1 and undefeated Kansas in double overtime, 96-94, thanks to a Corey Tate jumper with five seconds left.

Series HistoriesBelow are a few all-time series histories between the Tigers and JayhawksFootball – MU leads 57-54-9Men’s Basketball – KU leads 172-95Women’s Basketball – KU leads 43-38Baseball – MU leads 215-153-2Softball – MU leads 64-43Soccer – KU leads 10-9-1

2012After trailing by eight points late against Kansas at home, Mizzou closes the game on a 11-0 run to win 74-71. Kansas returns the favor in Lawrence, erasing a 19-point second half lead to claim a 87-86 overtime win.

1911 – In the world’s first Homecoming, the Tigers and Jayhawks tied 3-3.


TIGER TRACK & FIELD

TCrossing The Finish LineThe Mizzou men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field programs continued to make headlines in 2011-12 under the direction of second-year Head Coach Brett Halter.

At the Big 12 Indoor Championships in February, three different Tigers claimed titles to lead the team. Junior Laura Roxberg became the first-ever Tiger to win the women’s mile title as she clocked in at 4:43.31. junior Ricky West clocked in at 1:47.81, a massive personal-best, as he claimed the Big 12 800m title, and junior Jacob Bullinger won the men’s weight toss with a throw of 19.26.

In all, the Tiger men finished the two-day competition in eighth place with 47 points while the Tiger women finished 10th with 29.33 points. Roxberg was the bright spot for the Tigers as she scored 14 overall points after winning the mile and taking fifth in the 1,000m run at 2:50.87.

On the men’s side, Blake Irwin joined West as a scorer in the men’s 800 meter run as he was clocked at 1:499.46, taking fifth place overall. Ryan Blackwell scored in the 600-yard run as well,

turning in an eighth-place finish at 1:12.93. In the field events, Brooks Mosier took fourth place overall in the

men’s shot put after turning in a top throw of 18.33m (60-1 ¾) for All-Big 12 honors.

At the NCAA Indoor Championships, junior Ricky West finished his indoor season on a high note as he earned All-American honors in the men’s 800m run with an eighth-place finish after clocking in at 1:49.75. He was the Tigers’ first top-eight finisher in the 800m run at the NCAA Indoor Championships since Derrick Peterson in 2000.

Also competing for the Tigers at the Indoor Championships was long jumper Malcolm Pennix, who took 12th in the long jump at 7.23m (23-8 ¾). With the 12th-place nod, Pennix is a second team All-American and the Tigers’ first All-American in long jump since 1985 when Yussuf Alli took third at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

At the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in May, the Missouri women finished seventh with 60 points, while the men were 10th

LAURA ROSBERGDAN QUIGLEY


with 52 points. The Big 12 was the only men’s conference in the NCAA where all teams scored more than 50, displaying the overall depth and strength of the conference.

Over the course of the meet, the Tigers set four new records, all coming from the Tiger ladies squad. To go along with records set by Leslie Farmer in the 400 meter hurdles and Kearsten Peoples in the shot put on Saturday, Peoples broke her own mark in the discus on Sunday and Roxberg joined her shortly after in shattering the 1,500 meter record.

“A great, competitive weekend for the Tigers,” Halter said. “Our focus and competitive efforts were certainly as good as they have been all year.”

For the women, Sunday belonged to Peoples and Roxberg. Coming into the discus competition as the fifth ranked thrower in the Big 12, Peoples rose to the occasion to win on her fourth attempt. Her toss of 54.38 meters (178’5”) broke her own school record. It was the second school record in as many days for Peoples, as she also bettered her own school record on Saturday finishing in the runner-up spot in the shot put with a throw of 17.65 meters (57’11”).

Roxberg found herself in a familiar position as well, running away from the 1,500-meter field early on to claim the Big 12 title just as she did in the indoor championships in the mile. Roxberg finished with a time of 4:16.71, nearly two seconds better than the previous school record mark set by Tiger All-American Ann Marie Brooks in 2001.

Also adding to the Tiger point total for the women on the final day of competition was the 4x100 meter relay team of Lauren Flaker, Sierra Gant, Cara Forte’ and Sha’Rone Greenlaw finishing in seventh place with a time of 46.76. Two Tigers earned All-Big 12 honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as the freshman duo of Courtney Wood and Liz Reida placed sixth and eighth, respectively. Wood ran 10:52.31 and Liz Reida 11:02.66, a personal best for each. Kaitie Vanatta also received All-Big 12 honors once again, placing fifth in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 16:36.75.

The Missouri men had many great performances as well, highlighted by runner up finishes from Ricky West in the 800 meters, Jonathan Ilori in the triple jump and Dan Quigley in the 5,000 meters.

In the 800 at the 2012 Big 12 Indoor Champion, West controlled much of the last half of the race and ended up second with a time of 1:47.33. For Ilori, it was his first taste of Big 12 Championship competition after redshirting the winter season. The freshman did not disappoint, leaping to a personal best of 15.57 meters (51’1”) in the triple jump. Teammate Jeremy Lampley was right behind in seventh with a mark of 15.02 meters (49’3.5”). In the men’s 5,000 meters, Quigley ran in the top-five of an NCAA deep field most of the race.

Also receiving All-Big 12 honors for the Tigers was senior Kellyn Fogarty in 400-meter hurdles. Fogarty finished in seventh with a time of 52.70. The 4x400 meter relay team of Ryan Blackwell,

Blake Irwin, Matt Pickerel and West ran a season best time of 3:10.69 to place seventh as well.

Following the outdoor season, Peoples was named the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Outstanding Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Missouri female to win the award.

“Kearsten worked awful hard over the last year to have the opportunity to line up against the nation’s best and show everyone what she can do,” Halter said. “I am thrilled for her and proud of her intense efforts leading into the NCAA Championships.”

The freshman enjoyed a banner year for the Tigers. To go along with her school records in the shot put and discus, Peoples set meet records in the shot put en route to victories at the Missouri Relays, LSU Invitational: Battle on the Bayou, Missouri Tom Botts Invitational, and Kansas Relays. She was also named Most Outstanding Performer at the Tom Botts Invitational for her victories in the shot put and hammer throw, along with a second place in the discus.

The Tigers carried over their athletic successes to the classroom as the Tigers had a record-breaking season in the classroom as well. Fifty-three University of Missouri Track & Field student-athletes were named to the 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Track & Field Team. The 53 selections were the most ever for the program and included 45 first team selections and eight second team selections.

KEARSTEN PEOPLES WAS NAMED BIG 12 OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR.


What was it like starting the season on the bench?It was definitely an added challenge just because a lot of the times you sit on the bench, you get a little bit cold. But we do our best to stay loose, stay active, get extra at bats during the week when we can off other pitchers that aren’t throwing. But it’s definitely a challenge.

You became one of the Tigers’ best contributors. What’s changed for you?I think I’ve learned to relax a little bit. Because I know coming in, it’s my senior year, I wanted

to do big things this year, so I think I was trying too hard and that was working against me a little bit. So I talked to my coaches before I went back in because I sat out for about a month, and they said “Don’t try to do too much; just stay loose, stay relaxed, and let your skill set go for a little bit.”

You always wear wristbands. Could you tell me about them?I always wear an “I am second” wristband. It’s actually a thing going around our team right now. One guy, a freshman,

Case Munson, actually has it tattooed on his back. But “I am second” basically is all about me being second and God being first. And like I said, a couple of other guys on the team wear them. But it’s just kind of a way we try to live and a way we try to play out there, just knowing whatever we do, the results and the glory goes to God and not to us. The green one says “Rise and rise again until lambs become lions.” And that’s a Robin Hood quote that a teammate and I started quoting a couple years ago. It helped me, actually, because he

sent this bracelet to me during the time I was sitting out and he just said “Never give up.” And that was all he said in a little note, and it was perfectly relevant to me at the time.

Before every inning, you turn around and write in the dirt. What do you write?Before every inning I go over there and make a little cross. It’s a little thing that I do whether I have a good at bat or a bad at bat; it’s basically like my cross for my faith. I’m basically just giving Him whatever it is, kind of like the “I am second” thing. I’m sure you get the impression my faith is really important to me and I think in my time sitting on the bench it grew a little bit. It helped me stay positive through that time. So when I’m out there I want to make sure it’s not me trying to steal the show, and it’s just putting Him on display.”

What went into your choice to attend medical school and how hard of a decision was it for you to make?Surprisingly, it wasn’t too hard of a decision to make, just because I’ve always been passionate about medicine. Coming to college, before I started baseball, I always knew that that was going to be the path that I chose. I’ve had tons of experience around the medical field. For me, another benefit of all of my injuries is being around all those doctors. I eventually shadowed the same doctors that treated me. So it wasn’t as tough as you’d think it’d be, even though I love baseball and I know I’m going to miss it when I’m done. But I’m excited for this next step after baseball.

ATHLETE PROFILE

BY BRANDON WEISS

After being inserted into the lineup after a thumb injury to a teammate, redshirt junior Andreas Plackis went on a tear at the plate and became one of the Tigers’ most dangerous hitters. The St. Charles, Mo. native has battled injuries throughout his career, slowing his progression as a baseball player until this season. After this season, Plackis plans on leaving baseball to attend the MU medical school and pursue a career in medicine.

Q&A With Tiger Baseball’s Andreas Plackis


What is your favorite part of your time at Mizzou so far?I’ve enjoyed getting to know my teammates better and spending time with them on and off the field. Also, making it to the (Women’s College) World Series three times in a row is something that not many people have done.

Why did you choose to play softball instead of basketball in college?I thought it was a good fit for me to play for Coach Earleywine. I liked what he had to say during the recruiting process. He sold me on the idea of rebuilding the program, and I liked how I could fit into that.

How does it make you feel to go to school and play softball just two hours from home?That was one of the main factors in my decision to come to Mizzou. I wanted to make sure I was close to home, because I have a big family and we’re all close. I wanted

to share all these special times with my parents and siblings.

How has your experience with club teams helped you to excel on the field for the Tigers?Club softball teams play at a higher level than high school teams, so I was able to face the best competition. I played on a team where all but two of the girls ended up going to Division I schools, so I learned from the people around me.

Why did you choose journalism as your major?At first, I picked journalism because I like to write. But once I got into everything in the J-School, I found that I like the production side and the editing—anything to do with computers, really.

What are your plans after graduation?I’m not totally sure what I want to do yet; I’m leaving my options open, and next year I’m going to stay here and work in some of the newsrooms because I haven’t gotten the experiences I should on account of softball. I always would like to have softball as part of my life, so I might try to get into coaching.

How has Coach Earleywine helped you to grow as a student-athlete?Coach E has been a reassuring presence for me on several occasions. I struggled as a freshman, so I would question myself during my sophomore year if I had a bad game. He told me that I was going to bat in the No. 3 or No. 4 spot consistently, so I had to believe in myself. That conversation has always stuck with me.

Getting To Know Ashley Fleming

As her prolific Tiger career winds down, senior Ashley Fleming looks back on three-plus years in Columbia that have included a trio of Women’s College World Series appearances, two All-Big 12 postseason selections and a Second Team All-American nod in 2011. Fleming has led the Tigers in most major offensive categories during her junior and senior years, including batting average, home runs and runs batted in.

MIZZOU

SOFTBALL

STAR


TIGER TIDBITS

On Friday, April 13th, Mizzou donors got their first

look at the new NIKE football, basketball, soccer, and

volleyball uniforms at the Blue Jean Ball.

2012 Blue Jean Ball

University of Missouri Tiger Scholarship FundOne Champions DriveColumbia, MO 65211

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

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of Missouri

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Documents

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title page

unprecedented success

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recordbreaking year

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