COMING UP: at NAIASB Invitational (Shawnee, Okla.) – Friday vs. Freed-Hardeman, 1 p.m. (CST), vs. Campbellsville, 3:30 p.m. (CST); Saturday vs. No. 8 Oklahoma City, 12:15 p.m. (CST), vs. No. 15 Midland, 2:30 p.m. (CST); Sunday vs. No. 24 Baker, 12:15 p.m. (CST), vs. No. 2 Science & Arts, 2:30 p.m. (CST)

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Live Video will not be provided by the tournament hosts, with it uncertain if Live Stats will be available.
 
MULTIMEDIA: Photos from the 2025 season, including the recent Media Day photoshoot, will be posted online through the OIT Softball Flickr Page, while highlight clips from the season will be posted on the OIT Softball YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – FREED-HARDEMAN: Tech opens against Freed-Hardeman, from Henderson, Tenn., coming off a 31-18 season – reaching the NAIA Tournament Opening Round in 2024. The Lions (0-0) return a pair of All-Americans – outfielder Karli Quillin (.455 0 HR 17 RBI, 19 SB) and catcher Alivia Eggleston (.423 6 HR 42 RBI) – along with returning starters Brinley Cousar (.399 0 HR 21 RBI) and Chloe Carter (.323 0 HR 18 RBI). FHU returns just one pitcher from 2024 – righty Kylee Brown (11-4 3.78 ERA) – with the team making their 2025 debut in Oklahoma.
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – CAMPBELLSVILLE: Day 1 ends with a date against Campbellsville of Campbellsville, Ky., as the Tigers (2-0) finished last year 29-18, reaching the Mid-South Conference tournament semifinals. CU returns a veteran line-up, led by corner infielders Jessie Daniels (.368 13 HR 50 RBI) and Caroline Pitcock (.410 8 HR 35 RBI), along with outfielders Emily Reynolds (.331 9 HR 26 RBI) and Selynna Metclafe (3-for-7 HR 7 RBI in 2025). Ellie Coley (5-3 4.16 ERA) and Emma Markham (1-0 0.00 12 K in 2025) anchor the pitching staff.
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – OKLAHOMA CITY: For the first time ever, Tech meets 11-time NAIA national champ, Oklahoma City – as the Stars (3-1) open the new season ranked No. 8 after a 54-5 season in 2024, but lost both games at the NAIA World Series. The new club must replace four All-Americans, but return two-way All-American Emerson Heron (.414 13 HR 62 RBI; 24-0 0.89 ERA), fellow All-America outfielder Tara Hoehner (.425 9 HR 56 RBI, 24 SB) and All-Sooner Athletic Conference picks Tiffany Paul (.288 6 HR 42 RBI) and Rally Radacy (.378 0 HR 27 RBI).
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – MIDLAND: The Owls close Saturday against a familiar foe, meeting Midland of Fremont, Neb., for the third time – having earned wins over the Warriors (6-0) in 2011 and 2023. The No. 15-ranked club finished 2024 with a 44-12 record, falling in the NAIA Opening Round – but have to replace the Great Plains Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year. The current squad returns infielders Reese Floro (.302 0 HR 27 RBI) and Matti Reiling (.306 1 HR 26 RBI), outfielders Ariyana Crafton (.302 0 HR 20 RBI) and Jayci Reimers (.270 2 HR 28 RBI), along with No. 2 starter Paeton Coler (13-4 1.45 ERA).
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – BAKER: Tech starts Day 3 against No. 24-ranked Baker from Baldwin City, Kan., as the Wildcats (2-4) look to return to the World Series in 2025 after losing in the Opening Round bracket after a 34-16 season. Kira Baker (18-5 0.97 ERA, 203 K) is among the top pitchers in the NAIA, earning back-to-back All-America honors, with BU returning three All-Heart of America Athletic Conference selections in infielders Savannah Bray (.340 10 HR 37 RBI), third baseman Madi Ball (.356 2 HR 29 RBI) and shortstop Riley Phillips (.362 2 HR 28 RBI).
 
OPPONENT INFORMATION – SCIENCE & ARTS: Tournament play ends against No. 2-ranked Science & Arts, as the Drovers (4-0) of Chickasha, Okla., reached the semifinals at last year's NAIA World Series, ending the year with a 49-9 record. Two-time All-America 2-way player Sophie Williams (.336 2 HR 30 RBI; 29-6 1.15 ERA 291 K) is a Pitcher of the Year candidate, with catcher Leighanne Eaton (.328 10 HR 46 RBI) and infielders Sierra Selfridge (.401 8 HR 60 RBI), Malea McMurtrey (.437 0 HR 41 RBI, 30 SB) and Jadyn Goucher (.333 10 HR 50, 19 SB). The two teams played at the 2022 World Series, with USAO winning, 3-0.
 
ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT: Tech heads this weekend to Shawnee, Okla., for the NAIASB Invitational on the turf fields at FireLake Softball Complex. The tournament features 22 teams playing 46 games over three days – with six of the Top-10 teams in the NAIA at the event, with 19 of the 22 teams ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll.
 
FIRST TRIP EAST: The NAIASB Invitational marks the first preseason trip for the Lady Owls away from the West Coast. Prior to 2025, every preseason game or tournament took place either in Oregon, California or Arizona.
 
COLD TEMPERATURES: The Owls had a doubleheader vs. USAO cancelled on Thursday due to a frigid weather pattern – with temperatures in the single digits. Friday games are in jeopardy due to temperatures that may not reach the freezing mark – but temperatures moderate over the weekend, reaching the mid-50s on Sunday.

SCHEDULE CHANGES: Tech had their Portland trip canceled due to snow and rain in the Willamette Valley. The Pacific doubleheader has been rescheduled to March 25, while the Lewis & Clark twinbill scrapped. In addition, the OIT-SOU 4-game conference series in Ashland has been pushed back 24 hours, with the series now set for March 16-17.
 
LADY OWLS RANKED NO. 5: OIT opened the 2025 season ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll, released in November. It is the 21st-straight polling period that the Lady Owls have been ranked in the Top-10 and the 26th-straight poll the team has been rated in the Top-25. Defending national champ, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) holds the No. 1 spot, followed by Science & Arts (Okla.), Cumberlands (Ky.), Southern Oregon and OIT. The Lady Owls have seven teams ranked in the Top-25 on their schedule – No. 2 USAO, No. 4 SOU, No. 8 Oklahoma City, No. 13 Eastern Oregon, No. 15 Midland, No. 16 College of Idaho and No. 24 Baker.
 
AROUND THE CCC: Weather hampered conference teams, as only three teams saw action last week – Bushnell going 4-2 in Arizona, with College of Idaho splitting a home doubleheader with Embry-Riddle and Corban getting blanked vs. Puget Sound. This week, Southern Oregon joins Tech in Oklahoma, while C of I and Eastern host a round-robin vs. Whitworth and Benedictine Mesa, with Warner Pacific traveling to Simpson.
 
TEN WINS FROM 1,300: Heading into weekend play, the Lady Owls have an all-time record of 1,290-656-2 – needing 10 wins to earn all-time win No. 1,300.
 
RECORD BOOK: Seven Lady Owls rank among the Top-25 in the OIT career record book. Jayce Seavert holds the all-time record for hit-by-pitches (57) and sacrifice flies (14), ranking No. 4 in defensive chances (963), No. 5 in defensive put outs (787), No. 9 in RBI (145), No. 10 in doubles (45), No. 12 in games started (202), No. 15 in games played (204), No. 16 in sacrifice hits (13), No. 18 in triples (6), No. 19 in at bats (555), No. 20 in runs scored (122), No. 21 in hits (181), home runs (17) and walks (48), ranking No. 25 in stolen bases (20); Zoe Allen is No. 4 in stolen bases (50), No. 7 in sacrifice hits (17), No. 12 in walks (58), No. 13 in runs scored (138), ranking just outside the Top-25 in hits (169); Nita Cook is in No. 7 in stolen bases (40), No. 8 in sacrifice hits (16), No. 12 in triples (7), No. 13 in defensive assists (237) and No. 24 in hit-by-pitches (9); Puakea Milbourne s No. 4 in defensive put outs (791), No. 11 in defensive chances (812), No. 13 in hit-by-pitches (14), No. 22 in RBI (107) and No. 25 in home runs (16); with Addison Kachnik No. 23 in defensive assists (186). In the circle, Kacie Schmidt ranks No. 3 in shutouts (18), No. 4 in strikeouts (428), No. 5 in wins (59) and appearances (109), No. 7 in saves (4), games started (72) and innings pitched (463.1), ranking No. 8 in complete games (41); while Alli Parker is No. 3 all-time in saves (5).
 
NEXT WEEK: OIT opens Cascade Conference play at home, hosting Eastern Oregon in a 4-game weekend series.