SAINT LOUIS - Missouri Baptist University softball kicks off the 2026 campaign starting with the NAIA Southern Collegiate Invitational in Mesquite, Texas, on Thursday, Feb. 5.
MBU is coming off of a 46-8 season, setting the program record for wins and earning the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Regular Season & Tournament Conference Championships. At the NAIA National Tournament this year, they earned the program's first national tournament win over William Carey University on May 12, before getting knocked out of the opening round national tournament runner-up Oklahoma City University in extra innings on May 15.
The team returns most of its core, including two-time third team NAIA All-American and AMC Player of the Year, pitcher Brooklynn Fischer who ended season with a batting average of .435 while striking out 131 batters with four shutouts and 20 wins in the circle.
Last year's AMC Newcomer of the Year, Jacie Dees, returns after batting .419 with 16 multi-hit games and a .467 on-base percentage (OBP), as does first team all-conference selection and leading hitter Jenna Achs, second team all-conference selection Miranda Ladson, and second team all-conference selection Camryn Kessler.
The Spartans will aim to use last year's success as momentum heading into the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Non-conference play is packed for the Spartans, as they take on No. 1, 5, 9, 11, 13, 18, and 21 ranked teams in the nation before entering conference play on March 14 at Baker University.
On Feb. 5, the Spartans start their season in the NAIA Southern Collegiate Invitational. They begin the tournament against Mid-America Christian University at 1 p.m. Then on Friday, they have a doubleheader taking on No. 9 University of Science and Arts before facing Bethany College. They then finish the invitational on Saturday against Ottawa University at 10 a.m.
They head into two doubleheaders against No.13 Louisiana State University Alexandria on Feb. 13 and 14.
On Feb 20th, they travel the NAIA Softball Invitational in Shawnee, Okla., going up against first-ranked Southern Oregon University and No. 11 Midland University. Within this invitational they will also match up against Ottawa University, No. 9 USAO, and No. 21 Hope International University.
The Spartans then head out to the Space Coast games in Melbourne, Fla., facing six teams, two of them being No. 5 Marian University and No. 18 St. Thomas University.
Follow MBU softball all season on MBUSpartans.com, the Missouri Baptist Spartans mobile app, and watch the live streams on the Urban Edge Network.
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