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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;text-decoration:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – January 21, 2021</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></a></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<h2 align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;font-style:normal">Baylor Softball Selected Fourth in Big 12 Preseason Poll<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Lady Bears ready to take the field in 2021</span></i></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact:
</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Krista Pirtle, 254-447-8610, Krista_Pirtle@baylor.edu
</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">IRVING, Texas –
</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:normal">Baylor softball was picked to finish fourth in the 2021 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll, announced Thursday by the conference office.</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:normal">
Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">Oklahoma received four first-place votes and 34 total points to mark the 12<sup>th</sup> occurrence in the last 13 years that the Sooners have been the preseason favorite.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">Texas was picked second with the remaining three first-place votes and 33 points. This is the second time since the preseason poll was first conducted in 2000 that the top two teams in the preseason
poll are separated by one point (2006).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">Oklahoma State landed at third with Baylor at fourth. Texas Tech, Iowa State and Kansas rounded out the poll at fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">The Lady Bears are coming off a 19-5 shortened 2020 season. Baylor welcomes back all but one returning starter from a season that saw them tie the program record with a 14-game win streak in addition
to a 4-1 mark against ranked foes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">The Lady Bears’ schedule is expected to be released next week.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897">Follow the Lady Bears all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorSoftball.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b>2021 Big 12 Softball Preseason Poll</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" style="width:156.0pt;background:white">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><i>Rank</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><i><span style="color:black">School</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><i><span style="color:black">Points</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">1.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Oklahoma (4)</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">34</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">2.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Texas (3)</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">33</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">3.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Oklahoma State
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">26</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="color:black">4.</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="color:black">BAYLOR</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><b><span style="color:black">21</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">5.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Texas Tech</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">14</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">6.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Iowa State</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">13</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">7.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">Kansas</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><span style="color:black">6</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk494720897"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i>-BaylorBears.com-<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#0A5026">Krista Pirtle</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#0A5026"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">| Associate Director of Athletics Communications</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">O: 254-710-3065 | C: 254-447-8610</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:3.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="159" height="44" style="width:1.6562in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D6EFE5.421A2FD0" alt="signature_1852968072"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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