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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;text-decoration:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Feb. 5, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black">No. 19 Baylor Softball Prepares for Season Opener at the Aggie Classic</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color:black">Bears to play ACU, Purdue, Texas A&M, Utah State and Villanova on opening weekend<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">For more information contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Katy Gilmore; 254-252-2182, </span><a href="mailto:katy_gilmore@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">katy_gilmore@baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph" style="border:none;padding:0in"><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">No. 19 BAYLOR</span></b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif"> (0-0)
<b>at </b><b>AGGIE CLASSIC</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Thursday, Feb. 6 • vs. ACU • College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Friday, Feb. 7 • vs. Purdue • College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Friday, Feb. 7 • at Texas A&M • College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: SEC Network+<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Saturday, Feb. 8 • vs Utah State • College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">Saturday, Feb. 8 • vs. Villanova • College Station, Texas | Davis Diamond • Radio: 101.3 FM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase">Story lines</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor Softball is ready to start its 2024 season on the road at the Aggie Classic, where they
will face ACU in the season opener before playing Purdue and tournament host Texas A&M in a Friday doubleheader, before closing the tournament with a doubleheader against Utah State and Villanova. The 2024 season will feature a 54-game slate and 28 home games.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• This season marks the highest-ranked opening weekend matchup for the Bears since last when they
faced No. 2 Tennessee to open the season slate. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Friday will mark the first season start on the road for the Bears since the 2023 season. BU is
10-11 all-time when starting a season on the road. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor will make its first season start in College Station since 1982, when BU faced the Aggies
on opening day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• When the season kicks off on Friday, the team comes back to the diamond with a veteran squad that
consists of 12 seniors and 15 upperclassmen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• After ending the 2024 campaign back in a Super Regional for the first time since 2017, the Bears
are looking to build on last year’s season while returning 15 off of the 2024 squad, while adding four transfers and seven freshmen.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The Bears four transfers include
<b>Brooklyn Carter</b> (Washington), <b>Turiya Coleman</b> (Houston), <b>Carson Frier</b> (UCF) and
<b>Lillie Walker</b> (Duke). Coleman and Frier add depth to the Bears infield/catching position, while Carter adds speed to the outfield and Walker tosses left-handed in the circle.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor is starting with a five-game tournament for the first time since 2019 when the Bears played
five different teams over three days at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Opening the 2025 slate with ACU, the Bears hold the all-time record over the Wildcats, 6-0. BU
last faced ACU in 2023, defeating the Wildcats 15-6, in Abilene, Texas. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor leads Purdue in the all-time record 6-1, including 3-0 at neutral site games. BU last faced
the Boilermakers in 2014 when they defeated Purdue, 5-4. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The last time the Bears and Aggies faced off, BU split a pair of games with Texas A&M during the
Ode to Joy Invitational in Waco, Texas during the 2023 season. Texas A&M holds the all-time record over the Bears 53-20-1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Utah State leads the all-time record over Baylor, 6-2. Baylor last faced the Aggies of Utah State
in 2015 when BU won 6-5. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Villanova holds the 1-0 all-time record over Baylor defeating them 7-3 in the shortened 2020 season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor has been ranked in all four preseason polls: No. 16 (Softball America), No. 21 (D1Softball),
No. 19 (ESPN/USA Softball) and No. 20 (USA Today/NFCA).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• The Bears will face six opponents in the month of February who are either ranked or receiving
votes in the preseason ESPN poll for a total of seven games. Those teams include No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 13 Arkansas, No. 15 Missouri and No. 16 Nebraska.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Baylor’s leading hitter last year, Shaylon Govan, is back for her senior season for the Bears
after being named a unanimous First-Team All-American last year. The two-time All-American hit .444 last season while setting Baylor single season records in walks (48) and on base percentage (.579). Her on base percentage led the nation, while her batting
average was top seven in the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Picking up All-Big 12 Preseason honors this season were Shaylon Govan and Turiya Coleman. Both
Coleman and Govan we also named to D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Player rankings at No. 9 and No. 79, respectively. They were also both in the preseason D1Softball individual position rankings with Govan as the No.1 first baseman in the country and Coleman as
the No.6 catcher in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Shaylon Govan was also names a preseason All-American by Softball America and D1Softball and was
named to the USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year watchlist. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Govan was named as the preseason No. 11 player in the country and Dariana Orme came in at No.
96 in Softball America’s Preseason Top 100 Player Rankings<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Freshman Karynton Dawson was named as to D1Softball’s D100 Freshman watchlist, while her and Gigi
Lindsey were on Softball America’s Freshman watchlist. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif">• Head coach
<b>Glenn Moore</b> is in his 25th season at the helm of the Baylor Softball program. In a quarter of a century, Moore is Baylor Athletics’ active all-time wins leader across all sports. He has progressed up the active NCAA coaching ranks, now ranking No. 17
in total victories among active Division I head coaches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Univers Condensed",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">- BaylorBears<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">.com</span></span><span style="color:black">
-<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#154734;mso-ligatures:none">Katy Gilmore</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> | Associate Director
of Athletic Communications</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/" title="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DB77BC.159F4CC0" alt="cidimage002.png@01D79F3C.9D2300D0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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