Friday, February 13
Starkville
12:30 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
Murray State
State Hosts Eighth Annual Snowman Tournament
February 12, 2026 | Softball
STARKVILLE – No. 19 Mississippi State will host The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial presented by Newk's Eatery for the eighth year in a row this weekend. The tournament was named after Wilcox's nickname given to her by her father because of her now-retired No. 8 jersey.
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The Bulldogs are 41-6 all-time in the tournament, which dates back to 2015 when it was previously known as the February Freezer. Wilcox herself made her first career hit as a Bulldog at the event under its prior name while battling ovarian cancer.
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North Texas returns to the tournament for the second year in a row and will play its second and third games at the event against MSU. Meanwhile, Murray State will move into a tie for the Bulldogs' most-common opponent in the event's history when MSU opens play on Friday afternoon.
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Fans are encouraged to join the Bulldogs in wearing teal on Saturday to honor Wilcox's legacy and raise awareness of ovarian cancer.
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12:30 p.m. – Murray State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – Rutgers | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Saturday, Feb. 14
12:30 p.m. – Rutgers | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – North Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Sunday, Feb. 15
12:30 p.m. – North Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Long Time Coming For Troutman: Taylor Troutman homered in each of her first two career at-bats after missing the 2025 season with a torn ACL. She is currently second on the team with a .455 average and leads the club with a 1.000 slugging percentage.
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Des Day: Des Rivera collected her first MSU hits on Tuesday night with a home run and a double against Southern Miss. She plated three of State's five runs in the game and collected 10 putouts behind the plate.
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Spread The Nusz: Since the start of 2024, the Bulldogs are 41-14 at home while outscoring opponents, 393-170, in those games. MSU's top two regular-season attendance marks in program history were set last spring.
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See You Again At The Snowman: North Texas returns to The Snowman for the second year in a row. Last season, was the teams' first meeting since 1986. The Bulldogs open the tournament with Murray State, which will be the fourth time the teams meet at the event and move the Racers into a tie for State's most-common opponent in Snowman history.
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Faircloth Fans Foes: Alyssa Faircloth's 14 strikeouts vs. New Mexico (Feb. 7) were a career high and fourth-most in a game in MSU history. She now ranks eighth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (13.36).
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Bicentennial Bulldog: Samantha Ricketts became the fastest Bulldog softball head coach to win 200 career games at State in the win over Northwestern State on Feb. 6, needing just 319 games.
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The Magic Number: The Bulldogs are 156-20 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five runs. They have scored five or more runs in 86 of State's 106 wins since the start of 2023.
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Head Coach: Kara Amundson | Record at MUR: 352-322-1 (14th Year) | Career Record: 352-322-1 (14th Year)
Batting Average: .293 | Runs Per Game: 4.40 | Hits Per Game: 7.80 | Slugging Pct: .383
ERA: 5.19 | K/7: 4.52 | K/BB Ratio: 1.43 | Opp. Batting Avg: .285
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Current Streak: Won 1 | Last Series: Mar. 4-5, 2023, split in Starkville, Miss. (G1: MUR, 4-1; G2: MSU, 5-3 [8])
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Head Coach: Kristen Butler | Record at RUT: 160-191 (8th Year) | Career Record: 264-313 (12th Year)
Batting Average: .262 | Runs Per Game: 5.20 | Hits Per Game: 6.60 | Slugging Pct: .381
ERA: 3.61 | K/7: 3.96 | K/BB Ratio: 5.42 | Opp. Batting Avg: .280
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Current Streak: Won 1 | Last Meeting: Feb. 20, 2009, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 6, RU 0)
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Head Coach: Cody White | Record at UNT: 1-4 (1st Year) | Career Record: 499-175 (13th Year)
Batting Average: .236 | Runs Per Game: 4.00 | Hits Per Game: 5.80| Slugging Pct: .439
ERA: 7.70 | K/7: 4.67 | K/BB Ratio: 0.87 | Opp. Batting Avg: .333
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Current Streak: Won 2 | Last Meeting: Feb. 14, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 14, UNT 5)
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The Bulldogs are 41-6 all-time in the tournament, which dates back to 2015 when it was previously known as the February Freezer. Wilcox herself made her first career hit as a Bulldog at the event under its prior name while battling ovarian cancer.
Â
North Texas returns to the tournament for the second year in a row and will play its second and third games at the event against MSU. Meanwhile, Murray State will move into a tie for the Bulldogs' most-common opponent in the event's history when MSU opens play on Friday afternoon.
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Fans are encouraged to join the Bulldogs in wearing teal on Saturday to honor Wilcox's legacy and raise awareness of ovarian cancer.
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Game Coverage
Friday, Feb. 1312:30 p.m. – Murray State | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – Rutgers | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Saturday, Feb. 14
12:30 p.m. – Rutgers | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
3 p.m. – North Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Sunday, Feb. 15
12:30 p.m. – North Texas | Watch on SEC Network+ | Live Stats
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Leading Off
Hot Hands: Morgan Stiles and Nadia Barbary are both riding eight-game hitting streaks dating back to last season. Stiles is hitting .533 with a 1.309 OPS during her streak. Barbary is slugging .781 with 10 RBIs in that span while launching four doubles and three homers.Â
Long Time Coming For Troutman: Taylor Troutman homered in each of her first two career at-bats after missing the 2025 season with a torn ACL. She is currently second on the team with a .455 average and leads the club with a 1.000 slugging percentage.
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Des Day: Des Rivera collected her first MSU hits on Tuesday night with a home run and a double against Southern Miss. She plated three of State's five runs in the game and collected 10 putouts behind the plate.
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Spread The Nusz: Since the start of 2024, the Bulldogs are 41-14 at home while outscoring opponents, 393-170, in those games. MSU's top two regular-season attendance marks in program history were set last spring.
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See You Again At The Snowman: North Texas returns to The Snowman for the second year in a row. Last season, was the teams' first meeting since 1986. The Bulldogs open the tournament with Murray State, which will be the fourth time the teams meet at the event and move the Racers into a tie for State's most-common opponent in Snowman history.
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Faircloth Fans Foes: Alyssa Faircloth's 14 strikeouts vs. New Mexico (Feb. 7) were a career high and fourth-most in a game in MSU history. She now ranks eighth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (13.36).
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Bicentennial Bulldog: Samantha Ricketts became the fastest Bulldog softball head coach to win 200 career games at State in the win over Northwestern State on Feb. 6, needing just 319 games.
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The Magic Number: The Bulldogs are 156-20 under Samantha Ricketts when scoring at least five runs. They have scored five or more runs in 86 of State's 106 wins since the start of 2023.
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About Murray State (3-2, 0-0 MVC)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Kara Amundson | Record at MUR: 352-322-1 (14th Year) | Career Record: 352-322-1 (14th Year)
Batting Average: .293 | Runs Per Game: 4.40 | Hits Per Game: 7.80 | Slugging Pct: .383
ERA: 5.19 | K/7: 4.52 | K/BB Ratio: 1.43 | Opp. Batting Avg: .285
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Series History
Overall: 3-1 | Home: 3-1 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0Current Streak: Won 1 | Last Series: Mar. 4-5, 2023, split in Starkville, Miss. (G1: MUR, 4-1; G2: MSU, 5-3 [8])
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About Rutgers (3-2, 0-0 Big Ten)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Kristen Butler | Record at RUT: 160-191 (8th Year) | Career Record: 264-313 (12th Year)
Batting Average: .262 | Runs Per Game: 5.20 | Hits Per Game: 6.60 | Slugging Pct: .381
ERA: 3.61 | K/7: 3.96 | K/BB Ratio: 5.42 | Opp. Batting Avg: .280
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Series History
Overall: 1-0 | Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0Current Streak: Won 1 | Last Meeting: Feb. 20, 2009, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 6, RU 0)
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About North Texas (1-4, 0-0 American)
Rankings: NFCA Coaches – NR | USA Softball – NR | D1Softball – NR | Softball America – NRHead Coach: Cody White | Record at UNT: 1-4 (1st Year) | Career Record: 499-175 (13th Year)
Batting Average: .236 | Runs Per Game: 4.00 | Hits Per Game: 5.80| Slugging Pct: .439
ERA: 7.70 | K/7: 4.67 | K/BB Ratio: 0.87 | Opp. Batting Avg: .333
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Series History
Overall: 2-0 | Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-0Current Streak: Won 2 | Last Meeting: Feb. 14, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (MSU 14, UNT 5)
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On Deck
State remains home to host Memphis on Wednesday, Feb. 18. First pitch on the SEC Network is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT from Nusz Park.Â
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Follow the Bulldogs
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."Â
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Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Rounding Third: Peja Goold
Wednesday, February 11
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs. Southern Miss
Tuesday, February 10
SOFTBALL | Highlights vs. Southern Miss
Tuesday, February 10
SOFTBALL | Highlights at The Getterman Classic
Tuesday, February 10