The 14th ranked Mizzou softball team will play South Carolina Wednesday morning to kick-off the SEC tournament in Starkville, MS. The Tigers finished the season 39-13 and received the 6th seed in the tournament, while the Gamecocks  were 35-20 and seeded 11th.

These two teams closed out the regular season on Saturday with the Tigers blanking the Gamecocks 2-0. The game was played under the cloud of protest by the Tiger team, against the University of Missouri administration.

Internal complaints against Mizzou coach Ehren Earleywine had made their way to the desk of A.D. Mack Rhodes, so an investigation was opened against one of the most successful coaches on campus. The athletic department released the following statement on Saturday.

“In recent weeks we have received complaints concerning our softball program. These complaints have come from both inside and outside the program. In response, the university launched an internal review. The review is ongoing and involves personnel matters, therefore, the University of Missouri and Mizzou athletics will have no further comment at this time.”

It’s certainly an unwanted distraction for a program that has been to four Super Regionals under Earleywine since 2007.