Alabama Crimson Tide softball

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Alabama Crimson Tide
Softball current event.svg 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide softball team
Alabama Crimson Tide logo.svg
Founded1997 (28 years ago)
University University of Alabama
Athletic directorGreg Byrne
Head coach Patrick Murphy (27th season)
Conference SEC
Location Tuscaloosa, AL
Home stadium Rhoads Stadium (Capacity: 3,940)
Nickname Crimson Tide
ColorsCrimson and white [1]
   
NCAA Tournament champions
2012
NCAA WCWS runner-up
2014
NCAA WCWS appearances
2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
NCAA Super Regional appearances
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
NCAA Tournament appearances
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
1998, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2021
Regular Season Conference championships
2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019

The Alabama Crimson Tide softball team represents the University of Alabama in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). It is currently led by head coach Patrick Murphy and assistant coaches Lance McMahon and Kayla Braud. The team plays its home games at the Rhoads Stadium located on the university's campus. The Alabama Crimson Tide softball team won its first national championship in 2012, after they defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the championship series of the Women's College World Series.

Contents

History

On September 28, 1995, Alabama athletics director Glen Tuckett announced the school would sponsor a softball program to begin play in the 1997 season. [2] At the time of its addition, softball became both the 20th varsity sport overall and 11th women's sport sponsored at Alabama. [2] On January 3, 1996, Kalum Haack was hired from Kansas to serve as the first head coach for the team. [3] The next spring, Haack recruited his first class for the inaugural 1997 team. [3] On February 15, 1997, Alabama defeated Tulsa 5–2 in their first all-time game at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. [4] Two weeks later, the Crimson Tide won their first all-time home game in their home opener at Sokol Park against Delta State 4–3. [5]

After he led the Crimson Tide in their inaugural season and to their first SEC championship in their second season, on June 30, 1998, Haack resigned as head coach. [6] He cited personal reasons for his resignation. [6] During his two-year stint as head coach, Haack compiled an overall record of 78 wins and 47 losses (78–47). [6] A week later on July 9, Alabama assistant coach Patrick Murphy was promoted to the Crimson Tide's head coach position. [7]

Since Murphy took over in 1999, the Crimson Tide has won 12 SEC championships (6 regular season and 6 tournaments), made 17 consecutive NCAA tournaments (every year since 1999) and have advanced to the Women's College World Series ten times. [8] [9] In 2012, Alabama defeated the Oklahoma Sooners, 2 games to 1, in the championship series of the Women's College World Series, to win its first national championship in school history and the first softball national championship in the history of the SEC. [10]

A Crimson Tide softball player takes the field before a game at Rhoads Stadium Alabama Crimson Tide softball.png
A Crimson Tide softball player takes the field before a game at Rhoads Stadium

Head coaches

NameYearsRecord %
Kalum Haack1997–199878–47.624
Patrick Murphy 1999–present1,083–303.781

Year-by-year records

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Southeastern Conference (1997–present)
1997 Kalum Haack 29–2916–142nd (Western) SEC tournament (0–2)
1998 Kalum Haack 49–1819–72nd (Western) SEC tournament (4–1)
1999 Patrick Murphy 39–2619–112nd (Western) SEC tournament (1–2)
NCAA Regional (0–2)
2000Patrick Murphy 66–1425–52nd (Western) SEC tournament (2–2)
NCAA Regional (4–0)
College World Series (1–2)
2001Patrick Murphy 50–1124–62nd (Western) SEC tournament (1–2)
NCAA Regional (2–2)
2002Patrick Murphy 46–2122–82nd (Western) SEC tournament (2–2)
NCAA Regional (0–2)
2003Patrick Murphy 49–2122–81st (Western) SEC tournament (4–0)
NCAA Regional (4–0)
College World Series (0–2)
2004Patrick Murphy 45–2018–123rd (Western) SEC tournament (1–2)
NCAA Regional (3–2)
2005Patrick Murphy 63–1523–71st (Western) SEC tournament (4–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (1–2)
2006Patrick Murphy 54–1125–41st SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (0–2)
2007Patrick Murphy 55–1021–62nd (Western) SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (4–1)
NCAA Super Regional (0–2)
2008Patrick Murphy 58–825–31st (Western) SEC tournament (2–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (2–2)
2009Patrick Murphy 54–1121–61st (Western) SEC tournament (2–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (2–2)
2010Patrick Murphy 52–1123–41st SEC tournament (3–0)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (1–2)
2011Patrick Murphy 51–919–61st SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–1)
College World Series (2–2)
2012Patrick Murphy 60–823–51st SEC tournament (3–0)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (5–1)
2013Patrick Murphy 45–1513–113rd (Western) SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (0–2)
2014Patrick Murphy 53–1319–51st SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (3–2)
2015Patrick Murphy 48–1517–73rd SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–1)
College World Series (1–2)
2016Patrick Murphy 51–1217–85th SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (0–2)
2017Patrick Murphy 46–1812–115th SEC tournament (2–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (1–2)
2018Patrick Murphy 36–2012–128th SEC tournament (1–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (0–2)
2019Patrick Murphy 60–1018–61st SEC tournament (2–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–1)
College World Series (3–2)
2020Patrick Murphy 14–82–1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021Patrick Murphy 52–918–63rd SEC tournament (3–0)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–0)
College World Series (2–2)
2022Patrick Murphy 44–1316–82nd SEC Tournament (0–1)
NCAA Regional (3–2)
2023Patrick Murphy 45–2214–105th SEC Tournament (2–1)
NCAA Regional (3–1)
NCAA Super Regional (2–1)
College World Series (0–2)
2024Patrick Murphy 39–2010–149th SEC Tournament (0–1)
NCAA Regional (3–0)
NCAA Super Regional (2–1)
College World Series (1–2)
Total:1,330–403481–195

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA Tournament seeding history

National seeding began in 2005. The Alabama Crimson Tide are one of only two teams to have a national seed every year, along with Tennessee.

Years → '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19 '21 '22 '23 '24
Seeds →1251134122102661612836514

Awards and honors

National awards

NFCA National Pitcher of the Year
Softball America Pitcher of the Year
D1Softball Pitcher of the Year
Honda Sports Award

Conference awards

SEC Player of the Year
SEC Pitcher of the Year
SEC Freshman of the Year

Alabama's Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Americans

PlayerYear(s)
Kelly Kretschman 1998, 1999, 2000†, 2001†
Carrie Moreman1999
Ginger Jones2000†
Shelley Laird2000, 2001
Suzanne Olcott2001
Ashley Courtney2002†, 2005
Jackie McClain2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Stephanie VanBrakle2005, 2006
Brittany Rogers 2006, 2007, 2008†, 2009
Lauren Parker2007†
Chrissy Owens2007
Kelley Montalvo2008†
Charlotte Morgan 2008†, 2009†, 2010
Kelsi Dunne2008, 2009†, 2010, 2011†
Kayla Braud2010, 2011†, 2013†
Whitney Larsen2011
Jackie Traina2011†, 2012†, 2013, 2014†
Kaila Hunt2012, 2013
Amanda Locke2012
Jennifer Fenton2012
Haylie McCleney2013, 2014†, 2015†, 2016†
Alexis Osorio2015, 2017†
Marisa Runyon2015
Demi Turner2015
Leona Lafaele2016
Sydney Littlejohn2016
Kaylee Tow2018, 2019, 2021
Bailey Hemphill 2019, 2021†
Montana Fouts 2019, 2021†
Reference: [11]

†Denotes 1st Team selection

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ "Alabama Crimson Tide Logo Sheet" (PDF). June 28, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Bama will sponsor women's softball program". The Tuscaloosa News. September 29, 1995. p. C4. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Haack to direct Bama softball". The Tuscaloosa News. January 4, 1996. p. C3. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Tide softball team opens season with win". The Tuscaloosa News. February 16, 1997. p. C8. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  5. ↑ Deas, Tommy (February 28, 1997). "Alabama softball team triumphs in home opener". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Deas, Tommy (July 1, 1998). "Bama softball coach Kalum Haack resigns". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ Deas, Tommy (July 10, 1998). "Murphy takes over Bama softball". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Tide softball season ends with loss to ASU, 3–1". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations - RollTide.com. June 1, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Alabama softball falls to Florida 6–5, ending its Women's College World Series run". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations - RollTide.com. May 31, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2008.
  10. ↑ Hays, Graham (June 7, 2012). "Alabama's title a milestone for SEC". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  11. ↑ 2012 University of Alabama Softball Media Guide, p. 50
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