After 25 years with the University of Alabama softball program, associate head coach Alyson Habetz is retiring to help take care of her mom.
“It has been an honor to be a part of this culture for 25 years,” Habetz said. “Thank you for teaching me, supporting me, challenging me and welcoming me into your family. I have developed lifelong friendships and learned from so many successful coaches. It has been a great privilege to experience the entirety of my coaching career with the Crimson Tide.”
Habetz has been with UA softball for nearly all of the program’s existence, joining just two years after its formation. She became a part of head coach Patrick Murphy’s staff when he took over in 1998. The Louisiana native played college softball under Murphy, an assistant coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, formerly Southwestern Louisiana, before the pair became the face of the Alabama softball program.
“I can’t thank Aly enough for her loyalty and servant heart for the past 25 years,” Murphy said. “It is almost unheard of these days for a coach to stay at one school for so many years. Her legacy at Alabama will be passed down through our current and former players onto the next generation.”
Together, Habetz and Murphy took the UA softball program from its humble beginnings to make it the nationally recognized household name it is today. Fourteen World Series appearances, 11 SEC titles, a national championship in 2012 and countless players and coaches are all testament to Habetz’s legacy.
“We are so grateful for her contributions not only to the program, but also to the lives of the countless people she’s impacted,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said. “She is the ultimate team player and one of the best all-around people you’ll meet. We wish Coach Habetz all the best in her well-deserved retirement.”
Before making history for Crimson Tide softball, Habetz had already made her name well known in the worlds of basketball and baseball.
During her time at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she played under a basketball scholarship, breaking several records, including becoming the No. 7 all-time career scorer. After college, she played in the now defunct women’s professional baseball league, mostly for the Colorado Silver Bullets, which have a section of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in their honor.
Habetz’s history with baseball, though, ties all the way back to her high school years, when she fought the Louisiana state courts in order to become the first female to play baseball in the state.
Despite all of her accomplishments, Habetz said that her time at The University of Alabama stands out the most.
“To those who have worn and who currently wear the Bama Softball jersey — without a doubt, you have been the most fulfilling part of my career,” Habetz said. “I am so humbled by the trust you gave me. It motivated me to be a better coach and to always remind you of your true worth and value.”
The 2024 season will be the first season that Murphy, as head coach, will not have his former player, 25-year co-worker and program veteran at his side. Currently, no plans have been announced about who will fill Habetz’s shoes.
