As the No. 22-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, infielder Mari Hubbard knew she would have plenty of colleges looking to have her talent on their teams.
But for Hubbard, there was only one place that she wanted to call home — Tuscaloosa. When Alabama offered her in October of 2022, she was able to fulfill her childhood dream of playing for The Crimson Tide.
“It’s really kind of that basic story where I grew up and everything was Alabama for me,” Hubbard said. “Alabama’s always been my dream, so when I got that call, I knew that was the place I wanted to be.”
Softball has been a staple for Hubbard her entire life, and she broke out as a star while playing at Huntsville High School in Alabama. She was a three-time member of the Terrific 20 list, which honors the 20 best players in the Tennessee Valley region that includes North Alabama.
The first moment Hubbard realized she could be a potentially SEC-level softball player was with her club team in the Birmingham Thunderbolts, a team she was a part of for seven years.
“I remember having a run where I went, 14 for 16 at the plate or something like that, and everything was just going great,” Hubbard said. “I looked out in the stands and saw all these coaches, and a coach from Alabama was there, so it was a moment where I was like ‘Woah, maybe I can go there.’”
The summer before arriving in Tuscaloosa, Hubbard finished her career with the Thunderbolts in style, winning the 2024 Premier Girls Fastpitch national championship.
“It was probably the most fun I have ever had on a travel team,” Hubbard said. “We were stacked with the pitching, hitting and the fielding. It was a great way to end.”
Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy played a large part in Hubbard’s decision to call Tuscaloosa her home for the next four years, and she says it has been “nothing but awesome” playing for him so far. She pointed out his ability not just with coaching, but also with being able to inspire her and the team.
“He has such great life lessons. He finds a way to make softball relate to life, and he gives us important lessons on attitude and gratitude,” Hubbard said. “I know he’s setting me on a path where, even after my four years here, I’m still gonna be blessed because I learned so much.”
Hubbard always draws a cross before entering the batter’s box and enjoys humming a song while at the plate. Before her first collegiate at-bat in the fall scrimmage against Itawamba, she was very nervous, she said.
“I was so nervous, but my teammates Marlie Giles and Lauren Johnson came up to me, and they started talking to me and told me I was gonna do great and to just calm down,” Hubbard said. “That was just a moment that really stuck with me, because I realized I’m just surrounded by amazing people, and no matter what I do, they’re still gonna love and support me.”
Fully comfortable with her new team, Hubbard didn’t take long to make an impression with the Crimson Tide. She had a strong fall season, going 8/13 at the plate in five scrimmage games.
One of those eight hits was her first ever home run in Tuscaloosa, a moment she won’t forget anytime soon. She didn’t remember what song she was humming in the batter’s box, but everything after has stuck with her clearly.
“I hit the ball and was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s going out,’ and I just remember going around the bases, turning from third and seeing the girls all cheering for me,” Hubbard said. “It was just the best moment ever, because I realized that I was here and surrounded by these amazing people.”
In her first official games this spring, Hubbard has made an impact right away. She had an RBI triple in the Crimson Tide’s first game of the season in the win over Washington and has shown impressive plate discipline as well, walking three times in her first seven at-bats.
As the season kicks into gear, Hubbard is ready for the task and is excited to help contribute toward another high-achieving season for Alabama.
“I’m really excited to compete with these girls,” Hubbard said. “I think we can have a really good run this season and can’t wait to see how far we can go.”
