Rising sophomore Jackie Traina is powerhouse pitcher for the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team.

Traina began her softball legacy in the heart of Naples, Fla., at the age of five with her parents, Mark and Lana, backing her all the way.

“I feel like I’ve been playing softball forever, but I started out playing tee ball around five,” Traina said. “My parents have been so supportive, paying for every trip and every uniform. With all of the traveling and the early practices, I would say that they’ve been a major driving force behind my success.”

Traina knew from a young age that if she worked hard to sharpen her skills, that one day her efforts would pay off in full.

By high school, Traina was no stranger to the fast-pitch scene. At Naples High School in 2008, under Coach Robert Iamurri, Traina was named Gatorade’s Florida Player of the Year. In the same season, her team won the 4A State Championship Tournament, helping earn her the 4A Pitcher of the Year and Under Armor All-American titles.

In 2009, Traina focused on her league ball position on the ESPN All-American team. She then gained a spot on the NFCA Louisville Slugger All-Star team later that year. Her participation in the Louisville Slugger team carried over into 2010, which was her final season on the high school playing level.

“League ball was defiantly a transitional step towards college ball,” Traina said.

After committing and signing to play at The University of Alabama, Traina kicked off her career with a pair of wins on the road at the Hibbit Sports/Easton All-Alabama Classic in Vestavia Hills, Ala.

“The transition to college ball has been really fast paced,” Traina said. “It’s a lot more demanding, and they just expect so much more out of you. ”

On Feb. 21, 2011, Traina was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week by the league office and took home the season’s first weekly title for the Tide.

Traina pitched her first no-hitter in late May against Jacksonville State, 8-0, and has been named an All-Region competitor this year. Her collegiate career is off to a strong start with a 19-5 season record and a 1.70 ERA.

Off the mound, Traina also shines as a hitter with a .351 batting average, 13 home runs, .687 slugging percentage, 46 hits, no errors and 23 runs.

On top of everything else, Traina has acquired quite a fan base at Alabama, and the love of the crowd really helps her step her game up.

“The team as a whole has the best fans in the country,” Traina said. “It is absolutely incredible to have fans of my own. They give us all so much extra energy and all of the support we need no matter what. They are so important to us.”

With the Tide losing players due to graduation, Traina will be a vital part in the Tide’s continuing success over the next few years.

Jackie Traina

Career

19-5 record pitching

1.70 ERA

.351 batting average

13 home runs

45 RBI