Alabama Athletics
Alabama Softball's Senior Class Mulling Over Decision to Return for Extra Year if Granted
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Next year's University of Alabama softball team could have the deepest and largest roster the program has ever seen.
On Monday, Crimson Tide coach Patrick Murphy spoke to media on a teleconference and revealed that all seven seniors on Team 24 would like to return for another year if granted by the NCAA.
"There a lot of tears," Murphy said when meeting with his team after the hearing word that spring championships were cancelled. "We were not sure what was going to happen and as of right, all seven of mine have expressed that they would like to come back."
The NCAA Division 1 Committee is set to vote on the issue of eligibility relief on March 30. Over the weekend, the NCAA's Division 2 level has already granted an extra year for all spring student athletes and Murphy's thinking is that the same will happen for his club.
"My thought is that our seniors would get the scholarships they had this year and it would not count against our 12," Murphy said. "We have to do a lot of work with the academic side of things. A lot of them were done or really close to graduating. So we would have to find more classes for them and that will be between me and the academic advisor."
Set to graduate in the either May, August, or next fall included outfielders Elissa Brown and Alexis Mack, pitchers Sarah Cornell and Krystal Goodman, infielders Taylor Clark and Claire Jenkins, and utility Bailey Hemphill.
Jenkins is coming off a torn ACL and was set to the miss the entire 2020 season.
Should the vote go through and the seniors all decide to come back, Murphy will have to juggle his roster like never before giving him 25 players on the 2021 squad.
The SEC grants 22 players to travel during the regular season and the NCAA only allows 20 for postseason play, everything from regionals, super regionals and the Women's College World Series.
"It is a huge puzzle that you have to piece together," Murphy said. "I would certainly welcome all of them back and work through all of the issues to figure it out."
Murphy said he stays in daily communication with everyone in the program to check in on how they are doing during the pandemic.
"I texted them," Murphy said about possibly returning. "It was not immediately because there was too much shock. I told them that I was not in a hurry but just wanted to hear their thoughts and concerns you would have on returning. Some texted me immediately saying, yes they would love to be on Team 25. And some are just worried about their scholarships."
For a lot of college softball players, their final year of college is their final year playing the sport altogether due to limitations at the professional ranks. Most of the women on the Crimson Tide are no different, but another year of eligibility would bring lots of jubilation to Rhoads Stadium in 2021.
"The suddenness of it all was a punch to the gut," Murphy said. "It is a very sad thing, too. But I do think the extra year of eligibility is going to happen and it should. I know one thing whenever we get back on that field, there will be a lot of high motivated young ladies to play the game and have fun again. They are all looking forward to that."
