Alabama Softball Star Announces Move to Basketball, Will Transfer to North Dakota
A current Alabama infielder and former North Dakota basketball Gatorade Player of the Year is switching gears.
Abby Duchscherer will return to her home state upon graduation from Alabama in 2026 and will finish her collegiate eligibility on the hardwood.
The standout announced her verbal commitment to the University of North Dakota on Monday, according to Jack Michaels, a radio broadcaster at KFGO in Fargo and the play-by-play voice of the Fighting Hawks women's basketball program.
Duchscherer took to X on Oct. 1, verifying her next chapter.
“I am incredibly grateful for everything the University of Alabama has given me – the coaches, teammates and memories here have shaped me in ways I will carry forever,” Duchscherer stated in the post. “While I explore the opportunity to continue my basketball journey next year, I am just as thrilled to finish out my softball career with Alabama and Team 30 this spring.”
New chapter loading ⛹️♀️ pic.twitter.com/6GV5m01P6W
— abby (@abbyduchscherer) October 1, 2025
The standout, who started at first base in 54 games in 2025, will finish her senior season with the Crimson Tide before moving on to UND as a graduate transfer.
The infielder's best year on the diamond came last season when she led the team with a .714 batting average (10-for-14) across five games at the Easton Bama Bash in February. Her performance earned her the 2024 Easton Bama Bash MVP honors, and she went on to claim the 2025 T-Mobile Crimson Classic MVP honors.
In total, Duchscherer has played in 140 games for the Crimson Tide, posting a .273 career batting average with 85 hits, 13 home runs, and 55 RBIs.
Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy gave his full support to Duchscherer’s decision in a post on X.
"A basketball program is going to be very lucky to have Duke for a season,” he wrote.
A basketball program is going to be very lucky to have Duke for a season … 🥎🏀 🤝 https://t.co/Y052YhI1Ch
— Patrick Murphy (@UACoachMurphy) October 1, 2025
Now, Duchscherer will channel her softball successes in the paint.
The three-sport athlete out of Kindred High School in North Dakota guided the Vikings basketball team to an undefeated season and a state championship during her senior year.
The five-time North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Class B First Team All-State selection finished her career with 2,662 points. She was named the North Dakota girls basketball Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 20.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.2 steals per game during her sophomore season.
In her final high school season, she averaged 19.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 steals per game, earning state tournament MVP honors.
Despite it all, she chose softball after high school. The travel ball player for the Minnesota Renegades was a 2022 PGF All-American and a Top Gun Tournament MVP.
Alabama softball returns 13 players from last year’s squad, while eight newcomers, including six freshmen and two transfers, join.
Under Murphy, 2025 marked Alabama’s NCAA-best 19th trip to the Super Regionals and the 24th time the Crimson Tide has reached the 40-win mark. They heartbreakingly fell to Oklahoma in game two of the Super Regional round, 13-2, in five innings.
After making significant improvements offensively, Duchscherer and the program hope to keep that momentum flowing into the 2026 season.
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Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.
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