On This Day: Alabama Softball Is Born

September 28, 1995, marked the beginning of what would become one of the most recognizable programs in college softball.

On this day in 1995, the University of Alabama announced the addition of women’s softball as a varsity sport, with the Crimson Tide scheduled to begin competition during the 1997 season.

At the time, it was simply the addition of another women’s athletic program at Alabama. Looking back more than three decades later, however, the announcement represented the first step in building a program that would eventually become a fixture on college softball’s biggest stage.

Building the Crimson Tide

Alabama officially began play in 1997, and Patrick Murphy took over as head coach ahead of the 1999 season. Under Murphy, the Crimson Tide developed into a perennial national contender, making regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament and Women’s College World Series while producing generations of All-Americans and some of the most recognizable players in the sport.

The defining moment came in 2012.

Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the championship series of the Women’s College World Series to capture the program’s first NCAA national championship. The victory also made Alabama the first Southeastern Conference program to win the NCAA softball championship.

It was a landmark moment not only for Alabama, but for the continued rise of softball throughout the SEC.

It All Started on September 28

Every powerhouse has a starting point.

For Alabama softball, you can trace that starting point back to September 28, 1995, when the university announced that softball was coming to Tuscaloosa.

From an announcement about a brand-new varsity program to national championships, packed stadiums, WCWS appearances and some of the greatest players in NCAA softball history, it’s pretty remarkable to see what followed.

On This Day — September 28, 1995: Alabama Softball was born.

Outside The Chute — Connecting the Softball World.