Alexander currently plays for Athletes Unlimted after being drafted by the USSSA Pride in 2021. I cant wait for our athletes to learn from her, Tyson said. Read More James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett (22) and pitcher Odicci Alexander (3) celebrate their 2-1 win over Missouri during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. CHARLOTTESVILLE After Saturdays road loss at North Carolina, Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett praised his teams defensive tenacity. Alexander was the 2021 Women's College World Series "Cinderella story" and . Scroll to continue reading. She died on April 25 and her death was later classified as an apparent suicide by Rockingham County Sheriffs Office. She wasn't heavily recruited in high school, though she shined and worked hard at her craft. Howard University softball hires Odicci Alexander, HBCU Gameday x Protect Your Skull Player of the Year. 1 ranking in country. Playing in Japan, the USAs biggest global rival in the sport and where womens softball has been a mainstay pro sport for many decades, is a common trend for top players from the U.S. and an experience Alexander eagerly sought out. Alexander joins the Howard University squad after their historic NCAA tournament appearance. She led her team to victory against Oklanhoma State with her game-saving dive which made the top spot on ESPNs SportsCenter Top 10 countdown. Who she is, and what she represents is much deeper than softball, Coach Tori Tysonsaid. After capturing the Women's College World Series spotlight, James Madison University'sOdicci Alexander is basking in additional recognition. Isaiah, her brother, was a basketball player at Kanas State. Her 66 WCWS strikeouts were the second most in the tournament. For her career, Alexander posted a 2.18 ERA and 712 strikeouts in 640 innings of work. I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity, and to be a part of this Howard community with Coach Tyson. [15] On May 21, she threw a career-high and a JMU single-game record of 19 strikeouts against Liberty in the NCAA Regionals. Alexander signed a contract with the USSSA Pride, an independent softball team. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or is in emotional distress, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Tori Tyson, the head coach of the softball program says she is excited to welcome Alexander to the Bison family. She ranks highly on many of JMUs record books, including her being third in program history in complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and innings pitched, fourth in career home runs with a total of 3, and 10th in JMU history with .428 career on-base percentage. She has a real passion for developing pitchers and sharing the game and our bullpen, so our entire team and staff will benefit greatly from having her in our dugout.. WASHINGTON (August 15, 2022) Odicci Alexander shot to softball stardom with dominant pitching and defensive web gem during the 2021 Womens College World Series. 5 seed Oklahoma State. houston social media influencer 1 seed Oklahoma and No. Alexander finishes her career as one of the most decorated softball players in program history. Odicci studied Sport and Recreation Management at JMU. No player was more integral to the team's success than star pitcher Odicci Alexander, who threw 88.6% of the Dukes' innings throughout the tournament. However, as soon as Alexander walked off that field on June 7 to a standing ovation from a crowd of 12,000-plus, most of whom were Sooners fans, her college career officially ended, and she could sign any deals she pleased. Alexander will join the Bison in late October at the conclusion of her professional season in Japan. This a big deal for not just our team, but the entire DMV community, the MEAC and all HBCUs.. Personal: Majored in sport and recreation management at James Madison has two older brothers and two younger sisters brother, Isaiah, played basketball at Kansas State also played on varsity basketball and volleyball teams in high school named as an assistant softball coach at Howard University on Aug. 15, 2022 . She said it was hard being a continent away, feeling like she couldnt be there for her teammates, coaches, and friends who had the same pain crashing down on them. At the end of the day, in any sport you play, it doesnt define who you are as a person. All rights reserved. As one of the biggest names in the game, shed be a highly sought-after addition for both leagues. Because WD and Emily could not travel from Virginia to attend the WCWS, the extended Alexander family in Dallas and Kansas City decided to come in their place. She has a real passion for developing pitchers and sharing the game and our bullpen and entire team and staff will benefit greatly from having her in our dugout.. Odicci Alexander's incredible summer will include her debut in the Athletes Unlimited professional softball league on Saturday. I cant wait to be on campus with the girls and get to work.. Alexander joins Athletes Unlimited after signing a professional contract with the USSSA Pride last week. Alexander says she is excited to get to work. You have permission to edit this article. Now, it's clear she belongs on the big stage. In 2021, the WCWS averaged 1.2 million viewers and outperformed the mens tournament by 60 percent. What makes the Justices so elite? Now, the former James Madison (JMU) standout is joining the Howard University coaching staff. Alexander was drafted by the USSSA Pride in 2021, and now plays for Athletes Unlimited. The tears started as soon as pitcher Odicci Alexander realized she had no more left to give James Madison, and in that moment, a little part of the college softball world had its hearts broken, too. It was her third straight year being named an All-American. Alexander Ferry Road was named after the Alexander family, who had lived in that town for a long time. Man died Wednesday. In that remarkable postseason campaign that capped her college career, Alexander threw 94 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings and finished with an 8-3 record, earning wins over four top-10 teams and a spot on the WCWS All-Tournament team. Its not something she can explain but feels. Team USA star Cat Osterman will return to defend her title. As one of a small group of Black players in the sport, especially on the mound, the timing of her success on the big stage was powerful the summer after George Floyds murder at the hands of police ignited a movement of racial reckoning in the U.S. I always felt like I was the only Black girl around most of the time at tournaments, she recalled on Sweat the Details about her experience growing up in the sport. She has a real passion for developing pitchers and sharing the game and our bullpen and entire team and staff will benefit greatly from having her in our dugout.. Alexander took the sports world by storm at the Women's College World Series in June when she pitched upstart James Madison to victories over No. Former James Madison pitcher and Womens College World Series breakout star Odicci Alexander has signed a professional contract with the USSSA Pride, JWOS has confirmed. [14] On May 12, Alexander set a CAA tournament record for single-game strikeouts, recording 16 of them in a no-hitter against Delaware. Her play was among the main reasons ESPN garnered record ratings for the event. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images). I am so excited to have Odicci join our Bison family. "It was honestly an honor to play against her.". Stewart is back for a second year. Alexander finished the 2021 season with an 18-3 record and a 1.71 ERA. [25] She had her first win when she started in a 3-2 victory against Team Canada on June 23, pitching the entire game with 8 strikeouts, 4 hits, and 3 walks. Alexander propelled JMU during. You can cancel at any time. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The mantra, If you build it, they will come, has been touted by many in the womens sports industry, as viewership records are repeatedly broken and athletes like Alexander garner unprecedented fame and attention. Alexander will be joining the Howard University team after their historic success this past season. She finished the tournament starting all four games that JMU played with 66 strikeouts on 1,057 pitches. She made us work. Athletes Unlimited burst onto the scene in 2020 with a fantasy-style model, where the top four players from each week become captains and draft new teams, and the player with the most individual points at the end of the five-week season is crowned as champion. Odicci Alexander is ESPY Award finalist: 'I'm so blessed' Recommended Stories CinemaBlend After Ryan Seacrest Confirmed His Exit From Live With Kelly And Ryan, An Insider Dropped Alleged. More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Redshirt senior pitcher Odicci Alexander has been named a finalist for an Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY) in the category of Best College Athlete, Women's Sports. I try to instill that in these younger girls: Be true to you, be who you are, be the best person.. I cant wait for our athletes to learn from her, Tyson said. I will NEVER forget calling this game on ESPN with a genuine reaction of, this is one of the greatest plays Ive ever seen here.I know me and @kevinnbrown will remember getting to call @2seas__ /JMUs games forever. Odicci will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. OKLAHOMA CITY Back in her high school days, James Madison's Odicci Alexander wasn't sure she was good enough to play college softball. She currently plays as a Pitcher or Infield and is 5ft 7in tall. Alexander was also named to WCWS All-Tournament Team and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Team. The immense popularity of Alexander and her historic WCWS run demonstrate that, 50 years later, the consumer interest and marketability of womens sports and their athletes are just beginning to unlock. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Independent Contractor (Newspaper Carrier), Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office ends affiliation with Reelz TV show 'On Patrol: Live', Former Virginia basketball coach Terry Holland dies after battling Alzheimer's, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years. Another traditional style league, Womens Professional Fastpitch (WPF), is also kicking off this summer made up of the USSSA Pride and a brand-new pro team, the Smash It Sports Vipers of Rochester, N.Y. Alexander finished the 2021 season with an 18-3 record and a 1.71 ERA. Advertisement. Be a part of the game, and get the ultimate fan experience. She is outstanding. Other new additions to the Athletes Unlimited roster include Arizonas Jessie Harper and Alyssa Denham and Louisiana-Lafayettes Ciara Bryan. She was named D1 Softballs Woman of the Year and Softball America NCAA Pitcher of the Year, and she was nominated for the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award. She started all four games her team played and threw 434 pitches. Copyright 2020 L & Company. Alexander started playing softball at the age of 7 and taught herself how to pitch. When Title IX was passed in 1972, exactly 50 years ago this month, the underlying goal was equal opportunity. During the week of April 30, she was named USA Softball's Player of the Week for going 5-0 and pitching 14 innings with 15 strikeouts as well as batting .500 for the week. Alexander didnt know who would be her catcher going into her senior season with JMU. Captured o. The tragic loss of Bernett, affectionately known as LB to her friends and family, rocked everyone who knew her as well as the entire collegiate athletics community. Following a 2-0 start to the WCWS, which included wins over eventual National Champion Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Alexander became a postseason hero for many softball fans. Johnson was a five-star. Odicci Alexander's incredible summer will include her debut in the Athletes Unlimited professional softball league on Saturday. The two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year signed with the Vipers shortly after leading Oklahoma to its second consecutive WCWS Championship earlier this month. Alexander was a three-time All-American and two-time Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year. She fashioned a .337 career batting average, and her career total of 39 home runs stands as fourth most in program history. Here's the URL for this Tweet. After playing in Athletes Unlimiteds second season in 2021, Alexander opted to take her skills abroad this summer to Japans Diamond League as a member of Toda Medics. Odicci Alexander was born in Boydton, Virginia, on April 2, 1998, to parents Washington and Emily Alexander. Decades later, the fruits of that groundbreaking legislation are personified in athletes like Alexander, whose scholarship would not have existed without it. [1] She is the fourth JMU player to sign a professional contract, the most recent being pitcher Megan Good in 2019. Each time Alexander took the mound in the Oklahoma City heat that June, she gained thousands of new followers on social media. (AP . Over the summer, she picked up several endorsements, the most notable when she signed on as an Under Armour athlete that August. Because WD and Emily could not travel from Virginia to attend the WCWS, the extended Alexander family in Dallas and Kansas City decided to come in their place. [1] After the 2021 season, Alexander was named Softball America Pitcher of the Year and was also nominated for an ESPY Award for best female college athlete. [7], Alexander chose to return for her fifth year of eligibility in 2021, and finished off her college career with her most successful season, despite not playing for a month, from March 12 to April 17, due to a hamstring injury. In the 2022 collegiate season, she was a volunteer assistant coach for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. This year, they added a condensed two-week version that strategically followed right on the heels of the WCWS. She also signed to play in Athletes Unlimited Softball second season beginning in August 2021. According to YardBaker, In her five-year career at James Madison, Alexander posted a 81-18 record with a 2.18 ERA. Alexander was a difference maker on both sides of the ball for JMU. In her debut against Team Mexico last Thursday, she allowed three earned runs in six innings and struck out eight. [17] In Alexander's 2021 Women's College World Series debut on June 3, James Madison upset number-one seeded Oklahoma 4-3 after eight innings. [19] The play later went viral on the internet and was named the #1 defensive play of the tournament by the NCAA. When you ask her about the meaning of her name, an odyssey is a journey. Gasso was paying homage to Odicci Alexander . There is meaning in a name, especially to Odicci Alexander. James Madison's Odicci Alexander received a standing ovation from the crowd in OKC @JMUSoftball | #WCWS pic.twitter.com/rrxB9dNpMS. [18] The next day, James Madison defeated Oklahoma State 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals and become the first unseeded team in Women's College World Series history to win two games in the tournament. Games will be held at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois, from August 28 to September 27, and players score points toward determining a champion. During the top of the seventh inning when Oklahoma State had runners on second and third base, Alexander fielded a bunt and proceeded to dive to tag out OSU's Scotland David at home plate to secure the victory for JMU. Alexander was. But things didn't always work out the way she wanted. We have to remember that sports are entertainment and lean into everything we love about them. Credit: JMU Sports. She was named the CAA Pitcher of the Year in 2021 after being named CAA Player of the Year in 2018 . Follow along as we walk through JMU sensation Odicci Alexander's rookie campaign with Athletes UnlimitedOdicci Alexander - On the RosterCastOdicci AlexanderC. [7] During the week of May 4, Alexander was named D1Softball's player of the week after recording 25 strikeouts and allowing only one hit in two games, with one of them being a perfect game. Alexander's college career ended on the field at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, where head coach Loren LaPorte pulled her after the Sooners jumped ahead 6-1 in the fifth. On the Pride roster, Alexander joins a pair of fellow former JMU stars in Jailyn Ford and Megan Good. Name: Odicci Alexander Age: 23 Profession: Pro softball player Hometown: Palmer Springs, Va. Guilty pleasure: Reading James Patterson novels Odicci Alexander grew up in Palmer Springs, Va.,. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Since then, she has become one of the most popular players in the sport . "What a competitor. She started all but one of JMUs 10 NCAA tournament games in the circle and posted a 6-3 record. Odicci Alexander led James Madison to the semifinals of the Women's College World Series in 2021. Alexanders high-caliber performances made her instant sensation, where she took the top spot on ESPNs SportsCenter Top 10 countdown. All three former Dukes share the distinction of being pitchers who also hit as part of the regular batting order. Howard University announced on Monday that they are adding a new edition to their athletics staff with Odicci Alexander joining as the new softball assistant coach. Since 2003, NCAA softball revenue has increased by 339.6 percent, according to Department of Education data. On Monday, Softball America named Alexander its Pitcher of the Year and USSSA Pride officials announced she has signed a professional contract with the team. Odicci Alexander is a softball player who represents James Madison University in the NCAA division one college league. They were the ultimate battery, leading the Dukes to a 41-4 record and first ever appearance in the Womens College World Series. Former JMU pitcher Odicci Alexander, right, shakes hands with former JMU player and current Rumble Ponies manager Lorenzo Bundy after throwing the first pitch before the Flying Squirrels took on. She pitched to a 2.92 ERA with 66 strikeouts and only 28 walks during the NCAA Tournament run. Odicci Alexander is known for her success as the pitcher of The James Madison Dukes softball team. It was clear Odicci would not just be your average ball player. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) So far this week, JMU softball star Odicci Alexander has been named Softball America's Pitcher of the Year, signed a pro softball contract and released her own. Alexander's college career ended on the field at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, where head coach Loren LaPorte pulled her after the Sooners jumped ahead 6-1 in the fifth. 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