If you ever thought being in Nick Saban’s shadow at Alabama was a cushy job, you likely also think Tuscaloosa winters are warm and SEC media is soft. Meet Kalen DeBoer, the guy bold (or maybe insane) enough to inherit the Crimson Tide upon Saban’s retirement. Now, behind every head coach navigating pitchforks in the SEC, there’s a support staff keeping him from losing his mind. Kalen is from Milbank, South Dakota, and attributes his toughness to his family. His wife, Nicole DeBoer, is a former college basketball athlete and fitness management graduate from Augustana University. Kalen and Nicole met in 2000 and got hitched in 2001.
Kalen and Nicole both have two daughters: Alexis, who is a softball player at the University of Washington, and Avery, who rides horses. The girls of the DeBoer family avoid the limelight but attend their dad’s games frequently. Alexis is not a mere coach’s daughter warming a bench. She’s hitting .369, has knocked 20 homers (that puts her 11th nationally and third in the conference), and has driven in 54 runs this season. Not bad for a girl doing it all in her freshman year, coupled with the burden of her last name.
Adding to her stats, she is a big name in the sport of softball. @uwsoftball named Alexis one of the top 10 finalists for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award, a big deal in college softball circles. Alexis DeBoer is making some serious waves in college softball, and this time it’s not merely because she comes with a last name that belongs to a well-known football coach. Husky freshman, she is the first since 2016’s Taran Alvelo to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the second in school history to achieve the 20-homer mark. She’s also the fifth Big Ten freshman to reach 20 or more bombs in a season, joining a very elite group.
Her trophy case is getting full. Alexis was selected as D1Softball National Player of the Week following a ludicrous run at the Black and Orange Classic, in which she batted .538 with five homers and eight RBIs. Essentially, she was hot and no one could throw around her. She’s also received Big Ten Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week accolades, showing her consistency is not a hot streak, it’s who she is.
So, how’s Dad dealing with all this? Kalen DeBoer is living every sports parent’s dream-and maybe nightmare-watching his daughter rack up national honors while he’s trying to keep Alabama football fans satisfied. When Alexis hit a three-run homer against Alabama at the Candrea Classic (yes, his team), Kalen was there in the stands, likely torn between pride and thinking, “Couldn’t you wait until we played someone else?
With the NCAA Selection Show approaching, Alexis is not only making waves at UW- she’s placing herself on the national map. Whether she wins the NFCA Freshman of the Year Award or not.
Kalen DeBoer joins the three stripes
If you ever thought college sports were all about home runs and highlight reels, Alexis DeBoer is here to show you it’s also about sneaker endorsements, Instagram flames, and making spring your catwalk. That’s right, Washington’s freshman softball sensation just signed a head-turning NIL contract with none other than Adidas, the $14.5 billion sportswear behemoth that’s only a swoosh behind Nike in the world pecking order. Forget being the coach’s child, Alexis is officially a brand now. Alexis posts a carousel on Instagram, wearing a light blue and brown Adidas shoe combo that likely gave half the conference marketing departments envy.
Her headline? “Fling into spring with me! Shop the link in my bio! She’s not just playing ball-she’s selling the look, the vibe, and the lifestyle.” The Huskies’ dugout could have its runway at this point. But it’s not just a flex on the ‘Gram. Getting a deal with Adidas is a badge of athletic superiority. Adidas doesn’t give contracts out to anyone who can hit a bat; they want winners, and Alexis is bringing it.
Alexis is not resting on footwear. She is capitalizing on her NIL moment, providing shoutouts, social media postings, and autographs via Opendorse, and fans are buying them up for between $20 and $84. It’s not about the money; it’s about brand and momentum. So while Kalen DeBoer is building a title staff in Tuscaloosa, Alexis is piling up accolades and endorsement opportunities, one home run and sneaker release at a time.
The post More Proud Dad Moment for Kalen DeBoer as Daughter Announces NCAA Milestone, Days After NIL Deal With $14.5B Giant appeared first on EssentiallySports.