Now taking the field, 'The Captain' Alyssa Washington
For the first time in program history, a softball student-athlete will wear the captain 'C' on their jersey.
Chris Allen Brown
2/28/2024
Prologue
“Alyssa Washington definitely possesses the qualities necessary to be considered a captain. I think it’s amazing for her and amazing for the program. I think she’ll lead this team well this season,”– Janae Jefferson.
Between the four pillars of The University of Texas softball — Cat Osterman, Janae Jefferson, Blaire Luna and Christa Williams — it’s hard-pressed to find anything that hasn’t already been accomplished since the program’s transition to a varsity sport on the Forty Acres in 1997.
But sixth-year Longhorn head coach Mike White found something. He created a moment that had never occurred within the program’s 28-year history.
And it started with a “feeling that you have” and cultivated with a tear shed.
The Meeting
Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, White met with the rest of his coaching staff for a routine end-of-the-year-get-together. Then another followed. He wanted to get more input from those deeply woven throughout the fabric of the program. The student-athletes.
White asked for help. He wanted each to submit a vote. And the results produced exactly what he wanted: someone’s name that was an overwhelming favorite on the ballots.
It was Alyssa Washington.
So, White asked the fourth-year senior if she had a moment to join the entire coaching staff for a brief meeting one afternoon.
“It was kind of emotional. I told her she’d be the first one in this program’s history to wear a captain’s ‘C’ on her uniform,” White said. “And then she shed a tear or two. It was really a special moment.
“I think she has an even keel with what she does. She’s very balanced in what she does and doesn’t get too down or too high. She also branches across all the different aspects within the team, so she’s able to reach out and talk to anyone.”
In addition to becoming the first “Captain” in Texas’ softball history, Washington also became the first softball student-athlete to earn the honor at any point throughout White’s 15 seasons as a Division I softball head coach.
“It’s just one of those feelings you have sometimes,” White said. “Sometimes you just need one voice that’ll be there.”
The Attributes
- Janae Jefferson
“There were plenty of times Alyssa would come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Janae, (do) you want to stay after (practice) with me and take extra reps. And I was like, ‘Yeah, of course!
Janae Jefferson, who played alongside Washington on the infield during the final two seasons of her historic collegiate softball career, knew right away Washington possessed the attributes to become the program’s centric voice.
“(Washington) was always willing to soak everything in and learn as much as she could, especially during that first season when she wasn’t on the field,” Jefferson said. “She was always asking questions and just looking for ways to better herself.
“I think that’s definitely something she blossomed at: learning, being able to be coached and soak information — especially as an incoming freshman — it’s important to be willing to listen and learn.”
Jefferson, who became just one of two four-time All-Americans throughout the program’s history by the end of her collegiate career, emphasized Washington’s desire to learn and be coachable when reminiscing on countless times a then-underclassman in Washington would ask the upperclassmen in Jefferson if she would stay after practice to work on individual drills.
“There were plenty of times Alyssa would come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Janae, (do) you want to stay after (practice) with me and take extra reps,” Jefferson said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, of course!
“To have a player that just comes up to you and says something like that, that’s when you know they’re hungry and want to work to get better.”
The knowledge passed down from the Longhorns’ second baseman combined with the countless extra reps between the two during Washington’s freshman season became vital for White and his program a season later.
A season removed from being unanimously selected to the Big 12 Conference All-Freshman Team in 2021, Washington took her game to a new level. And so did her Longhorn teammates.
As a byproduct of the ability to learn and grow as a unit during the 2022 regular season, Texas earned an opportunity to do what no other team in the program’s history had done: to play for a Division I Softball National Championship by advancing to the finals of the Women’s College World Series.
“(Alyssa) is the epitome of a team player and has been her whole career,” said Osterman, a three-time USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and a three-time Olympic medalist. “She was a game changer the minute she entered into the everyday lineup in 2022.
“She has grown more confident being in the spotlight, but most importantly, you see the same presence from her regardless of how intense or important a situation is.”
Oh my, AWash ??#HookEm | @alyssaawashh pic.twitter.com/ZzlHYGvNqg
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 17, 2024
“She has grown more confident being in the spotlight, but most importantly, you see the same presence from her regardless of how intense or important a situation is.”- Cat Osterman
“Now Taking the Field”
As difficult as it was for White to find something within the program’s history that had never been done, it’s even harder to find a program off to a better start to the 2024 than the Texas Longhorns.
And it’s been nothing short of a poetic beginning for The Captain, too.
During Texas’ season-opening win against San Diego in Los Angeles, Washington, who entered her senior season with only 12 career home runs in 340 career plate appearance, connected for the first of the Longhorns’ 21 home runs through the program’s first 13 games this season.
Washington has helped guide Texas to a 12-1 record through the first month of the season with a pair of wins over then-No. 10/8 UCLA, then-No. 2/2 Tennessee, then-No. 9 Stanford and two victory over Louisiana.
“The moment I was told I would be a Captain, I instantly cried,” Washington said. “I just felt so honored, and it was like a dream come true and it was super surreal.
“I’ve dreamed my whole life about playing softball at The University of Texas and to be able to be the first softball player ever to wear a “C” on my jersey, that’s just something I’ll be forever grateful for. Being able to receive that honor and recognized by the coaches in that way was just such an amazing experience and something I won’t ever forget.”
And to add to an already momentous opportunity, the senior infield is also receiving a unique inclusion to her name when the team takes the field at Red & Charline McCombs Field:
“And now taking the field for your Texas Longhorns, ‘The Captain’ Alyssa Washington.”
the captain gets the first home run of the season ????#HookEm | @alyssaawashh pic.twitter.com/jG9hUv4SbM
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 9, 2024
“I’ve dreamed my whole life about playing softball at The University of Texas and to be able to be the first softball player ever to wear a “C” on my jersey, that’s just something I’ll be forever grateful for."- Alyssa Washington
Epilogue
“I’m very proud of Alyssa Washington to be able to wear the “C”. Teams always have captains, but not all put a designation on their jersey. It’s a badge of honor — in my opinion — to be able to wear a C and I couldn’t think of a better person to wear it for the first time with Texas Softball,”– Cat Osterman
