Haylie McCleney

Classroom

Haylie McCleney holds a 4.0 cumulative GPA at Alabama and is majoring in exercise science. She is a two-time first-team Academic All-America honoree and was voted the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division I softball as a junior. She is just the second player in program history to be named to the first-team as both an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season, doing so as both a sophomore and junior. In 2015, she was named the SEC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and made her second-straight appearance on the SEC Spring Honor Roll. Currently, she is working as an intern alongside strength and conditioning coach Michele Diltz in the weight room as she works toward her goal of becoming a strength and conditioning coach after graduation.

Character

If the identity of a team is defined by its leadership, then the incredible success the team has accomplished during McCleney’s time at Alabama is no coincidence. She celebrates every moment on the field with equal enthusiasm, spreading an exuberant spirit that is picked up by her teammates and the fans both in the stands and at home watching on TV. That enthusiasm translates to practice and the weight room as well, and sets the tone for the entire team. She enjoys a large following on social media and never hesitates to interact with the young fans that look to her for inspiration. Postgame, McCleney can always be seen signing autographs and taking pictures with a smile on her face. McCleney is very grounded in her Christian faith and always represents herself, the program and the university with the utmost dignity and respect on and off the softball field.

Community

McCleney is one of the most visible members of the Crimson Tide in the community, volunteering for numerous projects during her time at Alabama. She and her teammates participate annually in the Halloween Extravaganza, which provides youth in the Tuscaloosa area an opportunity to have fun and interact with Alabama student-athletes in a safe environment with a number of Halloween themed games. She also has volunteered with Project Angel Tree, which provides Christmas presents to children with incarcerated parents, and ReadBAMARead, a children’s literacy program that provides replacement books to libraries and schools that were devastated by the 2011 tornado. McCleney and her teammates have made visits to the local Manderson Cancer Center and the VA Hospital to help brighten patients’ days.

Competition

McCleney already has secured her legacy as one of the best players to put on a Crimson Tide uniform. She entered her senior season as the Alabama career leader in batting average (.449) and on-base percentage (.561), she is also ranked second in stolen-base percentage (.941) and third in slugging percentage (.682). Her three seasons all rank among the top 10 in single-season batting average, on-base percentage and runs scored at Alabama. Her impressive offensive ability is complimented by incredible defensive instincts, making McCleney a regular on ESPN SportCenter’s “Top 10 plays” segment with diving catches in the gap and leaping catches over the wall in center field. Already a three-time All-American, including first-team honors the last two seasons, another All-American nod would make her the sixth four-time winner in program history.