Is Alexis DeBoer related to Kalen DeBoer? What to know of Washington softball star
Is Alexis DeBoer related to Kalen DeBoer? What to know of Washington softball star
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Legally blind pitcher Jenica Matos to play D1 softball
The Cheshire High School star in Connecticut can't see home plate but threw three no-hitters last year and will play Division I for the Red Storm.
Alexis DeBoer has made a name for herself as a star freshman for Washington softball.
The Huskies' first baseman earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors following a 20-home run season, the eighth-most by a freshman in program history. She also figures to be a big piece of the Huskies' offensive attack that looks to upset NiJaree Canady and No. 12 Texas Tech in the Lubbock Regional to advance to the super regionals in the 2025 NCAA softball tournament.
REQUIRED READING: Who will make Women's College World Series? NCAA softball tournament picks, predictions
However, many college fans will know her name from elsewhere, as there is another famous DeBoer in the family: Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer, who previously served the same role at Washington. Kalen DeBoer, of course, departed for Alabama in early 2024 after the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban — just before his daughter began her freshman year in Seattle.
Here's what you need to know about Alexis DeBoer, her decision to stick with Washington and more:
Is Alexis DeBoer related to Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer?
Yes. Alexis DeBoer is one of two daughters of the Alabama football coach and his wife, Nicole. She has a younger sister, Avery, who is a 6th-grader.
Alexis DeBoer recruit ranking
Alexis DeBoer was ranked as the No. 11 overall prospect in the Extra Elite 100 player rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle. She committed to the Huskies on Sept. 24, 2022, nearly a year after Kalen DeBoer agreed to be the Washington football coach on Nov. 29, 2021.
Despite her father leaving to coach Alabama in 2024, Alexis DeBoer honored her commitment to the Huskies, choosing not to transfer to play for Alabama and coach Patrick Murphy.
Why did Alexis DeBoer stay at Washington?
While Alexis DeBoer had not arrived on campus in Seattle by the time her father departed for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Jan. 12, she had already signed her NLI with Washington.
DeBoer, who attended Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington — less than seven miles from the University of Washington campus in Seattle — made her decision based on her comfort.
"I chose the University of Washington because it felt like home and everyone was so inviting," DeBoer said via the Washington softball X account in October 2024. "It is a great balance of academics and athletics and you receive so much support for anything you need."
Alexis DeBoer stats
Here's a look at DeBoer's stats in her freshman season with the Huskies:
2025: .369 batting average, .458 on-base percentage, 1.304 OPS, 20 home runs, 54 RBI, 26 walks and 22 strikeouts in 51 games played, 149 at-bats
For her efforts, DeBoer was named the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year while also garnering first-team all-conference honors and a unanimous selection to the all-freshman team, according to a news release from Washington softball.
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