Cardinal alum hired as head coach
In an effort to resuscitate its flailing softball program, Stanford is welcoming home one of its greatest players.
The Cardinal announced Tuesday that they have hired Jessica Allister as head coach, replacing Rachel Hanson, who resigned last week after a woeful three-year run.
Under Hanson, the Cardinal were 4-68 in Pac-12 play, 49104 overall.
Last season, Allister led Minnesota to a 56-5 record and the first national No. 1 ranking in school history. Allister was 290-107 in seven seasons with the Golden Gophers.
A second-team All-America catcher for the Cardinal in 2004, Allister played in the only two Women’s College World Series appearances in school history (2001 and 2004).
“Stanford is home,” Allister said in a statement. “Stanford has always been home. I had an amazing experience as an athlete and have always been a proud member of the Stanford community. To be able to come back and lead my alma mater is a dream come true.”
Allister is only the fourth head coach in the program’s history and was a Stanford assistant coach from 2007 through ’09. She was also an assistant at Georgia (2005-06) and Oregon (2010).
“I am thrilled to welcome Jessica back to Stanford to lead the program she helped build,” athletic director Bernard Muir said in a statement. “She was an elite competitor during her time on The Farm and has continued to excel in her coaching career. Jessica has established herself as an excellent coach and I believe she will push our studentathletes to be their best on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”
Allister’s name remains scattered throughout the Stanford record book.
She played the most games (266) in school history and is among the top 10 in fielding percentage (.994), home runs (32), RBIs (162) doubles (47) and hits (217).
Allister, who graduated with a degree in economics, was a three-time all-conference selection and played in the postseason in all four years as a player.
“There is not a better person who embodies and understands what it takes to be a Cardinal,” former teammate Jessica Mendoza said in the statement. “Having played with her at Stanford, and watching her lead the team to two Women's College World Series appearances, she understands how to win at the highest level. But more importantly, she gets what it takes to be a student-athlete at Stanford. There is no one better for this job than Jessica Allister.”