Giants hire female coach, a former Sac State star

The San Francisco Giants made a historic hire on Thursday, adding former Sacramento State softball star Alyssa Nakken to their major league coaching staff.

While women have begun serving on coaching staffs in the NFL and NBA, and the New York Yankees recently hired Rachel Balkovec to be a minor league hitting coach, Nakken is believed to be the first woman named to a big league coaching staff.

Nakken, 29, is considered to be one of the best softball players to suit up at Sacramento State. She was a three-time All Conference player, played first, and also excelled in the classroom. In her senior year in 2012, Nakken was named Scholar Athlete of the Year in her conference.

Nakken wants to wait to do interviews until she has settled into her job. But her boss — Giants manager Gabe Kapler — said by phone from Arizona that Nakken will be working with Giants players on base running. She will throw batting practice. She will work with all the coaches on the technical aspects of the game while also working to help create unity and cohesion on a team full of new faces.

Of significance: Kapler said Nakken will be in uniform, donning the Giants familiar black and orange. She won’t be in the dugout during games because teams are restricted to seven coaches there during games, and that staff had already been named before Nakken was hired.

“(Nakken) is the best choice for this job, period,” Kapler said on Thursday. “She has experience as an elite athlete. She’s been with the Giants organization. She was successful leading initiatives with the Giants. She was a perfect fit.”

A native of Woodland, Kapler said the Giants interviewed a host of candidates before offering the job to Nakken. “She has tremendous communication skills and a lot of drive and determination and that stood out,” he said.

Nakken earned a degree in psychology at Sacramento State while also playing 164 consecutive games for the Hornets. She had been working in the Giants front office, running health and wellness programs. including the Giants Race series.

“Viewed from any angle, she was a candidate who would not be denied,” Kapler said.

Lodi 1, Tokay 1

Isabella Hawley scored the lone goal for Lodi (1-1-1 in the TCAL, 54) against Tokay (1-2 in the TCAL, 6-4) in Thursday’s game at Lodi High. Maggie Kueribs had an assist on the goal.