Softball’s Alicia Abbott Amasses 100 Wins

Loyola softball head coach Alicia Abbott reached 100 career wins Feb. 14 following a win against St. John’s University during the Fonesca Memorial Tournament at the University of South Florida.  

Having played the sport herself, Abbott said she attributes the win to the players, and how important their dedication has been during her five years with Loyola.

The New Lenox, Ill. native has been around softball her entire life — from watching her dad win slow-pitch softball state championships to starting to play herself at 7 years old. 

“I basically came out of the womb doing it,” Abbott said. “I think it was just one of those things that I was pretty fortunate to be relatively naturally gifted at.”

Abbott started her collegiate career at the University of Illinois-Chicago, where she earned the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year award in 2008. After two years with the Flames, she transferred to North Carolina State University and hit .283 over two more years.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in public and interpersonal communication in 2011, Abbott returned to NC State a year later to volunteer as an assistant coach.

Abbott said she wasn’t quite ready to return home after college, so she stayed in the coaching ranks in the south.

“I actually really enjoy getting to be around this environment and giving back to the game,” Abbott said. “That’s what kept me in it.”

Abbott continued her coaching over seven years — with stops at Newberry College in South Carolina, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and Northern Illinois University — before being named Loyola’s head coach in August 2019.

Her first season at Loyola was anything but typical as it was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic — but Abbott didn’t let the odd season shake her confidence. 

During the pandemic, Abbott had her first child, Everett James. Abbot said it gave her an opportunity to prioritize her personal time while putting support from the players’ families and the community at the center of her coaching style. 

“How do we keep family at the forefront of this?” Abbott said. “That’s not just my family, that’s their families too. It’s how we make sure it’s an environment where it’s not just about the players feeling welcome, but it’s about their community and their support system.”

Abbott’s coaching philosophy is all about support and community, according to fourth-year pitcher Peyton Pepkowski, who said she appreciates Abbott’s ability to make all the girls feel seen and heard. She said she knows Abbott cares for every member of the team, and her positivity helps drive the program.  

Abbott said her strong sense for community draws from the idea that in order for females to play well, they have to feel good. The mental, physical and emotional health of her players is a top priority, and she wants to create a space where they can come to her and tell her whatever they need to. 

“How do you promote them feeling good more times than not, especially when they’re doing a lot all the time?” Abbott said. “None of us can be identified by just one thing, even if it is the majority of our lives, and I think that’s a big part of my philosophy. It might be the most important thing, but in the big picture, it’s not going to be the most important thing.”

After her 100th win for Loyola, Abbott was surrounded in celebration by players, assistant coaches, and families who helped her achieve the milestone.

Abbott said she’s most proud of the 100 wins because, as a coach, she has the chance to see the players dedicate their time to being the best version of themselves.

“It’s more for the team,” Abbott said. “It’s more about our players. It’s more about the assistance we’ve had along the way. There’s no way to do this alone, quite frankly, right?”

Fourth-year infielder Haley Wallace, who has been with Abbott for 75 of 100 wins, applauded Abbott and her milestone and said she was grateful to have been there during the celebration. 

“Being able to be a small part of those 100 wins throughout my four years has been really great,” Wallace said. “The past four years have been filled with great moments with coach Abbott and the rest of the team, so it’s all been such a great experience.”

While creating a team culture as a full-time coach and a mother of two, Abbott said she also takes full advantage of moments to herself. She said she tries to visit new coffee shops and restaurants whenever she gets a moment to herself because she wants to stay attached to who she is as a person, before she was a mom or coach.

Amid their season, Abbott’s next move after 100 wins is to prepare to fill holes in the team, with seven fourth-years leaving and six new first-years still being integrated into the system.

“We can rely on our upperclassmen in the beginning of our lineup to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best position from an offensive standpoint,” Abbott said. “Things like that will help us capitalize and get those wins that are super important at the end of the year.”