How Alabama softball landed No. 1 recruit Kenleigh Cahalan and enrolled her early for 2023

Most 17-year-old softball players are worried about their final high school softball season, prom and then graduation — not about hitting leadoff for a nationally-ranked college team.

The latter is the reality for Alabama softball's Kenleigh Cahalan, who enrolled early this spring.

This isn't the first time that Cahalan has played up a level: She was All-State in Class 7A level for Hewitt-Trussville as an eighth-grader, the first to ever do so. From there, she continued to earn All-State honors before earning 2022 Alabama Miss Softball. She rose to the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2023 by Perfect Game Softball before reclassifying to play this spring.

Cahalan's impact has been immediate everywhere, earning her first hit on the first collegiate pitch she saw in the season opener before scoring on an Ashley Prange home run. Since then, she has started every game as the leadoff and broke Alabama legend Haylie McCleney's hitting streak to begin a career, hitting in the first 14 games for the Crimson Tide, a streak that ended when she went hitless Wednesday in UA's victory over Southern Miss.

She has 17 hits and has scored 17 runs while bringing in 15. She leads the team in slugging percentage and is second in on-base percentage. She has already tied for the program's career record for inside-the-park home runs with two.

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Choosing Alabama

Even as someone who grew up in Alabama, Cahalan wasn't a lock to commit to the Crimson Tide. She tried to keep an open mind in the early stages of her recruiting process. That lasted until she made her Tuscaloosa visit, where her mind was made up.

"When I visited here I absolutely fell in love with the campus and all the amazing girls and the coaching staff and everyone around here for all the support and love. ... It was amazing so I just made the decision," Cahalan. "... To be honest, I didn't have a dream school. I was looking everywhere, I had open options, I was looking everywhere to make sure I made the right decision, and then when I came here I knew it was the right decision for me."

From there the decision to early enroll came easily. Cahalan felt between her success in high school and playing for the Birmingham Thunderbirds that she was ready to make the next step.

"She's only 17 but she is awesome. She is nothing but good energy and smiles, she's goofy. She's out there dancing on the field if you watch her between innings. Not only that, but she can swing the bat like nobody's business," Alabama outfielder Faith Hensley said. "I looked at some of the Alabama girls yesterday, and I was like what did she eat growing up, what is the difference-maker?"

Cahalan has shown an eye at the plate both in what pitches to swing at and to let go, evidenced by her team lead in walks and being second on the team with four home runs and five doubles. There are some signs that she is still a freshman — a couple of fielding errors and a team-high six strikeouts — but coach Patrick Murphy has high hopes for her.

"I think she going to be one of the best hitters we've ever had. She's going to continue to work hard," Murphy said.

Up next

Alabama hosts Longwood, Robert Morris and Mercer this weekend in the Crimson Classic at Rhoads Stadium.