Alabama Softball's Patrick Murphy and Jocelyn Briski Earn SEC’s Top Honors in Statement Season

(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

There are seasons where everything just clicks, where the work, the culture, the grit, and the belief all come together at the right time. That’s exactly what we’re watching right now with Alabama Crimson Tide softball. And this week, the rest of the country took notice.

The USA TODAY Sports Network handed out its All-SEC softball honors, and two names stood exactly where they belong, right at the top. Head coach Patrick Murphy was named SEC Coach of the Year, while ace pitcher Jocelyn Briski earned SEC Pitcher of the Year.

And if you’ve been watching this team all season, none of this should surprise you.

Let’s start with Murphy. Twenty-eight years. Let that sink in. In an era where coaches come and go, Murphy has built something in Tuscaloosa that doesn’t just last, it wins. His numbers speak for themselves: over 1,300 career wins and a program that has become a standard in the SEC and nationally.

But this season?

This one might be one of his best coaching jobs yet.

Alabama wasn’t supposed to be here. Picked ninth in the preseason SEC coaches’ poll, this team wasn’t given much of a shot to rise to the top of the most competitive conference in softball. But Murphy didn’t listen to the noise, and neither did his players.

Instead, they went to work.

And that work showed up in a historic moment. Earlier this season, Murphy became the first coach in SEC history to reach 500 conference wins. That’s not just a milestone, that’s a legacy. That’s what sustained excellence looks like over decades, not just seasons.

Now, Alabama enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

From overlooked to undeniable.

And right in the middle of it all? Jocelyn Briski.

If Murphy is the steady foundation, Briski has been the fire. The heartbeat. The one who takes the ball and sets the tone every single time she steps in the circle.

A 20-2 record. A 1.46 ERA. 167 strikeouts. Those numbers are elite anywhere, but in the SEC? That’s dominance. And it’s not just about stats, it’s about moments. Big games. Ranked opponents. Pressure situations. Briski didn’t just show up, she delivered.

Wins over top programs like Florida State, Texas, Tennessee, and multiple victories over Arkansas didn’t happen by accident. They happened because Alabama had the best pitcher on the field, and more often than not, that was Briski.

What really separates her, though, is efficiency.