Olympian Haylie McCleney credits Alabama softball for her making Team USA

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - We are 106 days away from the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and former Mortimer Jordan High School softball star Haylie McCleney is beyond excited to play in her first Olympic Games.

Thursday, Team USA held media interviews for athletes. The former Alabama softball All-American said it’s been her dream to play in the Olympics since she was a little girl and is thankful the Olympic Committee brought softball back for this year’s Games.

McCleney was named to the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Roster in 2019 and believes it’s all because of what Alabama softball taught her.

“Every single year I played at Alabama, I improved physically and mentally, but the biggest thing that stood out to me about my collegiate experience was learning how to be a better human being, how to be a better teammate, and that’s one of the key leadership factors that ended up getting me on this roster,” McCleney said.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held July 23 - August 8, 2021.

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