History was made in Major League Baseball last week when the San Francisco Giants hired the league’s first full-time female coach. Alyssa Nakken joined the Giants as an intern in 2014 and will take on the role of major league assistant coach this coming season.
Nakken played softball at Sacramento State and her previous work with the SF Giants included amateur draft and player development.
The New York Yankees also made strides towards increased coaching diversity with the hire of Rachel Balkovec as a minor league hitting coach this offseason, but Nakken will be the first woman to work full-time with a major league team. While it’s just one hire, the move makes a big statement in a traditionally male-dominated athletic field.