Jessica Allister

Playing career at Stanford

Allister enjoyed a stellar playing career for the Stanford Cardinal in the Pac-12 conference. Allister holds the school record for games played with 266. A three-time all-conference selection, she led her team to four appearances in the NCAA tournament and to two trips to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. She was the starter for the Cardinal from day one to the end of her playing career. Allister earned All-American honors in 2004, her senior season; 2004 also saw the Cardinals make their second trip to the WCWS. Allister graduated with her name all throughout the program’s record book, including top-three in many offensive categories (including home runs and RBI) and top-ten in several others.

Professional playing career

Following her graduation from Stanford in 2004, Allister played the 2004 and 2005 summer seasons as a member of the New England Riptide of the National Pro Fastpitch league.

Coaching career

Allister’s first coaching job was with the University of Georgia under coach Lu Harris-Champer. She spent the 2005 & 2006 seasons with the Bulldogs, helping lead the team to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances as well as an SEC championship.

Following her stint with the Bulldogs, Allister went back to her alma mater and joined John Rittman’s coaching staff at Stanford. Under Allister’s tutelage, Rose Neill won back-to-back conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2008 and 2009. Allister was also a part of the 2009 West Regional Coaching Staff of the Year, as awarded and honored by the NFCA. Allister’s streak of appearances in the NCAA tournament continued, as the Cardinal made the postseason tournament in all three seasons of her 2nd go-around in Palo Alto.

Allister’s third assistant-coaching position came at the University of Oregon. She was Mike White’s do-it-all coach, with her role as hitting coach as well as position-specific instruction. She also handled recruiting coordination and “served as the program’s primary contact for admissions, compliance, and eligibility”.

After just one season in Oregon, Allister was hired as the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers program. She was hired on August 10, 2010. In seven seasons at Minnesota, Allister's career win-loss record is 290-107.

Following the Golden Gopher's epic 2017 season that saw them set numerous records and achieve the first #1 National ranking in program history, Allister agreed to return to her alma mater, Stanford, and revive the once proud program. 2017-18 will mark Allister's return to the Farm and signal a new chapter in Stanford softball history.