You probably know her as the chaotic Southern comedian who makes those viral TikToks about "quitting jobs she doesn't even have." Or maybe you’ve seen her touring the country, selling out shows with her signature brand of country-fried humor and musical parodies. But before the millions of followers and the comedy stages, there was a different kind of stage: the dirt of the diamond at Rhoads Stadium.
Danae Hays Alabama softball is more than just a footnote in her bio. It’s the foundation of everything she is today. Honestly, if you watched her play back then, you could already see the entertainer starting to peek through the jersey.
The Morris Misfit in Tuscaloosa
Danae didn't just stumble onto the Alabama roster. She was a standout from Morris, Alabama, a small town where everyone knows your business. Growing up, she was a three-time high school state champion. That’s not a fluke. By the time she landed in Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2011, she was part of what the team called the "misfit class."
It was a group of five freshmen who didn't necessarily fit the typical "top-tier recruit" mold but had a massive chip on their shoulders.
The timing was perfect. 2012 was a legendary year for the Crimson Tide.
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You’ve probably seen the highlights of the rain-soaked 2012 Women’s College World Series. Alabama won its first-ever national championship that year, and a freshman Danae Hays was right in the middle of it. She was the starting shortstop. Think about that for a second. A freshman, playing the most demanding position on the field, for a team that literally made history.
Why Her Shortstop Days Still Matter
People often ask why a comedian talks so much about her college softball days. It's simple: that's where she learned to handle pressure.
Hays was a four-year starter. That is incredibly rare at a program like Alabama. Head coach Patrick Murphy doesn't just hand out starting spots; you have to earn them every single day. She wasn't just a defensive specialist, either. By her senior year in 2015, she was a force at the plate.
Take a look at her 2015 senior stats:
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- Games Started: 63 (every single game)
- Batting Average: .282
- Home Runs: 7
- RBIs: 36
- Defense: Shortstop with a cannon for an arm
She wasn't just "on the team." She was a core leader. She finished that final season with an NFCA Third Team All-South Region selection. She had games where she was a home run shy of the cycle and others where she drove in four runs against rivals like Auburn.
She lived for the big moments.
The Transition That Nobody Expected
When the cleats come off for the last time, most athletes go into coaching or sales. Danae went into... real estate? Yeah, she was a realtor for a while. She’s joked on podcasts that being a realtor in a small Alabama town gave her enough comedy material to last a decade.
The pivot to social media wasn't planned. It started with a prank call to a taxidermist during the pandemic. Then came the characters. The "Southern Mom," the exaggerated country tropes—they all felt real because she grew up around them.
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But if you look closely at her comedy, you see the athlete. The discipline. The way she handles a "bad" show with the same grit she used after a three-strikeout game. She even landed four different plays on the ESPN Top 10 during her career. That kind of athleticism doesn't just go away. It just gets redirected into her stage presence and her timing.
Common Misconceptions About Her Career
- She was just a bench player. Absolutely false. She started nearly every game of her four-year career.
- She only cared about the "funny" stuff. While she was definitely the dugout clown, her stats prove she was a serious competitor. You don't win a National Championship by just being funny.
- Her comedy has nothing to do with softball. Her "First Time" tour and her social media are littered with references to the "softball bows" and the culture of SEC sports.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of new fans think Danae Hays is just a "TikToker" who happened to play some ball. It's actually the opposite. She is an elite athlete who happens to be hilarious.
In June 2025, she returned to the field for the Folds of Honor Celebrity Softball game. She was mic'd up, and the footage went viral. Why? Because even 12 years after her college debut, she was still making plays that made people's jaws drop. She won the MVP of that game, proving that the muscle memory of an Alabama shortstop never really fades.
She’s also been open about the struggles. The identity crisis that comes after sports. The "religious trauma" and the journey of coming out in a conservative Southern environment. All of those layers are what make her comedy so resonant. It's not just jokes; it's a person who survived the pressure cooker of Division I sports and came out the other side with something to say.
Take Action: How to Keep Up With Danae
If you want to see the "shortstop-turned-superstar" in action, here is how you can actually support her work beyond just scrolling past her videos:
- Check her tour dates: She is constantly on the road with "The First Time Tour." If you're in the South or even the Midwest, she’s likely hitting a theater near you soon.
- Watch the old highlights: Go back and look at the 2012 WCWS footage. Watch #15 at shortstop. It gives a lot of context to her stories about Coach Murphy and the "Bama Way."
- Listen to her music: She isn't just a comic; she’s a songwriter. Her tracks often blend that Southern storytelling with her athletic background.
- Follow the "misfits": Many of her former teammates are still involved in the sport. Following the Alabama softball program is a great way to see the legacy she helped build.
The reality is that Danae Hays is the perfect example of "life after sports." She took the intensity of the SEC and turned it into a career that reaches millions. Whether she’s turning a double play or landing a punchline, she’s still that same kid from Morris who knows exactly how to command a crowd.