Each year every softball team in the SEC wears teal for one game during conference play. While it appears normal for all of the teams to wear a specific color for specific games, teal has a deeper meaning in the SEC.
In 2015, a future Mississippi State softball player would be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In 2016, Alex Wilcox signed with Mississippi State. Alex played throughout her treatment with the support of her family and teammates, but died in 2018.
In 2021, every team in the SEC wore teal on the same day to stand together for Alex Wilcox, beginning the “All for Alex” campaign. LSU softball’s head coach Beth Torina began the discussion with Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts during the fall of 2019.
The campaign was initially planned to launch in 2020, but was halted due to COVID-19. Ever since, the campaign has taken off, and all 15 SEC softball teams unite to wear teal in honor of Alex.
Before the All for Alex campaign took off, Mississippi State softball wore teal in each of their midweek matchups in 2019.
Despite the advocacy in the SEC each season, Torina has been a supporter of ovarian cancer awareness since 2013. LSU had their own teal-out game each season following before correlating with Ricketts in 2019.
Ever since 2013, Torina coordinates a teal walk, and has set a record breaking number of participants, largely due to the support of other SEC teams.
In 2020, the Geaux Teal walk was held virtually to accommodate COVID-19, while still showing support for ovarian cancer awareness.
Each year, the LSU softball social media pages change their profile pictures to teal and give out teal shirts at the Saturday game of that specific SEC series. The social media pages also make sure to post the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Torina says that it is a silent killer because there is no test for ovarian cancer, and that is why she’s so passionate about the awareness.
“I think just making sure that our loved ones, our women in our lives, know the symptoms of this and they can be their own advocate,” Torina said. “So when something like bloating or feeling full or back pain lasts for longer than it should, they can see their doctor and be checked and hopefully we can stop this disease.”
What seems like an arbitrary tradition of SEC softball, has a much deeper meaning in this female sport. Fans see pink on a field or court and think breast cancer awareness, but SEC softball fans see teal and think ovarian cancer awareness.
Fans react fondly to the All for Alex campaign. Each year, the stands are painted teal, and a moment of silence is held for those who have been a victim of ovarian cancer. Fans even make signs for their loved ones who have been a victim.
The Tigers will take on South Carolina for the fifth annual All for Alex day on March 29 at 6 p.m.
