Saint Elizabeth University Alumna Alexia Jorge Makes History in Inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League Season

From breaking barriers in collegiate baseball at SEU to the pro stage, Jorge carries forward a 125-year University legacy of expanding opportunities for women

MORRISTOWN, NJ, UNITED STATES, August 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Saint Elizabeth University (SEU) alumna Alexis Jorge, who made history as the first woman to play baseball for the University, is breaking barriers once again as a member of the San Francisco Firebells during the inaugural season of the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL).

The historic new professional league began play this month, marking a new era for women in baseball and creating a professional pathway for elite female players in the United States. Jorge, a catcher from Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was selected by San Francisco in the second round of the inaugural WPBL Draft and is now competing among some of the best women baseball players from around the world.

For Saint Elizabeth University, Jorge’s latest achievement continues a journey that began on its own baseball field.

“Saint Elizabeth University was founded more than 125 years ago by women who believed in creating opportunities for women at a time when those opportunities were far from guaranteed,” said Dr. Crosby, President of Saint Elizabeth University. “That legacy is very much alive in Alexia. When she came to SEU, she stepped onto a baseball field where few women in collegiate history had competed before her. Today, she is helping build an entirely new professional pathway for women in the sport. There is a remarkable connection between the barriers our founders challenged in 1899 and the ones Alexia continues to break today. We could not be prouder to call her an SEU alumna.”

Jorge joined Saint Elizabeth University in 2021 as the first female student-athlete in the University’s baseball program. She went on to become the first woman to start for the program and, in 2024, became only the second woman in NCAA history to start a collegiate baseball game at catcher.
Her history-making career continued after SEU. In 2025, Jorge became the first woman to play in the Coastal Plain League, competing alongside elite collegiate baseball players from across the country.

This summer has brought yet another series of milestones.

Before beginning her professional career with the WPBL, Jorge represented the United States at the 2026 Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage. In the United States’ 34-0 victory over Hong Kong on July 27, Jorge recorded three hits, three runs and three RBIs as four U.S. pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter.

Jorge then joined the San Francisco Firebells for the WPBL’s historic inaugural season. Selected with the 20th overall pick in the league’s draft, she has quickly become a contributor to the Firebells both behind the plate and offensively.

“Alexis’ story embodies what an education is meant to help someone do: discover their potential and then have the confidence to pursue it, even when the path has never existed before,” said Michael K. Smullen, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Saint Elizabeth University. “There are young women watching Alexis play professional baseball today who will grow up believing this opportunity was always possible. Saint Elizabeth University is incredibly proud that Alexis is not only part of this historic moment but helping create that possibility for the generations that follow her.”

Jorge’s relationship with baseball began long before college. She joined the USA Baseball Women’s National Team as a teenager and was the youngest player on the U.S. roster that won gold at the 2019 COPABE Women’s Pan-American Championships.

Throughout her career, Jorge has paired athletic achievement with a growing role as an advocate and mentor for other athletes. She operates a catching academy for girls and hosts Beyond Limits, a podcast focused on athletics, personal growth, resilience, leadership and the mindset required to push beyond perceived limitations.

Her evolution from Saint Elizabeth student-athlete to Team USA player and professional baseball player reflects a career built around challenging those limitations herself. When Jorge arrived at Saint Elizabeth University, women’s professional baseball in the United States did not offer the pathway that exists today. Five years later, she is helping build it.

About Saint Elizabeth University
Founded in 1899, Saint Elizabeth University is a Catholic university rooted in the values of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Located in Convent Station, New Jersey, the University offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs that prepare students for meaningful careers, leadership and lives of service through personalized education, academic excellence and a commitment to social responsibility. To learn more about Saint Elizabeth University, visit steu.edu.

Katherine O'Hara
The Oxígeno Project
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