UL Softball Coach Alyson Habetz Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis
LAFAYETTE, La. — Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball coach Alyson Habetz has revealed that she is battling breast cancer, sharing the diagnosis publicly after first breaking the news to her mother and her team.
Habetz disclosed her diagnosis in an interview with Kevin Foote of The Acadiana Advocate and later shared a personal statement Monday night in collaboration with Ragin’ Cajuns Softball.
Despite months of chemotherapy treatments, recruiting trips and preparations for the upcoming season, Habetz made one thing clear about her approach to the fight: She intends to keep coaching.
"It's business as usual at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park," Habetz said in her statement.
Habetz Discovered Something Was Wrong During Sun Belt Tournament
According to The Acadiana Advocate, Habetz first noticed something did not feel right while preparing for a game during the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in May.
After the Cajuns' season ended May 7, she scheduled a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy for the following week.
The tests led to a diagnosis of triple positive invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer.
Her initial reaction, however, was focused on what was next for her program.
Habetz told The Advocate she viewed the diagnosis as "a bump in the road" and immediately began thinking about getting through treatment while continuing to recruit and work the transfer portal.
More than three months later, that approach has not changed.
Habetz Has Completed Four Of Six Chemotherapy Treatments
Habetz, 54, has already completed four of six planned rounds of chemotherapy.
According to The Advocate, her fifth treatment is scheduled for Sept. 8, with her final chemotherapy treatment expected three weeks later.
Habetz said the cancer has already responded to treatment and shrunk.
Surgery is expected roughly three to four weeks after her final chemotherapy treatment, likely near the end of October. She is then expected to undergo radiation.
If everything goes according to plan, Habetz anticipates missing only about a week following surgery and expects to be present throughout the Cajuns' fall softball schedule.
Her treatment has done little to slow down her work.
During the summer, Habetz hosted a transfer portal recruit one day, underwent chemotherapy the next and hosted another prospect the following day. She also continued recruiting travel while her coaching staff helped shoulder more of the workload.
Telling Her Mother And Her Team Was The Hardest Part
Habetz initially kept her diagnosis within a small circle.
She said she was not afraid for herself, but she was concerned about how the news would affect her mother, Deanna, and her players.
With many players away from Lafayette during the summer, Habetz considered telling the team over Zoom but ultimately decided the conversation needed to happen face-to-face.
Her biggest concern was that her players would learn about her diagnosis from someone other than her.
Habetz told her mother and the Ragin’ Cajuns players Monday, the first day back at school.
She wanted her players to see that she remained the same coach they knew before the diagnosis.
"Sure, there might be times when I might only be 70%, but they're going to get 100% of my 70%," Habetz told The Advocate.
Habetz Credits Family, Faith And Her Medical Team
Throughout her treatment, Habetz has leaned heavily on her faith and her family, including her sisters Monica and Keven, who live next door and have helped take her to medical appointments.
She also expressed gratitude for Dr. Joseph Briere and the medical team at Our Lady of Lourdes, saying they have made her feel like family throughout the process.
In her public statement, Habetz also recognized the cancer patients who came before her and helped pave the way for advances in treatments and outcomes.
"I share this not with fear, but with a spirit of faith, gratitude and resilience," Habetz wrote.
She has also sought advice from others in college athletics who have experienced cancer, including Penn State volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who coached the Nittany Lions to a national championship while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Habetz also pointed to Florida State softball coach Lonni Alameda's cancer journey as another source of inspiration.
Habetz Says The Cajuns' Mission Hasn't Changed
Habetz's diagnosis comes as she prepares for her second season leading the Louisiana softball program.
She spent 25 years as an assistant coach before returning to Lafayette to take over a program deeply connected to her own playing and coaching history.
Now, even while undergoing treatment, she remains focused on the players and the season ahead.
Habetz said she does not want her diagnosis to become a distraction or make the upcoming season about her. Instead, she wants her players to understand that the expectations inside the program have not changed.
Her message Monday night ended with the same determination that has carried her through the first four rounds of treatment.
"Now I'm ready to finish strong," Habetz wrote.
And at Lamson Park, she says it's business as usual.
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Gallery Credit: Ben Wittstein
