LAKELAND, Fl. (KMTV) — Omaha native Rachel Balkvoec won her managerial debut with the Tampa Tarpons, the Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, on Friday night beating Lakeland, 9-6.
The Skutt Catholic grad is the first female to ever be named manager of an affiliated baseball team. Earlier on Friday, the 34-year-old discussed the opportunity.
"I know that I’m capable of doing this," Balkovec said. "I know I’m the right person for it. I know that being a woman, I can get respect in any room that I walk into. So if I choose not to do that and I know I have the opportunity, then it’s disrespectful to other women who’ve come behind me and done that for me."
