Aaron Judge has made baseball history, breaking a record that’s stood for more than six decades.

The New York Yankees outfielder tied the single-season American League home run record in late September 2022 when he hit his 61st home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. That record, set by Yankees legend Roger Maris in 1961, stood for 61 years.

Fans anxiously awaited if and when Judge would hit another homer, and on Oct. 4, 2022, the outfielder hit his history-making 62nd home run at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field and set a new record.

One fan who kept a particularly close eye on Judge’s historic home run chase was his wife, Samantha Bracksieck.

“My wife has been with me through it all and she’s calm as a cucumber, that’s for sure,” Judge told the New York Post after tying Maris’ long-standing record.

In December 2022, Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million dollar contract with the Yankees. He was also named the team’s newest captain.

“Thank you to everybody, my wife, Samantha,” Judge said during a press conference, where he was joined by Bracksieck on stage. “[My wife and I] came to the decision that was in our hearts, which is we belong in New York, we belong in this city.”

Bracksieck played an important role in negotiating that contract, as Judge said during an August 2024 appearance on the Casa de Klub podcast. When conversations didn’t seem to be going anywhere, his wife was the one who encouraged him to call owner Hal Steinbrenner. The call went well, and Bracksieck listened in as Steinbrenner told him he’d also be made captain.

“I was more speechless about that than hearing about a nine-year deal. Sam was hitting me like, ‘You gotta be saying something.’ It was special,” he said.

So, who is the woman standing by the MLB player’s side as he makes his way into baseball history books? Here’s everything to know about Aaron Judge’s wife, Samantha Bracksieck.

She met Judge in high school

Bracksieck and Judge attended Linden High School in Linden, California. There, Judge played three sports (football, basketball and baseball) before graduating in 2010.

After high school, both Bracksieck and Judge studied at Fresno State University in California.

She studied kinesiology

While a student at Fresno State, Bracksieck was honored in 2017 for an outstanding master’s thesis in kinesiology. Her award-winning project, titled “Posterior Elbow Angle During the Movement Phase of Throwing in Relation to the Susceptibility of UCL Injury in Major League Baseball Players,” examined elbow ligament injuries in Major League Baseball.

She and Judge have been together since at least 2014

Though Bracksieck and Judge primarily keep their relationship off social media, Bracksieck first appeared on Judge’s Instagram account in November 2014. The photo collage showed the couple, along with Judge’s parents, participating in a Thanksgiving Day 5K run together.

“Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and always be grateful for what you have! #GodBless #5k,” Judge captioned the post.

Save for that 2014 post, Bracksieck is almost completely absent from Judge’s social media. The only other time she has appeared on his Instagram page is in July 2022, when the two visited Los Angeles during the MLB’s All-Star Break.

“What a time we had out in LA for the All Star break! Can’t thank Yankee fans and all the fans out there for their support and making this one of the best years yet! Time to get rolling in the 2nd half!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,” the baseball player wrote along the series of photos.

She and Judge wed in 2021

Judge and Bracksieck were married in a private ceremony in Maui, Hawaii, on Dec. 13, 2021, according to the Daily Mail. Photos obtained by the publication showed the couple exchanging their vows underneath an impressive arch of florals and greenery at the Montage Kapalua Bay Resort. Bracksieck wore a form-fitting gown with an illusion neckline, detailed back and long veil, while Judge donned a classic black tuxedo.

The couple, who never formally announced their engagement, wed in front of an intimate crowd that included several of Judge’s New York Yankees teammates. Photos on Twitter showed Yankees players Gary Sanchez, Luis Cessa and Gleyber Torres in Hawaii for the nuptials.

She and Judge enjoy sports — not just baseball

Though Judge and Bracksieck primarily keep their relationship under wraps, they are frequently seen enjoying sporting events together.

In November 2019, the couple stood on the sidelines during a football game at their alma mater, Fresno State. A few years later, they were spotted sitting courtside (next to Trevor Noah) as the Brooklyn Nets faced the Boston Celtics in the NBA Playoffs.

Judge and Bracksieck are also big fans of tennis. They attended the US Open in 2022 and 2023.

In October 2023, the couple sat courtside at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks game against the Boston Celtics.

She and Judge are charitable

Judge and Bracksieck make giving back a joint effort. In November 2019, the couple returned to the Fresno area to visit young cancer patients at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County, California, according to ABC 30. During the visit, the two were seen laughing and making jokes with patients to help brighten their day.

The hospital visit was part of Judge’s work with his foundation, ALL RISE. The mission of Judge’s organization — which he started in 2018 — is to inspire children and teens to become responsible citizens through leadership programs, grants, baseball camps and more.

She has run the New York City Marathon multiple times

Sam Judge and Aaron Judge at the finish line of the TCS 2022 New York City Marathon.

In November 2022, Bracksieck ran the New York City Marathon — and Judge was there to cheer her on. The couple were spotted hugging after she crossed the finish line.

A year later, when Bracksieck returned for another round in 2023, Judge was waiting at the finish line again to congratulate her with a hug and a smile.

Judge’s teammate, Anthony Rizzo, was also there to support his wife, Emily, who told the New York Post that she’d reached out to Bracksieck for tips before the marathon.

“I have gone to her throughout this entire process and asked her a gazillion questions about what the day [of] looks like, what I should be wearing, what headphones, what her training looks like,” she said in October 2023. “We’ve ran together as well, and she’s really been a support system for me and given me a lot of good experience advice.”