2026 AUSL season

2026 AUSL season
LeagueAthletes Unlimited Softball League
SportSoftball
DurationJune 9 – July 20, 2026
Games25 (each team) (75 season total)
Teams6
TV partner(s)ESPN
CBS Sports Network
MLB Network
MLB.com
Draft
Top draft pickAllocation draft: Kelly Maxwell
College draft: Karlyn Pickens
Picked byAllocation draft: Portland Cascade
College draft: Carolina Blaze
Regular season
Season championsUtah Talons
AUSL Championship
ChampionsUtah Talons
  Runners-upChicago Bandits
Finals MVPJadelyn Allchin

The 2026 AUSL season was the second season for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. There were six teams in the league: the Chicago Bandits, Carolina Blaze, Utah Talons, and Texas Volts, joined by the expansion teams Portland Cascade and Oklahoma City Spark.

Drafts

On December 1, 2025, the AUSL held their expansion and had a subsequent allocation draft following the addition of the two new expansion teams. The drafts were aired on ESPNU.[1][2][3][4]

The annual College Draft was held on May 4, 2026.[5]

Expansion draft

Protected players

[3][6]
Bandits Blaze Talons Volts
Erin CoffelAna GoldGeorgina CorrickRachel Garcia
Lexi KilfoylBaylee KlinglerMegan FaraimoAmanda Lorenz
Taylor McQuillinAubrey LeachHannah FlippenMia Scott
Morgan ZerkleKayla KowalikSharlize PalaciosTiare Jennings
Skylar WallaceKeilani RickettsMontana FoutsDejah Mulipola
Mary IakopoAleshia OcasioCaroline JacobsenSierra Romero
Bella DaytonDevyn NetzSahvanna JaquishCiara Briggs

First round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
1 Maya Brady Oklahoma City Spark Utility Talons
2 Sam Landry Cascade Pitcher Volts

Second round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
3 Carley Hoover Cascade Pitcher Blaze
4 Sydney McKinney Spark Utility Bandits

Third round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
5 Sydney Romero Spark Infielder Blaze
6 Sierra Sacco Cascade Outfielder Talons

Fourth round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
7 Payton Gottshall Cascade Pitcher Volts
8 Jessie Warren Spark Infielder Volts

Fifth round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
9 Alana Vawter Spark Pitcher Blaze
10 Korbe Otis Cascade Outfielder Blaze

Sixth round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
11 Tori Vidales Cascade Infielder Talons
12 Bubba Nickles-Camarena Spark Outfielder Bandits

Seventh round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
13 Delanie Wisz Spark Catcher/Utility Bandits
14 Pass Cascade

Eighth round

Pick Name New team Position Previous team
15 Pass Spark

Allocation draft

First round

Pick Name Team Position College
1 Kelly Maxwell Portland Cascade Pitcher Oklahoma
2 Kinzie Hansen Oklahoma City Spark Catcher Oklahoma
3 Jayda Coleman Utah Talons Outfielder Oklahoma
4 Kathryn Sandercock Chicago Bandits Pitcher Florida State
5 Alyssa Brito Carolina Blaze Infielder Oklahoma
6 Ally Carda Texas Volts Pitcher UCLA

Second round

Pick Name Team Position College
7 Maddie Penta Spark Pitcher Auburn
8 Mia Davidson Cascade Catcher Mississippi State
9 Jadelyn Allchin Talons Outfielder UCLA
10 Jocelyn Alo Bandits Utility Oklahoma
11 Jenna Laird Blaze Infielder Missouri
12 Alyssa Denham Volts Pitcher Arizona

Third round

Pick Name Team Position College
13 Sis Bates[a] Cascade Infielder Washington
14 Jailyn Ford Spark Pitcher James Madison
15 Rachel Becker Talons Infielder Oklahoma State
16 Jessica Clements Bandits Outfielder UCLA
17 Jala Wright Blaze Pitcher Duke
18 Rylie Boone Volts Outfielder Oklahoma

Fourth round

Pick Name Team Position College
19 Billie Andrews Spark Infielder Nebraska
20 Paige Sinicki Cascade Infielder Oregon
21 Maddie Moore Talons Infielder Clemson
22 Sami Williams Bandits Infielder Iowa State
23 Valerie Cagle Blaze Pitcher/Utility Clemson
24[b] Aliyah Binford Volts Pitcher/Utility Mississippi

Fifth round

Pick Name Team Position College
25 Ali Newland Cascade Catcher/Utility Louisiana State
26 Sydney Sherrill Spark Infielder Florida State
27 Aliyah Andrews Talons Outfielder Louisiana State
28 Emiley Kennedy Bandits Pitcher Texas A&M
29 Pass Blaze

Sixth round

Pick Name Team Position College
30 Haley Lee Spark Catcher/Utility Oklahoma
31 Kendra Falby Cascade Outfielder Florida
32 Pass Talons
33 Pass Bandits

Seventh round

Pick Name Team Position College
34 Pass Spark
35 Pass Cascade

2026 College Draft

The 2026 College Draft was held on May 4, 2026 and aired live on ESPN2. Karlyn Pickens was drafted first overall by the Carolina Blaze.[7]

First round

Pick Name Team Position College
1 Karlyn Pickens Carolina Blaze Pitcher Tennessee
2 NiJaree Canady Texas Volts Pitcher Texas Tech
3 Maya Johnson Oklahoma City Spark Pitcher Belmont
4 Megan Grant Portland Cascade Utility UCLA
5 Jocelyn Erickson Chicago Bandits Catcher Florida
6 Jordan Woolery Utah Talons Infielder UCLA

Second round

Pick Name Team Position College
7 Reese Atwood Blaze Catcher Texas
8 Leighann Goode Volts Infielder Texas
9 Sydney Stewart Cascade Catcher Arizona
10 Peja Goold Spark Pitcher Mississippi State
11 Taryn Kern Bandits Infielder Stanford
12 Taylor Tinsley Talon Pitcher UCLA

Third round

Pick Name Team Position College
13 Ailana Agbayani Bandits Infielder Oklahoma
14 Amari Harper Spark Utility Oregon
15 Kenzie Brown Cascade Pitcher Arizona State
16 Dakota Kennedy Blaze Outfielder Arkansas

Fourth round

Pick Name Team Position College
17 Kenleigh Cahalan Cascade Infielder Florida

Notes

  1. ↑ Played with and was initially drafted by the Volts for the 2025 season.
  2. ↑ With this pick, the Volts reached the maximum number of players allowed on their roster ahead of the 2026 College Draft.

Teams

On November 12, 2025, the league announced the addition of two new expansion teams: the Cascade and the Oklahoma City Spark. The Spark previously played in Association of Fastpitch Professionals and is the first AUSL team to have a confirmed home location (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma).[8][9] The locations of the remaining five teams, as well as the ballparks for all six, were unveiled on January 13, 2026.[10][11] At this time, it was also confirmed that the Bandits are the continuation of the National Pro Fastpitch team of the same name.[12][13]

Chicago Bandits

Carolina Blaze

Portland Cascade

Oklahoma City Spark

Utah Talons

Texas Volts


Schedule

The season schedule was officially announced on January 13, 2026, with each team scheduled to play 25 games. The regular season will begin on June 9 and then it will conclude on July 20, followed by a play-in game, followed by the best of three AUSL Championship series, and the 2026 All-Star Cup.[10]

ESPN will broadcast 47 regular season games and the championship series.[10]

2026 AUSL regular eason
June
DateTime (CT)VisitorResultHomeTVLocation
June 9 4:00 PM Cascade 1–4 Blaze CBSSN Smith Family Stadium
6:00 PM Volts 5–13 (6) Spark ESPN2 Tom Heath Field
8:00 PM Bandits 2–5 Talons ESPN2 Dumke Family Stadium
June 10 5:00 PM Volts 5–8 Spark MLB.TV Tom Heath Field
7:00 PM Cascade 2–11 (5) Blaze ESPN2 Smith Family Stadium
9:00 PM Bandits 0–1 Talons ESPNU Dumke Family Stadium
June 11 4:00 PM Cascade 12–4 (5) Blaze CBSSN Smith Family Stadium
6:00 PM Volts 4–5 Spark MLB.TV Tom Heath Field
8:00 PM Bandits 8–9 (8) Talons ESPNU Dumke Family Stadium
June 13 1:00 PM Spark 9-1 (5) Bandits ESPN2 Parkway Bank Sports Complex
3:00 PM Cascade 3-1 Talons CBSSN Dumke Family Stadium
June 14 11:00 PM Volts 1-9 (6) Blaze ESPN2 Smith Family Stadium
1:00 PM Spark 3-11 (6) Bandits ESPN2 Parkway Bank Sports Complex
7:00 PM Cascade 2-1 Talons MLB Network Dumke Family Stadium
June 15 6:00 PM Volts 5-6 (9) Blaze ESPN2 Smith Family Stadium
8:30 PM Cascade 3-2 Talons ESPN2 Dumke Family Stadium
June 16 6:00 PM Spark 4-5 Bandits ESPNU Parkway Bank Sports Complex
June 17 5:00 PM Blaze 3–4 Bandits CBSSN Parkway Bank Sports Complex
June 18 6:00 PM Talons 4–3 Volts ESPN Dell Diamond
8:00 PM Spark 0–3 Cascade ESPN Hillsboro Ballpark
June 19 6:00 PM Talons 6–1 Volts MLB.TV Dell Diamond
8:00 PM Spark 6–1 Cascade ESPN2 Hillsboro Ballpark
June 20 11:00 AM Blaze 8–0 (5) Bandits ESPN Parkway Bank Sports Complex
7:00 PM Talons 8–0 Volts MLB.TV Dell Diamond
June 21 11:30 AM Spark 4–3 Cascade ESPN Hillsboro Ballpark
June 22 12 PM Blaze 1–5 Bandits [a] Parkway Bank Sports Complex
7:00 PM Spark 1–5 Talons ESPN2 Dumke Family Stadium
June 23 6:00 PM Bandits 2–6 Volts ESPNU Dell Diamond
8:00 PM Spark 3–6 Talons CBSSN Dumke Family Stadium
June 24 7:00 PM Bandits 4–6 Volts CBSSN Dell Diamond
June 25 6:00 PM Talons 3–2 (6) Blaze ESPN Durham Bulls Athletic Park
June 26 5:00 PM Talons 3–0 Blaze CBSSN Durham Bulls Athletic Park
7:00 PM Cascade 5–1 Volts ESPNU Dell Diamond
June 27 1:00 PM Talons 1–6 Blaze ESPN Durham Bulls Athletic Park
4:00 PM Bandits 14–0 (5) Spark CBSSN Tom Heath Field
7:00 PM Cascade 6–3 Volts MLB.TV Dell Diamond
June 28 12:00 PM Cascade 5–2 Volts ESPN Dell Diamond
7:00 PM Bandits 8–6 Spark MLB Network Tom Heath Field
June 29 6:00 PM Blaze 5–4 Spark ESPN2 Tom Heath Field
June 30 6:00 PM Cascade 3–13 (5) Bandits ESPNU Parkway Bank Sports Complex
8:00 PM Volts 2–5 Talons CBSSN Dumke Family Stadium
July
DateTime (CT)VisitorResultHomeTVLocation
July 1 6:00 PM Blaze 3–9 Spark ESPN2 Tom Heath Field
8:00 PM Volts 4–8 Talons MLB.TV Dumke Family Stadium
July 2 6:00 PM Cascade 3–11 (5) Bandits ESPN Parkway Bank Sports Complex
July 3 8:00 PM Blaze 4–2 Talons MLB.TV Dumke Family Stadium
July 4 3:30 PM Volts 2–3 (8) Bandits CBSSN Parkway Bank Sports Complex
6:00 PM Cascade 3–12 (5) Spark ESPNU Tom Heath Field
8:00 PM Blaze 4–5 Talons CBSSN Dumke Family Stadium
July 5 12:00 PM Cascade 8–4 Spark ESPN2 Tom Heath Field
7:00 PM Volts 1–2 Bandits MLB Network Parkway Bank Sports Complex
July 6 6:00 PM Volts 5–7 Bandits ESPNU Parkway Bank Sports Complex
July 7 7:00 PM Blaze 2–4 Cascade ESPN2 Hillsboro Ballpark
July 8 7:00 PM Blaze 1–2 (8) Cascade CBSSN Hillsboro Ballpark
July 9 7:00 PM Talons 3–4 Spark ESPNU Tom Heath Field
July 10 6:00 PM Blaze 0–1 (8) Volts ESPNU Dell Diamond
8:30 PM Bandits 8–6 Cascade CBSSN Hillsboro Ballpark
July 11 1:00 PM Blaze 3–4 Volts ESPN Dell Diamond
4:00 PM Bandits 2–0 Cascade CBSSN Hillsboro Ballpark
7:00 PM Talons 5–4 Spark MLB.TV Tom Heath Field
July 12 2:00 PM Bandits 4–5 Cascade ESPN2 Hillsboro Ballpark
7:00 PM Talons 2–4 Spark MLB Network Tom Heath Field
July 13 6:00 PM Blaze 0–8 (8) Volts ESPN2 Dell Diamond
July 14 6:00 PM Spark 7–2 Volts ESPN2 Dell Diamond
July 15 5:00 PM Bandits 7–6 (8) Blaze MLB.TV Smith Family Stadium
7:00 PM Spark 7–2 Volts ESPNU Dell Diamond
9:00 PM Talons 2–10 (5) Cascade CBSSN Hillsboro Ballpark
July 16 6:00 PM Bandits 15–7 (6) Blaze CBSSN Smith Family Stadium
9:00 PM Talons 4–3 Cascade MLB.TV Hillsboro Ballpark
July 17 7:00 PM Volts 7–2 Cascade ESPN2 Hillsboro Ballpark
July 18 3:00 PM Talons 1–2 (8) Bandits ESPN2 Parkway Bank Sports Complex
5:00 PM Spark 12–4 (8) Blaze ESPNU Smith Family Stadium
9:00 PM Volts 1–10 (5) Cascade CBSSN Hillsboro Ballpark
July 19 11:00 PM Spark 6–5 Blaze ESPN Smith Family Stadium
7:00 PM Talons 3–1 Bandits MLB Network Parkway Bank Sports Complex
July 20 6:00 PM Spark 1–11 (5) Blaze ESPN2 Smith Family Stadium
Postseason
DateTime (CT)VisitorResultHomeTVLocation
July 23 (Play-in) 8:00 PM Cascade 5–6 (11) Bandits ESPN Davis Diamond
July 25 (Championship Game 1) 12:00 PM Bandits 1–2 Talons ABC Davis Diamond
July 26 (Championship Game 2) 1:00 PM Talons 6–1 Bandits ESPN Davis Diamond

Awards and honors

Awards

Award[27] Player
Hitter of the Year[28] Sami Williams (CHI)
Pitcher of the Year[29] Montana Fouts (UTA)
Rookie of the Year[30] Reese Atwood (CAR)
Comeback Player of the Year[31] Bri Ellis (UTA)
Impact Award[32] Odicci Alexander-Bennett (CHI)

All-AUSL Team

All-AUSL Team[27]
Position Player
Pitcher Montana Fouts (UTA)
Catcher Reese Atwood (CAR)
Corner Infielders Sami Williams (CHI)
Bri Ellis (UTA)
Middle Infielders Skylar Wallace (CHI)
Sydney Romero (OKC)
Outfielders Maya Brady (OKC)
Jadelyn Allchin (UTA)
Korbe Otis (POR)
Utility Megan Grant (POR)

Media coverage

ESPN and MLB Network return as the main media partners for the 2026 AUSL season. CBS Sports Network joins as a new partner, airing 20 exclusive games. ESPN Networks will air up to 50 games, including the AUSL Championship, the All-Star Cup, and the AUSL Pro Game at the Little League Softball World Series. As part of those 50 games, Game One of the AUSL Championship will air on ABC, which will mark the very first time a professional softball game will be broadcast on network television. MLB Network will air a total of 11 games, primarily on Sunday nights.[33]

The placement of teams in six regional markets, as opposed to the touring model used in 2025, enhanced the growth of both an in-person and on-media fanbase for the league. Commissioner Kim Ng, who was the Miami Marlin's General Manager from 2021-2023, focused on providing a fast-moving product primarily for TV viewership. This resulted in significant growth in ESPN viewership, merchandise sales, in-stadium ticket sales, and social media impressions. [34] As an added aspect of the league's commercial viability, it added or extended sponsorship from eight major national entities.[35] Although the addition of two new teams in 2026 was very successful, as Portland accounted for nearly half of the league's sellout crowds, Commissioner Ng and Athletes Unlimited CEO Jon Patricof indicated that the league would forgo adding any additional teams for the time being, with expectations that the sport's return to the Olympic stage in the Summer of 2028 will spur even greater interest.[36] [35]The league is considering expanding the regular season schedule to fulfill the current demand for the product. [37]

Notes

  1. ↑ Because of weather, this game was postponed from June 21. It was set to air on MLB Network, but that was scrapped for the rescheduled date.

References

  1. ↑ Vernon, Brady (December 2, 2025). "2026 AUSL Expansion, Allocation Draft Results". Softball America. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Athletes Unlimited Softball League: Expansion and allocation draft". ESPN. December 2, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "2025 AUSL Draft Results". AUSL. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  4. ↑ "AUSL Expansion Draft rules". MLB.com. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  5. ↑ "AUSL College Draft Rules". theausl.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Here are all the players protected from AUSL Expansion Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  7. ↑ Collins, Savanna (May 4, 2026). "Blaze select Karlyn Pickens with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft". theausl.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  8. ↑ Smith, Allison (November 12, 2025). "AUSL Announces Expansion Teams, Adds Oklahoma City Spark". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Oklahoma City Spark joins AUSL, Cascade revealed as newest team". AUSL. November 12, 2025. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 Castrovince, Anthony (January 13, 2026). "AUSL sets permanent home cities for all 6 teams, releases '26 schedule". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  11. ↑ "AUSL reveals six home cities for second season". Reuters. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  12. ↑ "AUSL Brings the Chicago Bandits Back to the Windy City". AUSL. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Rosemont named AUSL host city, home of the Chicago Bandits". Chicago Sun-Times. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Bandits Players". Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Bandits Coaching Staff". Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Blaze Players". AUSL. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Blaze Coaching Staff". AUSL. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Cascade Players". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Cascade Coaching Staff". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  20. ↑ Jones, Siera (December 23, 2025). "Cascade name Olympic gold medallist Tairia Flowers as inaugural head coach". AUSL. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Spark Players". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Spark Coaching Staff". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Talons Players". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Talons Coaching Staff". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Volts Players". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Volts Coaching Staff". AUSL. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  27. 1 2 "AUSL Announces 2026 Award Winners". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Sami Williams Claims AUSL's Hitter of the Year Award". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Montana Fouts named AUSL Pitcher of the Year". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Reese Atwood Named 2026 AUSL Rookie of the Year". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  31. ↑ "The Mindset Behind Comeback Award Winner Bri Ellis' Sophomore Surge". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Impact Award Winner Odicci Alexander-Bennett is Creating Opportunities Beyond the Game". AUSL. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  33. ↑ "AUSL Unveils 2026 Broadcast Schedule Across Expanded National and International Platforms". Athletes Unlimited. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  34. ↑ JohnWallStreet (July 23, 2026). "New Episode of JaneWallStreet's ATT: AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng". JohnWallStreet. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  35. 1 2 Axon, Rachel (August 4, 2026). "AUSL increases viewership, hits other growth metrics in season two". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  36. ↑ Northam, Mitchell. "Athletes Unlimited Softball League unlikely to expand in 2027, Kim Ng says". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  37. ↑ "2026 marked year of growth in AUSL viewership, attendance and more". MLB.com. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
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