Opening day for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) was Saturday, June 7, but the grand slam news preceded the first pitch when it was announced that Major League Baseball (MLB) was making a strategic investment in the league. MLB will work together with AUSL to raise the league’s visibility. This will include marketing, events, online content and viewership. It will also promote softball at all levels, engaging more girls and women in the sport nationwide.
“This is a watershed moment for women’s sports and especially for softball,” said AUSL commissioner Kim Ng. “MLB’s investment will supercharge our efforts to build the sustainable professional league this sport has long deserved and sends a powerful message about the value of female athletes and the importance of creating professional opportunities for them.”
Some icons of the sport will be an active part of this AUSL season as Olympic medalists Lisa Fernandez and Cat Osterman serve as GMs and Stacey Nuveman-Deniz and Kelly Kretschman as coaches. ESPN is a broadcast partner and will carry at least 30 games on television platforms such as ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.
This is exciting for rookie Danieca Coffey, a recent graduate from the Louisiana State University (LSU), who was drafted by the Volts. “Being around [veteran players], I think their confidence level is crazy high, so just being around them and seeing how confident they are in their game has made me more confident in myself, realizing what I bring to the table,” said Coffey, a five-year letter winner at LSU.
Coffey described herself as a slapper not a power hitter, so she is focusing on what made her successful in the collegiate game. Overtime, she will improve all aspects of her game, but for now she’s intent not to pretend to be something she isn’t.
At LSU, Coffey played infield. As a pro, she will be a utility player. “Being able to play any position just to get on the field is my thing this pro season,” she said. “Being diverse and unique and thriving wherever I’m at.”
The AUSL has four teams — Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volt. Each will play 24 games. The top two teams will compete for the AUSL Championship. Following that championship, 60 players will compete for an individual championship (similar to the set up of Athletes Unlimited Basketball) in the AUSL All-Star Cup. This year, the league will play in multiple cities. The plan for 2026 is to become a city-based league.