The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) season is more like a sprint than a marathon – 25 games for each of the six teams in just under two months. That leaves little time for slumps, and the downs need to turn around quickly. There are always unknowns going into Opening Day, and these questions for each team might have an impact come the end of July.
CHICAGO BANDITS: Can Erin Coffel repeat a breakout year?
The second year in pro softball is when many great players slump as they adjust to the challenges of training on their own and the lack of structure provided by a college program. But that wasn’t the case for reigning MVP Erin Coffel. In her rookie campaign competing in the All-Star Cup format (formerly the Championship Season), she batted .194 in her 36 at-bats with seven strikeouts. Last season with the Bandits, she had a slash line of .410 / .566 / .869 for a league-leading 1.512 OPS at the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, her strikeout numbers stayed steady with only eight despite 33 more plate appearances. She altered some of her swing and overhauled the mental side of her game, and perhaps Coffel can prove her ’26 numbers are her norm.
CAROLINA BLAZE: Will we ever see the same lineup twice?
The Blaze have a wealth of positional versatility with an excess of infielders; the positional options can make your head spin. Technically, they only have two outfielders on the roster in McKenzie Clark and Dakota Kennedy. Utility Val Cagle and pitcher Aleshia Ocasio can also play the grass. Same with Kayla Kowalik, but she caught a bulk of the team’s innings last season. Shifting Kowalik to the outfield, they’d be without her stellar pitch-calling skills and instead would have to rely on rookie Reese Atwood. Keeping an eye on how defensive stability and offensive production are balanced will be interesting.
PORTLAND CASCADE: Do they have enough power?
The Cascade roster has a lot of commonalities: smart, quick, and reliable. They’ll likely be a menace in the base path too, and play a good deal of small ball. But will they have the power needed to drive in runs and open up ball games? It could come from a few of the rookies like Sydney Stewart or Megan Grant, who just broke the NCAA Division I single-season home run record with 42 dingers. Korbe Otis slugged .500 last season, but she’s the only player on the team who met that mark in 2025.
OKLAHOMA CITY SPARK: How will the first-year pitchers fare?
This doesn’t just include rookies Maya Johnson and Peja Goold, but also Maddie Penta and Jailyn Ford. This will be both of their first years in the AUSL. They will report after they finish up their commitments in Japan. Ford is the most unknown – she’s a veteran lefty who has not been scouted much in the U.S. in recent years. They could come together as one of the most deceptive staffs in the league, but they’ll need an ace or two to emerge.
UTAH TALONS: Can the pitching staff repeat its dominance?
An even more daunting thought for the rest of the league is whether the Talons’ pitchers as a whole may be even better than 2025. They led the league with a 3.73 team ERA and brought back their most dominant arms in Megan Faraimo, Montana Fouts, and reigning Pitcher of the Year Georgina Corrick. In the off-season, they added veteran Dallas Escobedo Magee to the squad. They’re without Raelin Chaffin, a rookie who made a big impact for them last season, but added newcomer Taylor Tinsley, who is fresh off competing in the Women’s College World Series and is super comfortable with General Manager Lisa Fernandez, who is also on the UCLA coaching staff. Tinsley is on the temporary inactive list to start the season. However, they will be without a lefty option. It will be worth watching if great pitching is their calling card again.
TEXAS VOLTS: Managing missing pieces
During the offseason, it looked like the Volts would be one of the most veteran teams in the league, but with injuries and absences mounting, they’ll likely have four rookies on the field on Opening Day. Amanda Lorenz is out for the season after announcing her pregnancy. Mia Scott and Kelsey Stewart-Hunter are also on the temporarily inactive list. Then Dejah Mulipola and Ally Carda will miss the first few weeks of the season as they finish their overseas commitments in Japan. Sierra Romero was taking reps at first base during preseason camp, so it’s all hands on deck, and where some players slot in defensively may come as a surprise.
All six AUSL teams open up the season on June 9. Tickets for the professional softball season are on sale now.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @savvyco.
