The Athletes Unlimited Softball League has announced the six nominees for the 2026 AUSL Impact Award, recognizing athletes who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and community impact beyond the softball field.
This year’s nominees are Odicci Alexander-Bennett, Amanda Lorenz, Emma Lemley, Megan Faraimo, Sydney McKinney and Tori Vidales. Each athlete is being recognized alongside a nonprofit organization that reflects their commitment to serving others and creating positive change.
Odicci Alexander-Bennett – Natasha Watley Foundation
Alexander-Bennett is being recognized for her support of the Natasha Watley Foundation, which expands access to softball and creates opportunities for girls in historically marginalized communities.
“What motivates me as an athlete to support the causes and communities that matter most to me is knowing that the game gave me a platform, but purpose is what gives it meaning,” Alexander-Bennett said. “I’ve seen how much access, representation, and support can change a young athlete’s path. Being in a position where kids are watching, especially young girls who look like me, pushes me to show up for more than just performance. It’s about impact, opening doors, and making sure the next generation has more than we did.”
Megan Faraimo – Women’s Sports Foundation
Faraimo is being recognized for her support of the Women’s Sports Foundation, which works to expand opportunities for girls and women in sports through advocacy, research, and community programs.
“As women’s sports continue to grow, I’m impressed by how fearlessly the younger generation steps into the possibilities in front of them,” she said. “They aren’t waiting for permission or afraid of the growth; they’re rising with it. Watching them embrace the opportunities we have all worked so hard for, while also witnessing the way veteran athletes continue to pave the path ahead, inspires me to keep building for our collective future.”
Amanda Lorenz – Friends of Jaclyn Foundation
Lorenz is being recognized for her work with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which helps children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers build lasting connections with sports teams and communities. The veteran outfielder’s work is inspired by her connection with 10-year-old Hartley Georges.
“I met Hartley when she was 10 and recently diagnosed with medulloblastoma,” Lorenz explained. “Watching a 10-year-old precious little girl receive chemo rocked me to my core. I feel passionately about helping young kids with cancer improve their quality of life and raise awareness.”
Emma Lemley – The Trevor Project
Lemley is being recognized for supporting The Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention, suicide prevention resources, and support for LGBTQ+ young people.
“Playing for the Trevor Project is super important to me because there was a time in my life I really needed those resources,” she said. “My sophomore year of college is when I came out to my family and publicly, and it was not pretty at first. Having resources like the Trevor Project is essential for LGBTQ+ youth because so many of us experience hard times when coming out or just in daily lives.”
Sydney McKinney – Beauties & Beasts
McKinney is being recognized for her work with Beauties & Beasts, a Wichita-based rescue organization dedicated to protecting and finding homes for vulnerable cats and dogs.
“I was inspired to support Beauties & Beasts because I LOVE animals and they are local to my community in Wichita,” she said. “Unfortunately, there is a lot of dog fighting and overbreeding in the area that causes a lot of dogs to end up in shelters. The workers at Beauties & Beasts fight daily for the rights of these animals and advocate on their behalf. They give animals a second chance at life and take amazing care of every animal that comes through the door.”
Tori Vidales – Little League Girls with Game
Vidales is being recognized for her support of Little League’s Girls with Game initiative, which celebrates girls and women in baseball and softball while encouraging the next generation of female athletes and leaders.
“Female leadership matters because to be it, you have to first see it,” Vidales explained. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible women who have shown me what leadership, authenticity, and courage can look like. Because of them, I hope that when a young girl watches me play, compete, or simply exist as myself, she feels permission to do the same.”
“My hope is that every young girl realizes she already has everything she needs within her. The power isn’t in becoming someone else–it’s trusting who she already is. There is no ‘too much,’ and there is no ‘not enough.’ There’s only the courage to keep pursuing what lights you up and the belief that your story is yours to write.”
