As the AUSL inaugural draft approaches, it is shaping up to be loaded with the best softball players in the world. Now, one more name is added to the list: Maya Brady, niece of seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. The two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year is looking to be one of the 48 players selected among the four teams. Brady brings quite the resume to the AUSL Draft besides being a two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year.
Firstly, the UCLA shortstop is also a three-time Softball America All-American (two-time First Team) and a two-time Division 1 Softball First Team All-American. What’s more, the Thousand Oaks, California native made the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team in 2022 and was the Softball America Freshman of the Year winner in 2020.
Former UCLA star Maya Brady signs to join @theAUSLofficial and will be eligible for the draft on January 29.
— Savanna Collins (@savannaecollins) January 28, 2025
Brady is a 3x All American and 2x Pac-12 Player of the Year.
(via ESPN, Jeff Passan) pic.twitter.com/54UiVGEw70
In five seasons with the Bruins, Brady averaged a .384 batting average with 71 home runs and 246 Runs Batted In (RBIs). Fans will wait and see if she goes to the Bandits, Blaze, Talons, or Volts live at 8:00 p.m. ET, streaming on the ESPN App and the recently launched AUSL YouTube channel. On Wednesday, January 29, ESPN analyst Andraya Carter will host the show, joining veteran ESPN softball commentators Amanda Scarborough and Danielle Lawrie.
Brady Will Not Be The Only Bruins Alum In the AUSL Draft
Besides Brady, there will be some other great Bruins in the draft. To begin, pitchers Brooke Yanez, Rachel Garcia, and Megan Faraimo will be in the mix. Yanez played one season for UCLA in 2023, going 16-3 in 24 appearances with 115 strikeouts and nine complete games.
Secondly, Garcia showed off her dominance in four seasons with the Bruins. In 149 career appearances with 95 starts, she posted a 99-17 career record with 11 saves. The right-hander also compiled 66 complete games and 28 shutouts to her name and won the 2023 AUX Championship. Additionally, Garcia led Team USA to Gold medals at both the 2019 Japan Cup and the 2019 Pan American Games.
get ready for more Rachel 🔥 @raaaccchhheeell has signed for the 2025 AUSL Season!
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) January 24, 2025
👉 https://t.co/1oED4nSzXR pic.twitter.com/PrUbG4laru
Finally, Faraimo, who could be the No.1 overall pick in the AUSL Draft, brings a wealth of experience. The left-hander led Team USA to a Gold medal at the 2022 World Games. Faraimo played a major role in the United States getting a Gold medal at the 2022 Pan American Championship. There, she went a perfect 4-0 record with a 2.69 earned run average and 12 strikeouts in 13 innings.
UCLA Alums In The Infield
Shifting to the infield, catcher Sharlize Palacios was selected in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft last year. She helped Team USA win the 2022 Canada Cup. Palacios hit .571 with two home runs, six runs batted in (RBIs), and a 1.143 slugging percentage. At UCLA, Palacios started 99 of 100 games with UCLA and hit 30 home runs with 90 RBIs.
Delanie Wisz spent three seasons at UCLA, appearing in two NCAA College World Series and being named to the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team in 2022. The 2024 AUX Pro Softball Champion, outfielder Bubba Nickles started 215 career games as a Bruin with a career .357 batting average with 42 home runs and 181 RBIs. Jadelyn Allchin hit .317 with five homers and 33 RBIs in 55 games played at Westwood.
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