For softball fans across the planet, AUSL will make its long and anticipated debut in June 2025 and has signed nine players.
Firstly, Dejah Mulipola is a name that’s familiar to fans of Athletes Unlimited (AU) Pro Softball. She was the Champion of AU Pro Softball back in 2022. In 44 games with AU Pro Softball, she has a .336 career batting average, a .445 on-base percentage, and a .781 slugging percentage in 128 at-bats. Mulipola also has 43 hits with 14 homers and 37 runs batted in (RBI).
Next, one of the best defensive players in AU Pro Softball, Jessi Warren will be manning the hot corner in AUSL. The 2023 AU Pro Softball Defensive Player of the Year had a .919 fielding percentage in the 2024 season and is pretty solid at the plate. Warren possesses a .326 batting average with 61 hits, 10 home runs, and 32 RBIs in 60 AU Pro Softball games.
Similar to Warren, Anissa Urtez is a great defensive player with some pop in her bat. Urtez, a two-time AU Pro Softball All-Defensive Team player, had a .977 fielding percentage in the recent AU Pro Softball season. The former Utah Utes standout hit .287 with seven RBIs in 45 at-bats this recent season.
Morgan Zerkle is a veteran of AU Pro Softball who will add experience to AUSL with her 75 career games in AU Pro Softball. Overall, she is the all-time leader in hits (119) and has a career batting average of .345.
Other Players Signed For AUSL’s Inaugural Season in 2025
Additionally, infielder Erin Coffel, who made her AU debut in AUX, will be a part of the AUSL next year. She hit three home runs in the 2024 AU Pro Softball Season. Outfielder Kayla Kowalik will be joining Coffel as she played in 14 games in this AU Pro Softball. In his case, she has 14 hits in 42 career plate appearances in AU Pro Softball.
GET HYPE Y'ALL 🗣️
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) November 22, 2024
we are thrilled to introduce the first group of players to join the #AUSL ✍️
👉 https://t.co/F5bUlvhV0D pic.twitter.com/UQIdaBtJWn
Of the signees, Payton Gottshall is the lone pitcher. The right-hander has made six appearances in AU Pro Softball striking out 10 in 15 and two-thirds innings of work with a 3.57 earned run average (ERA). Besides Mulipola, Jordan Roberts is the other catcher signed by AUSL. Roberts has been a part of AU since its inaugural season back in 2020. In the most recent season, she did great behind the plate with a .906 fielding percentage. What’s more, she has 120 career at-bats in 64 games with AU Pro Softball.
Lastly, pitcher Carley Hoover has never stepped on the field for AU Pro Softball but brings veteran-like to the AUSL roster. She played her college softball at LSU, picking up plenty of honors. Her freshman season in Baton Rouge saw her be on the SEC All-Freshman Team. She also garnered First Team All-SEC honors as well. In 138 appearances with the Tigers, Hoover had a 1.74 ERA with 66 complete games and 754 strikeouts. Something else of note, she threw strikes 64.2 percent of the time in her time with LSU.
welcome to the AUSL, @hoovagurl 😏
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) November 22, 2024
▪️ 2x All-American with @LSUsoftball
▪️ Six Year Veteran of the Japan Diamond Softball League
▪️ JD.League Player of the Year in 2022#AUSL pic.twitter.com/ZSss9RM4dQ
All in all, the 30-game season will kick off in June 2025 as they tour across six to eight cities that are yet to be determined. Of the 30 games, 18 games will air exclusively on ESPN’s linear platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU).
You can follow me on Twitter. Also, follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of sports.
