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Keith Jenkins
Nov 25, 2025, 09:53 PM ET
After wrapping up its inaugural season, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League is now expanding from its original four teams to six. That expansion kicks off in December with the AUSL draft.
When is the draft?
The AUSL draft will air live Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all of the action on ESPNU and in the AUSL streaming hub.
How does the draft work?
The four original AUSL teams -- the defending champion Taloms, Bandits, Blaze and Volts -- each will protect five of its players, ensuring they won't be selected by an expansion team. Then the two expansion clubs -- Cascade and the Oklahoma City Spark -- will select from the pool of unprotected players using a snake-draft format. Alternating picks, each expansion team will select five players. A coin toss will determine which team picks No. 1.
Players who are not selected during the expansion draft will remain with their current team.
Following the expansion draft, the AUSL will hold an allocation draft, during which all six teams will select players not currently on an AUSL roster.
Who are the five protected players from each original team?
Bandits: Erin Coffel (IF), Lexi Kilfoyl (P), Taylor McQuillin (P), Skylar Wallace (IF), Morgan Zerkle (OF)
Blaze: Ana Gold (IF), Baylee Klingler (IF), Kayla Kowalik (U), Aubrey Leach (IF), Keilani Ricketts (P)
Talons: Georgina Corrick (P), Megan Faraimo (P), Hannah Flippen (IF), Montana Fouts (P), Sharlize Palacios (C)
Volts: Rachel Garcia (P), Amanda Lorenz (OF), Tiare Jennings (OF), Dejah Mulipola (C), Mia Scott (U)
Who are the head coaches and general managers for the 2026 season?
Bandits: general manager Jenny Dalton-Hill; head coach Shonda Stanton
Blaze: general manager Dana Sorensen; head coach Kara Dill
Cascade: general manager Jami Lobpries; head coach TBD
Spark: general manager Kirk Walker; head coach TBD
Talons: general manager Lisa Fernandez; head coach Howard Dobson
Volts: general manager Cat Osterman; head coach Ricci Woodard
