The 2025 season of Athletes Unlimited Softball League was the inaugural season of the league, which began on June 7, 2025. The Talons defeated the Bandits in a best-of-three championship series to win the inaugural AUSL championship.[1]
2025 College Draft
It was announced on April 13, 2025, that the College Draft would air on ESPNU on May 3, 2025.[2] Prior to the draft, players received golden tickets notifying them they were eligible for the draft.[2][3] Sam Landry was drafted first overall by the Volts in the 2025 AUSL Draft.[4]
First Round
Second Round
Third Round
Teams
Bandits
Coaching Staff
Blaze
Coaching Staff
| General Manager | Dana Sorensen |
| Head Coach | Alisa Goler |
| Associate Head Coach | Kara Dill |
| Assistant Coach | Sue Kunkle |
| Assistant Coach | Ryan Wondrasek |
Talons
Coaching Staff
| General Manager | Lisa Fernandez |
| Head Coach | Howard Dobson |
| Associate Head Coach | Kirk Walker |
| Assistant Coach | Jo Koons |
| Assistant Coach | Alex Ibarra | (First week only) |
| Assistant Coach | Will Oldham | (Remainder of Season) |
Volts
Coaching Staff
| General Manager | Cat Osterman |
| Head Coach | Kelly Kretschman |
| Associate Head Coach | Courtney Gettins |
| Assistant Coach | Kristen Zaleski |
| Assistant Coach | Josh Eurich |
Venues
Standings
| Team | GP | W | L | Pct. | GB |
| Talons | 24 | 18 | 4 | .750 | — |
| Bandits | 24 | 15 | 9 | .625 | 3 |
| Volts | 24 | 8 | 16 | .333 | 10 |
| Blaze | 24 | 7 | 17 | .292 | 11 |
Schedule
Each team played 24 games, with a total of 48 games played between four teams during the season. The games were played in a tour format across the United States in at least ten cities.[5]
| 2025 AUSL regular eason |
| Date | Time (CT) | Matchup | TV | Result | Location | | Saturday, June 7 | 2:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 1–3 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | 5:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Blaze | MLB Network | 5–1 | Wilkins Stadium | | Sunday, June 8 | 1:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 6–3 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | 4:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 10–3 | Wilkins Stadium | | Monday, June 9 | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 1–3 | Wilkins Stadium | | Tuesday, June 10 | 1:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Bandits | ESPN 2 | 0–8 (5) | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | Thursday, June 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Bandits | ESPN 2 | 5–6 (9) | McMurry Park | | Friday, June 13 | 8:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 1–6 | McMurry Park | | Saturday, June 14 | 11:00 a.m. | Talons | vs | Blaze | ESPNU | 14–12 | Jim Frost Stadium | | 5:30 p.m. | Talons | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 7–6 | Jim Frost Stadium | | 8:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Bandits | MLB Network | 0–6 | McMurry Park | | Sunday, June 15 | 1:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 10–8 | Jim Frost Stadium | | Wednesday, June 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | MLB.com | 4–5 | Wilkins Stadium | | 6:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 1–6 | | Thursday, June 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | ESPNU | 8–4 | Wilkins Stadium | | 3:30 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Volts | ESPNU | 2–9 | | Friday, June 20 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Blaze | ESPNU | 11–2 (5) | Wilkins Stadium | | 7:30 p.m. | Talons | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 3–2 | Love's Field | | Saturday, June 21 | 4:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Volts | ESPNU | 4–0 | Love's Field | | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Blaze | MLB Network | 11–3 | Wilkins Stadium | | Sunday, June 22 | 4:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 9–7 | Wilkins Stadium | | 6:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Volts | ESPNU | 8–3 | Love's Field | | Monday, June 23 | 5:30 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 3–11 (6) | Wilkins Stadium | | 7:30 p.m. | Talons | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 8–6 | Love's Fields | |
| Date | Time (CT) | Matchup | TV | Result | Location | | Monday, July 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Volts | ESPN2 | 3–5 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | 6:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Talons | ESPN2 | 1–9 (5) | | Tuesday, July 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 12–10 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Talons | MLB.com | 0–4 | | Wednesday, July 9 | 10:30 a.m. | Blaze | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 4–5 (8) | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | 10:30 a.m. | Volts | vs | Talons | MLB.com | 0–2 | | Friday, July 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | ESPNU | 7–8 (8) | Connie Claussen Field | | 9:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 6–11 | Husky Softball Stadium | | Saturday, July 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | MLB Network | 9–1 (6) | Connie Claussen Field | | 8:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 3–1 | Husky Softball Stadium | | Sunday, July 13 | 12:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | ESPN2 | 3–6 | Connie Claussen Field | | 3:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Volts | MLB.com | 10–2 | Husky Softball Stadium | | Wednesday, July 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Talons | ESPNU | 1–4 | Dumke Family Softball Stadium | | Thursday, July 17 | 6:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Volts | ESPN2 | 8–7 | Dell Diamond | | 8:00 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Talons | MLB Network | 4–5 | Dumke Family Softball Stadium | | Friday, July 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Volts | ESPNU | 9–2 | Dell Diamond | | 8:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 3–2 | Dumke Family Softball Stadium | | Saturday, July 19 | 5:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Blaze | MLB.com | 0–2 | Dumke Family Softball Stadium | | 7:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 3–4 | Dell Diamond | | Sunday, July 20 | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 7–5 | Dell Diamond | | Tuesday, July 22 | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Talons | ESPNU | 4–6 | Rhoads Stadium | | 7:30 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 12–6 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | | Wednesday, July 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Volts | vs | Talons | ESPNU | 6–4 | Rhoads Stadium | | 7:30 p.m. | Blaze | vs | Bandits | MLB.com | 1–5 | Parkway Bank Sports Complex | |
| Date | Time (CT) | Matchup | TV | Result | Location | | July 26 | 4:00 p.m. | Bandits | vs | Talons | ESPN2 | 1–3 | Tuscaloosa, AL | | July 27 | 3:00 p.m. | Talons | vs | Bandits | ESPN2 | 1–0 | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
Nationally, games will be broadcast on ESPN (40 games across ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN+), MLB.com (32 games), All-Women’s Sports Network (19 games), NESN Nation (7 games) and MLB Network (5 games). Only games on ESPN platforms and MLB Network will be exclusive. All non-ESPN games will stream on MLB.com.
Regionally, games will air on FanDuel Sports Network (27 games), MSG Networks (27 games), WPWR-TV/WFLD (27 games), Marquee Sports Network (20 games), SportsNet Pittsburgh (19 games), and NESN (17 games).
For all games, Eric Collins, Chuckie Kempf or Mark Neely will serve as play-by-play commentators, Amanda Scarborough (lead), Danielle Lawrie, Jessica Mendoza, Natasha Watley and Kenzie Fowler will serve as color commentators, and Savanna Collins will serve as an on-field reporter.[6]
References
- ^ Sweazie, Cayla (July 27, 2025). "Talons claim Inaugural AUSL Championship Title". theausl.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ^ a b "AUSL to Hold College Draft Show May 3 on ESPNU". theausl.com. Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
- ^ Flores, Marisa. "The 12 NCAA softball stars who got a 'golden ticket' surprise for the AUSL College Draft | NCAA.com". NCAA.com. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ "Oklahoma's Sam Landry No. 1 pick in Athletes Unlimited draft". ESPN.com. May 3, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ Williams, Trevona (May 4, 2025). "Athletes Unlimited Softball League unveils locations, venues for inaugural season". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
- ^ "Broadcast Schedule Announced for Inaugural AUSL Season". AUSL. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
External Links
Schedule