Softball Season 5: Week 1 Draft Dots

Here is a list of notes and tidbits related to the AU Pro Softball Week One draft.

• Catcher Gwen Svekis and middle infielder Sydney Romero are serving as team captains for the first time in their Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball careers … They are the 32nd and 33rd players in Championship Season history to be a captain.
• Captain Odicci Alexander, the reigning Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season titleist, is donning the Gold jersey for the ninth time in her AU career, including the third week in a row … Only catcher Dejah Mulipola (10 times) has worn the Gold jersey more in AU Pro Softball Championship Season history.
• Week One marks just the third time pitcher Alyssa Denham has worn the Orange jersey in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career … She has opened each of the last two seasons wearing the Orange jersey.
• Newcomer Lexi Kilfoyl was the first player selected in the Week One draft … She was the only newcomer taken in the first 10 picks … Kilfoyl’s selection marks the 12th time in 21 career AU Pro Softball Championship Season drafts that a pitcher has been the No. 1 overall pick.
• Pitchers accounted for five of the first eight selections in the Week One draft, including all four picks during the opening round.
• Amanda Lorenz was the first outfielder selected in the Week One draft, going to Team Denham with the No. 6 overall pick.
• Middle infielders accounted for three of the top four selections in the third round.
• Team Denham’s roster features three of the four former University of Florida standouts on the AU Pro Softball roster … Lorenz was taken in the second round before middle infielder Skylar Wallace followed in the third round … Catcher Jordan Roberts completed the Florida trio after being picked in the 11th round.
• Catcher Mia Davidson will be wearing the Purple jersey for just the second time in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career … She also donned the Purple top during Week Four last summer.
• Corner infielder Sam Fischer was selected by the Gold team captain for just the third time in her 21 career AU Pro Softball Championship Season weeks after being taken by Team Alexander in the eighth round … In her AU Pro Softball AUX career, the former Loyola Marymount standout donned the Gold top six times in nine series.
• Middle infielder Hannah Flippen will be wearing the Blue jersey for the eighth time in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season career, the most of any jersey color … She has worn the Blue jersey during Week One in three of the last four seasons.
• Outfielder Victoria Hayward will be a member of the Blue team for the 10th time in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career, the most of any jersey color … Hayward has worn the Blue jersey more than any other player in the league’s five-year history.
• Outfielder Amanda Lorenz is a member of the Orange squad for the seventh time in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season career … She has also started the season in the Orange top in three of the last four campaigns.
• Pitcher Mariah Mazon is wearing the Gold jersey for just the second time in 11 weeks during her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career … She also played for the Gold squad during Week Two of the 2022 season.
• Outfielder Haylie McCleney will be wearing the Purple jersey for the fourth time in the last five weeks dating back to last season.
• Middle infielder Sydney McKinney will be wearing the Gold jersey for the fourth time in the last six weeks dating back to last season.
• Outfielder Bubba Nickles was selected by Team Alexander in the Week One Draft, marking the first time she will wear the Gold jersey in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career (AUX and Championship Season combined) … She has worn the Orange jersey nine total times in 16 career weeks/series.
• Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio is wearing the Purple jersey for the eighth time in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career.
• Catcher Sashel Palacios will be sporting the Orange jersey for the seventh time in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career, including the third time in the last five games.
• Outfielder Erika Piancastelli earned a spot on the Orange squad for the eighth time in her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball career after being selected by Team Denham in the 10th round during the Week One draft.
• Corner infielder Nadia Taylor was picked to wear the Gold jersey in Week One for the third consecutive season, marking the only times she has been a member of the Gold squad in her AU Pro Softball Championship Season career.
• Outfielder Megan Wiggins earned her eighth career stint on the Orange team after being selected by Team Denham in the 13th round during the Week One draft.