Bubba Nickles Crowned 2024 AUX Champion in Close Finish
Entering Tuesday, Bubba Nickles trailed Jocelyn Alo by nearly 200 points. With a doubleheader on the horizon and a captain vying to become the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX Champion, Team Nickles put their bats to work.
In the closest finish in Athletes Unlimited history, Nickles closed the gap with two hits, including a double, and 200 win points to finish the season on top, defeating Alo for the Championship by only six leaderboard points.
Despite the season ending in an individual title, it was her Series Three orange team that willed her to the top of the leaderboard.
“Honestly, all glory to God first and foremost,” Nickles said. “But secondly, I really feel like this medal was this team’s medal. We were talking about how we want to be the first team to win a doubleheader, and I feel like every single woman that’s been here has just been so helpful to each other and supportive and it’s really cool to be in this environment and just to be able to have recognition.”
Nickles and her team nearly swept the inning win points, collecting 60 in the final game against Team Alo. Securing the 8-2 victory for 50 game-win points — along with Nickles’ individual performance — sealed her first-place finish.
“I seriously am so happy that I left everything on the field with them. They had my back through and through, and this orange team is going to go down in my memory book forever. I just love them so much,” Nickles said.
Nickles completed her season with 1,344 points. She tied for the league lead with 890 win points across three series and added 140 MVP points with three MVP 2 and one MVP 3 nod.
She ranked second to Alo in home runs, hitting five long balls, including two on June 11 against Team Wiggins.
In her debut series as an AUX captain, Nickles captained her team to a 3-1 record and became the only team this season to win both games of their doubleheader.
2nd Place Medalist: Jocelyn Alo
Jocelyn Alo finished with 1,338 points at No. 2 on the leaderboard. The NCAA home run record holder also broke the AUX single-season record, logging six. She wielded one of the season’s most productive bats with a .389 average, a .500 on-base percentage, and the best slugging percentage of .944.
She paced the league in stat points and MVP points; she was selected as an MVP in five games.
3rd Place Medalist: Delanie Wisz
Delanie Wisz earned herself a third-place finish through the long ball and plate discipline. The corner infielder collected 1,288 leaderboard points with 10 hits, including four home runs, and a league-leading 10 walks. She was one of the winningest players this season alongside Nickles with 890 win points. She also picked up 80 MVP points from MVP 1 and Game Defensive MVP honors.
Defensive MVP: Jessi Warren
Jessi Warren earned her second consecutive nod as the AUX Defensive MVP after getting the nod in 2023. She continues to prove to be one of the best third basemen in softball. Warren recorded a .951 fielding percentage on 41 total chances. At the hot corner, she had 16 putouts, 23 assists, and turned four double plays.
She was voted a Game Defensive MVP twice for her quick reflexes, diving stops, and throws across the field from her knees.
“It means everything to me,” Warren said. “I have worked so hard in the off-season and I took some time before the season to set some goals for myself and one of those goals was to come out here and do my best defensively. It’s just overwhelming to know these players think of me enough to give me this award.”
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The league will return to Wichita in 2025 in a new form, as Wichita will be among multiple cities playing host to the inaugural season of the new Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).
“Congratulations to Bubba Nickles on winning the AU Pro Softball AUX championship and to Jessi Warren for being named Defensive MVP,” said Cheri Kempf, Senior Vice President and Director of Softball for Athletes Unlimited. “I want to thank the entire city of Wichita, which welcomed AU Pro Softball with open arms, packed Wilkins Stadium with electric crowds, and gave our athletes an experience they will remember forever.”
Athletes Unlimited Softball returns to Rosemont, Illinois at Parkway Bank Sports Complex for its fifth Championship season beginning July 26. Tickets are on sale now.
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