Final Roster Set for Fifth Championship Season of AU Pro Softball

Led by defending champion Odicci Alexander and 2021 champion Aleshia Ocasio, 60 of the world’s best softball stars – including Olympians, National Champions, and All-Americans – are set to compete in the fifth championship season of Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball, which will take place this Friday, July 26 through August 25. 

The majority of the five-week season will be played at The Stadium at Parkway Bank Sports Complex, in Rosemont, Illinois, the first professional sports venue dedicated solely to women’s professional sports in the United States. Two of the games will take place at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium at East Carolina University, in Greenville, North Carolina on August 7, as Athletes Unlimited will team up with Little League to celebrate 50 years of the Little League Softball World Series (LLSWS) with the second annual AU Pro Games, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. 

Tickets are available at auprosports.com. All games will be available live exclusively either on ESPN platforms or Bally Sports regional sports networks and the Bally Sports app when users sign in through their pay TV provider or subscribe to Bally Sports+. The full schedule for the 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship season can be found here, as well as the full 60-player roster, which can be found here.

The sport of softball was founded in Chicago in 1887 and to commemorate AU Pro Softball’s five-year commitment to Chicago through 2028, AU released a new campaign, titled “Softball is Home.”

After claiming the 2023 Championship Season title, Alexander will attempt to become the first-ever Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball player to win back-to-back individual titles. During her run to the 2023 title, she set single-season records in total win points (1,390) and inning win points (790). The three-time NFCA All-America pitcher guided James Madison to its first-ever Women’s College World Series (WCWS) appearance in 2021.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to defend my title with Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball and play alongside the best players in the world,” said Alexander. “AU has been a catalyst for the tremendous growth of softball, both on and off the field, and its recent five-year commitment to play in the Chicago area will ensure that professional softball will continue to thrive.”

Ocasio is one of the founding players of Athletes Unlimited and has been a consistent threat in the circle, tallying 97 strikeouts in four Championship Seasons. While at the University of Florida, she earned NFCA All-America honors in 2015 and 2016, respectively and led the Gators to the 2015 NCAA Division I title. She is a three-time Pan American Games medalist representing Puerto Rico.

Pitcher Alyssa Denham became the first player in Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball history to earn medalist honors in back-to-back seasons, after placing second in the 2022 and 2023 Championship Seasons, respectively. The University of Arizona star compiled a 52-18 record in 93 appearances and was a Third-Team NFCA All-America selection in 2021.

Valerie Cagle and Skylar Wallace lead a talented rookie class ahead of the 2024 season. The former was the first overall draft pick in the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft, and across four seasons, the Tigers ace fashioned 86 wins across 114 starts while earning NFCA All-American honors each season. Wallace, who was drafted sixth overall, played a pivotal role during three seasons with Florida, helping guide the program to two WCWS appearances in three seasons. 

“We are thrilled to extend our commitment to Chicago for the next five years, and look forward to an intense competition featuring the world’s best athletes this summer,” said Cheri Kempf, Senior Vice President and Director of Softball for Athletes Unlimited. “Fans coming to Rosemont and tuning in on ESPN platforms will be treated to the very highest level of competition this amazing sport has to offer.” 

The 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship Season roster features numerous Athletes Unlimited veterans, including outfielders Aliyah Andrews, Amanda Lorenz, Haylie McCleney and Morgan Zerkle, infielders Sis Bates, Andrea Filler, Hannah Flippen, Baylee Klingler, Sydney McKinney, Sierra Romero and Sydney Romero, pitchers Rachel Garcia, Megan Faraimo, Kathryn Sandercock and Taylor McQuillin and catchers Mia Davidson, Taylor Edwards and Gwen Svekis. 

AU Pro Softball is part of Athletes Unlimited, which was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2023 and features an Advisory Board comprised of an illustrious group of high-profile contributors from the worlds of sports, business and entertainment including softball icons Jessica Mendoza and Cat Osterman, basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team superstar Abby Wambach; and two-time NBA champion and entrepreneur Kevin Durant, among many others. 

Beginning in 2025, the AU Pro Softball Championship Season will be renamed the AUSL Champions Cup, and follow the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). Formally announced on June 4, the AUSL is set to begin with four teams playing a 30-game season (60 total games) in a traditional format, creating a new opportunity for the world’s best players to compete. Kim Ng – a trailblazing executive who most recently became the first woman to serve as General Manager of a major American men’s professional sports team – has joined the organization as a Senior Advisor, while softball legends Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman and Natasha Watley are advisors to the AUSL, and will consult with Ng, AU leadership and current athletes on the strategic direction of the new league. 

The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be a touring property featuring games in 6-8 different cities. Further details about the AUSL, including locations, competitors, schedule, and additional broadcast partners will be announced at a later date. 

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct the location of the two games at the Little League Softball World Series as Max R. Joyner Family Stadium at East Carolina University.