Former Alabama Star Montana Fouts to Make Professional Debut with AU Pro Softball

Montana Fouts, a four-time All-America pitcher at the University of Alabama, has signed with Athletes Unlimited. Fouts joins a star-studded trio of former Oklahoma players, Haley Lee, Keilani Ricketts, and Alex Storako, in the upcoming AU Pro Softball AUX competition in Wichita, Kansas. 

Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX (pronounced A-U-X), is an intense competition featuring 18 games across two weeks with the world’s best athletes competing in an innovative format to crown an individual champion. The 2024 event will take place June 10-25 at Wilkins Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University with season, group, and single-day tickets now on sale. All games will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms.

During her four-year career at Alabama, Fouts was an ace in the pitcher’s circle, amassing a career record of 100-32 through 160 appearances. The 2021 season was highlighted by throwing a no-hitter against UCLA in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), en route to being named the NFCA National Pitcher of the Year. She led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2022 World Games in her first international appearance.

“I am thrilled to make my professional debut with Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball and compete against the best players in the world,” Fouts said. “AU has a really unique model, and I’ve heard great things about the player experience. I’m looking forward to an intense competition as well as the opportunity to once again pitch in front of the entire world on ESPN.”

still can't believe this is happening 🥹#AUProSB x @MontanaFouts pic.twitter.com/oVKBaMicub

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) May 10, 2024

Ricketts, a four-time NFCA All-America selection, became the first player in Oklahoma program history to be named USA Softball Player of the Year, winning the award in back-to-back seasons, in 2012 and 2013, respectively. During her senior season, Ricketts led Oklahoma to their second-ever National Championship. She holds career program pitching records for wins (133), appearances (192), games started (163), complete games (123), innings pitched (1,074.1), strikeouts (1,605), and shutouts (54). 

Storako, a native of Frankfort, Illinois, and a member of the 2023 WCWS championship team, delivered consistency in the circle, posting an 18-0 record, with four shutouts, and a 1.15 earned run average (ERA), in the 2023 season. She was named a Top-25 finalist for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. Before taking her talents to the Sooner State, she was an NFCA Second-Team All-America Selection at Michigan and was named the 2021 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.

Lee played a pivotal role in her lone season with the Sooners, being named a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and helping lead the program to its seventh National Championship. Before transferring to Oklahoma, she played four seasons at Texas A&M. During that time, she earned Third-Team All-America honors from Softball America and set single-season program records in home runs (25) and slugging percentage (.955).

In addition to the newly announced former Oklahoma players, the roster of world-class athletes announced to date includes the all-time NCAA Division-I home run leader and back-to-back National Champion, Jocelyn Alo, former Wichita State star and three-time All-America pick Sydney McKinney and Wichita native and Olympian Kelsey Stewart-Hunter. In addition, infielder Jessi Warren, who collected AUX Defensive MVP recognition last summer, returns for the 2024 campaign. 

The 2024 AU Pro Softball AUX roster also boasts numerous Athletes Unlimited veterans, including outfielders Haylie McCleney, Bubba Nickles, Megan Wiggins and Morgan Zerkle, infielders Sam Fischer, Hannah Flippen, and Aubrey Leach, catcher Taylor Edwards and pitchers Odicci Alexander, Alyssa Denham and Aleshia Ocasio.

The remainder of the 42-player roster for the 2024 AU Pro Softball AUX competition will be announced at a later date.