Erin Coffel’s name is now etched in history. The Bandits infielder has been crowned MVP of the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League season.
The announcement was made Saturday prior to Game 1 of the three-game championship series between the first-place Talons and Coffel’s second-place Bandits, who had an AUSL-leading 152 runs scored during the 24-game regular season.
Even on a Bandits team loaded with offensive stars, Coffel managed to stand out. Coffel, who earned AUSL Hitter of the Year honors on Wednesday, led the league with 28 RBIs while also ranking first (minimum 25 plate appearances) in on-base percentage (.566) and slugging (.869).
A University of Kentucky graduate who holds the school’s career home run record (68), Coffel made her presence felt from the jump this season, delivering the game-winning hit for the Bandits against the Talons in the AUSL’s inaugural opener on June 7.
The Bremen, Ind., native, ended up reaching base safely in each of her first 19 games, not only excelling with the bat but also showing a (rather painful) knack for getting hit by pitches. She took one for the team 13 times this season, tallying six more HBPs than anyone else.
All told, she went 25-for-61 (.410) with five homers, five doubles, four triples and a 1.435 OPS over 23 games.
This marked the second pro season for Coffel after she played in the AU Pro Softball Championship season and AUX in 2024. She was selected in the sixth round of the inaugural AUSL draft, which was held in January, and served as a graduate manager for the University of Florida softball team before the AUSL season got underway.