The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) begins its inaugural season on June 7. It’s a bold and fun new venture that will be barnstorming the country this summer. The league is guided by its commissioner, the barrier-breaking former MLB executive Kim Ng.
The league’s season will involve four teams – the Bandits, Blaze, Volts and Talons -- playing 24 games apiece in 10 cities, culminating in a best-of-three championship series in Tuscaloosa, Ala., from July 26-28.
COMPLETE AUSL COVERAGE
- MLB, AUSL announce historic partnership
- 12 AUSL players you should know
- FAQ: Everything to know about the burgeoning AUSL
- 7 MLB connections to softball you probably didn't know about
- Partnership offers 'north star' for softball players with pro dreams
- Broadcast schedule announced
- Team profiles: Bandits | Blaze | Talons | Volts
For 2025, there are no city affiliations for teams, but that is expected to happen for the 2026 season.
We’re doing team-by-team breakdowns of each roster to help fans familiarize themselves with the league. Meet the Volts.
VOLTS
GM: Cat Osterman
As a four-time All-American pitcher for the Texas Longhorns who also starred for Team USA on the gold-winning team at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the silver medal teams at the 2008 and 2020 Summer Games, Osterman is nothing short of softball royalty.
Coach: Kelly Kretschman
Kretschman is a former star outfielder at Alabama and a gold- and silver-medal winner with Team USA at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. She went on to play in National Pro Fastpitch and serve as head coach for the USSSA Pride of Women’s Professional Fastpitch.
KEY PLAYERS
Rachel Garcia, RHP: A five-year letter-winner at UCLA who also starred for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics, Garcia is the ace of the Volts’ staff.
Amanda Lorenz, OF: The Florida alum won the 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship.
Dejah Mulipola, C: The power-hitting Arizona product has extensive experience with Team USA.
Jessi Warren, 3B: The back-to-back Defensive MVP of the AU Pro Softball AUX seasons, Warren pairs with shortstop Sis Bates to give the Volts an especially stout left-hand side of the infield.
Sam Landry, RHP: The No. 1 overall pick in the AUSL College Draft, Landry (who was not yet signed as of this writing but is expected to) pitched Oklahoma to the Women’s College World Series.
WHAT THE PLAYERS ARE SAYING
“I feel like our energy is off the charts. Like, we had orientation and, granted, it was early in the day, but just how we were responding to stuff, we were all sitting at a table together, and we were definitely the loudest ones sitting there.” -- pitcher Payton Gottshall
“Our hitters are some of the best hitters in the country. Like, when I saw the lineup, I was like, ‘Thank God, I don't have to throw to them.’” -- pitcher Mariah Mazon
“We have a lot of power. But I think we’re sneaky fast, too.” -- infielder Sierra Romero
TEAM STRENGTH
Appropriate for a team named the Volts, this club’s Lorenz-led lineup appears to be the most power-packed of any in the AUSL.
“I would be really shocked if we don’t lead the league in home runs,” Osterman said.
UNIQUE STORYLINES
Though this is the first season of the AUSL in a traditional format, Athletes Unlimited has held the individual competition known as the AU Pro Softball Championship Season (renamed the AUSL All-Star Cup this year) since 2020. Three of the five previous individual champions -- Osterman (2020), Mulipola (2022) and Lorenz (2024) -- are involved with the Volts.
In addition, with Garcia, Lorenz, Warren, Mulipola and infielder Tiare Jennings, the Volts have five of the 15 women on this year’s announced Team USA roster for the World Games in August.
Romero is part of a dynamic softball/baseball family that includes younger sisters Sydney (of the AUSL’s Talons) and Sophia (Boise State) and younger brother Mikey, an infielder who was Boston’s No. 1 Draft pick in 2022 and is currently at Double-A Portland.
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