Athletes Unlimited Announces Draft and Open Tryouts For 2021 Season
Athletes Unlimited Announces Draft and Open Tryouts For 2021 Season
Athletes Unlimited Softball Announces College Draft and Open Tryouts in Advance of 2021 Season.
April 30, 2021, New York, NY - On a day when Athletes Unlimited announced major new additions to the roster of signed players for the 2021 season, it also announced today that it will conduct its first College Draft for qualifying NCAA Softball Players. The Draft will be streamed on Facebook on May 10th at 8 PM ET and feature the participation of some of the biggest names in sports as guest presenters including Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng and ESPN Broadcaster Jessica Mendoza. Athletes Unlimited also announced that it will host Open Tryouts June 25 – 26 for elite softball players to showcase their skills with the hopes of being invited to compete in Athletes Unlimited’s second softball season to be held at Parkway Bank Ballpark in Rosemont, IL, from August 29 – September 27.
The Athletes Unlimited College Draft Show will feature the announcement of the 12 college seniors with exhausted NCAA eligibility who will be invited to join the league for the upcoming season. Each player will be announced by either a member of the Athletes Unlimited Softball Player Executive Committee or one of several pathbreakers in professional sports including Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng, softball icon and philanthropist Natasha Watley, Team USA and Athletes Unlimited inaugural Softball Champion Cat Osterman, ESPN Analyst and Athletes Advisory Board member Jessica Mendoza, Canadian Olympian Danielle Lawrie, former University of Oklahoma All-Star first baseman Lauren Chamberlain and Texas A&M legend Amanda Scarborough.
“We are thrilled to have some of the biggest names in professional sports help us announce the 12 college graduates being invited to join Athletes Unlimited Softball as part of our first Athletes Unlimited College Draft Show” said Victoria Hayward, Head of the Softball Player Executive Committee, and member of the Canadian Olympic team.
In addition to announcing the College Draft, Athletes Unlimited also announced it will host a two-day open tryout in Rosemont on June 25 – 26. Tryouts will be open to the general public for athletes 18 years of age or older and all applicants must complete an entry form at www.auprosports.com/softball-tryout-application prior to attending.
“As a player-driven league, it is so exciting to see the inaugural group of college players that the players already signed to play in the 2021 season have selected to invite to join the league” said Jon Patricof, CEO and Co-Founder of Athletes Unlimited. “This is the only league in the world in which the players themselves determine who is invited to join the league.”
In addition to announcing the College Draft and Tryout, Athletes Unlimited announced that it has signed 27 new marquee professional players to the roster for the 2021 season bringing the number of signed players to 37. The full roster for the 2021 season will be 60. Signings include standouts Sydney Romero, Infielder from the University of Oklahoma who led the Sooners to four consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances, including two National Championships in 2016 and 2017; Amanda Lorenz, Utility player form the University of Florida who holds Gator career records for batting average (.407), on-base percentage (.549) and tied for first with 59 doubles; Taran Alvelo, Pitcher and member of the Puerto Rican National and 2019 Pan American Games Bronze medallist from the University of Washington who is ranked second in career strikeouts (895) and is one of only three pitchers in school history to notch 100 wins and record 300 strikeouts in a single season; Britt Vonk, Middle Infielder and former member of the Netherlands National Team who led her team to a European Championship in 2011 and played for Cal-Berkeley; Greta Cecchetti, Pitcher and member of Italian National Team since 2006.
Returning players who competed in Athletes Unlimited’s inaugural season include Jessica Burroughs, Picher, Florida State University; Amanda Chidester, Infielder, Team USA Member and University of Michigan; Caleigh Clifton, Middle Infielder, University of Oklahoma; Taylor Edwards, Catcher, Team USA Member and University of Nebraska; Morgan Howe, Outfielder, Arizona State University; Jazmyn Jackson, Outfielder, University of Cal-Berkeley; Sahvanna Jaquish, Catcher, Louisiana State University; Aubrey Leach, Middle Infielder, University of Tennessee; Katiyana Mauga, Corner Infielder, University of Arizona; Sashel Palacios, Catcher, Team Mexico Member and Arizona State University; Shelby Pendley, Middle Infielder, University of Oklahoma; Abby Ramirez, Middle Infielder, University of Michigan; Janie Reed, Outfielder, Team USA and University of Oregon; Jordan Roberts, Catcher, University of Florida; Amanda Sanchez, Corner Infielder, Team Mexico Member and University of Missouri; DJ Sanders, Middle Infielder, University of Oregon; Samantha Show, Pitcher, Oklahoma State University; Gwen Svekis, Catcher, University of Oregon; Nadia Taylor, Corner Infielder, University of Texas; Anissa Urtez, Middle Infielder, Team Mexico Member and University of Utah; Tori Vidales, Corner Infielder, Team Mexico Member and Texas A&M University; Morgan Zerkle, Outfielder, Marshall University.
Athletes Unlimited is a new model of pro sports where athletes are decision-makers and individual players are champions of team sports. We literally change the game with faster play, and a new draft and team rosters every week, delivering next-level competition and engagement in which every moment counts. Athletes Unlimited operates a network of pro sports leagues. The first season of women's softball was completed in 2020 and the first season of women's indoor volleyball was completed in March 2021. The inaugural season of women's lacrosse launches in July 2021 and the second season of softball kicks off in August 2021 to be followed by season two of volleyball in 2022.