Athletes Unlimited Season Five Says Goodbye to Sam Fischer, Welcomes Rookies

The fifth championship season of Athletes Unlimited softball has arrived and the five-week season roster is set featuring 60 of softball’s best players in the world including Olympians, National Champions and All-Americans.

The championship season will showcase 18 newcomers but also bid farewell to a veteran who has impacted the game. Infielder Sam Fischer will take the field for one last ride, concluding the journey she has been on since she first tossed the ball around her backyard at four years old.

As one of the first athletes to join AU, the decision to retire came peacefully. 

“I feel very fortunate that I was able to make this decision,” Fisher said. “Pro softball is still in a place where you never know when your career will end, but after last season I started to think about it and my gut has never led me in the wrong direction. I thought I would cry every day, but it feels like I am here ready for another season. I am trying to keep it feeling that way instead of putting further pressure or extra thought into it.” 

As the first All-American selection in LMU program history, a gold medalist for Team USA, and the professional with National Pro Fastpitch, the Japanese Professional League, and Athletes Unlimited, Fischer’s path to success wasn’t always flashy, but she wouldn’t change a thing about it. 

“I would like to think that my playing career is a representation of ‘You can do anything that you want to do’,” Fisher said. “You don’t have to be the biggest player at the biggest school or win a National Championship or be the first name that everybody thinks of when they think of a hitter. I am an example of someone who can accomplish everything that I want to accomplish without taking the more beaten path. The road less traveled is still a successful road.” 

Even with one last shot at the game, Fischer’s personal goals haven’t altered. She is determined to treat her final season just like any other and is giving no special treatment to her plan. 

“I want to achieve the same thing that I always want to achieve, and that is to hit the ball hard and to enjoy every second,” Fischer said. “I have worked just as hard, trained just as hard, and prepared just as hard and I just want this season to be a good one the same way I wanted any other season to be a good one.” 

And while one historic softball career is ending, a new professional career is on the horizon for rookie Valerie Cagle. After five seasons at Clemson, Cagle was the No. 1 pick of the 2024 AU Pro Softball College Draft. The two-way player held a 1.72 career ERA and a .379 batting average with 55 home runs and 224 RBIs.

“I said the morning of the draft that I should probably watch to see if I get drafted,” Cagle said. “That was my thought going into it, was if I get drafted. They announced me as the first pick and I always say that I am not very reactive, but that was one moment when my reaction was very genuine. It wasn’t something I expected but I was so excited and it didn’t feel real. I am looking forward to seeing what this stage feels like.”

After five years in college, Cagle is ready for a change of pace. With a short time spent with AU already and learning from league veterans like Fischer, she has come to understand that the game doesn’t have to be taken so seriously all the time. 

“Knowing that Athletes Unlimited is very competitive and also isn’t quite as serious as college has been something the veterans have made sure to let all rookies know,” Cagle said. “That is helpful especially since I am transitioning out of college and there is so much pressure in the college game. It’s a fun environment to play in but sometimes it can be a little exhausting.” 

As she heads into her pro debut, Cagle hasn’t put too much thought into being crowned champion. She has come to like the independence that Athletes Unlimited offers and for now, she is taking one moment at a time.

“A lot of times in college I was always doing something,” Cagle said. “Now I can take time to focus a little bit more on different things. One day I threw bullpen and I didn’t feel like I needed to throw overhand that day so I didn’t do any fielding. I haven’t thought much about the outcome of this season, but I want to find that joy in playing again and not take the game too seriously.” 

The fifth championship season of Athletes Unlimited softball will take place July 26 through August 25 at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois. Week One begins with two matchups on ESPN 2. Team Svekis will face Team Denham at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT followed by Team Alexander vs. Team Romero at 9:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. CT. 

Here is final roster for the upcoming 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season:

Name	School	Position
Odicci Alexander	James Madison	P
Aliyah Andrews	LSU	OF
Sis Bates	Washington	MIF
Georgina Corrick	South Florida	P
Mia Davidson	Mississippi State	C
Alyssa Denham	Arizona	P
Taylor Edwards	Nebraska	C
Andrea Filler	Northwestern	MIF
Sam Fischer	Loyola Marymount	CIF
Hannah Flippen	Utah	MIF
Rachel Garcia	UCLA	P
Danielle Gibson	Arkansas	CIF
Kelsey Harshman	Wisconsin	MIF
Vic Hayward	Washington	OF
Kayla Kowalik	Kentucky	OF
Aubrey Leach	Tennessee	MIF
Amanda Lorenz	Florida	OF
Mariah Mazon	Oregon State	P
Haylie McCleney	Alabama	OF
Sydney McKinney	Wichita State	MIF
Taylor McQuillin	Arizona	P
Bubba Nickles	UCLA	OF
Aleshia Ocasio	Florida	P
Saschel Palacios	Arizona State	C
Erika Piancastelli	McNeese State	C
Jordan Roberts	Florida	C
Sierra Romero	Michigan	MIF
Sydney Romero	Oklahoma	MIF
Jordyn Rudd-Lee	Northwestern	C
Kathryn Sandercock	Florida State	P
Kelsey Stewart-Hunter	Florida	CIF
Peyton St. George	Duke	P
Gwen Svekis	Oregon	C
Nadia Taylor	Texas	CIF
Anissa Urtez	Utah	MIF
Tori Vidales	Texas A&M	CIF
Jessi Warren	Florida State	CIF
Megan Wiggins	Georgia	OF
Delanie Wisz	UCLA	CIF
Morgan Zerkle	Marshall	OF
Lexi Kilfoyl	OSU	P
Megan Faraimo	UCLA	P
Skylar Wallace	Florida	MIF
Kalei Harding	FSU	OF
Sarah Willis	UCF	P
Sharlize Palacios	UCLA	C
Payton Gottshall	Tennessee	P
Erin Coffel	Kentucky	MIF
Claire Davidon	Duke	OF
Jadelyn Allchin	UCLA	OF
Caroline Jacobsen	Clemson	OF
Josie Muffley	FSU	MIF
Hope Trautwein	Oklahoma	P
Valerie Cagle	Clemson	P
Karli Spaid	Miami (Ohio)	OF
McKenzie Clark	Clemson	OF
Morgan DeBord	Minnesota	OF
Hannah Borden	Southern Mississippi	C
Kayla Beaver	Alabama	P
Allie Skaggs	Arizona	MIF