Kentucky Softball's Erin Coffel selected with 11th pick in Athletes Unlimited Softball Draft

Coming out of high school, it was well-known that Erin Coffel would be a star wherever she decided to play at in college. Being the No. 7 recruit in the nation as ranked by FLOsoftball, that was a given.

So, when Kentucky softball was able to land Coffel, she instantly became a perennial star on the team.

Four years later, Coffel is now destined to play professional softball. She was selected with the 11th overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball Draft earlier this week. Coffel was one of 15 players to be drafted.

up next, we have selected an infielder from @UKsoftball…@erincoffel5 👏 pic.twitter.com/nYk0NRQES5

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) May 14, 2024

In the Athletes Unlimited league, you aren’t drafted to a team, but you’re just drafted into the league as a whole. In fact, players in the league alternate between different teams every week through a point system. The player with the most points at the end of the season is crowned the champion.

So, there’s a spin on what is normally a fully team-oriented sport.

In her freshman season in Lexington, Coffel hit 16 balls over the fence, setting a UK freshman record for home runs in what was a 2nd Team All-SEC campaign. Even early on in her career, the slugging shortstop was one of the best players in the country, and she’s only gotten better.

Since then, Coffel has broken multiple records for Kentucky, including the all-time home run total (68) and RBI total (212). Coffel is an offensive machine, posting a team-high .336 batting average and .541 on-base percentage. Her OBP is top 10 in the nation as well. After making First Team All-SEC as a senior, her college career came to an end on Saturday as Kentucky was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.