Athletes Unlimited is beginning their second season after a very successful inaugural season, which is a major feat as the season took place in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletes Unlimited is a new type of professional sports league that is completely run by the athletes, there are no franchises. The players decide the teams each week and are ranked based on performance and win/loss points earned that go towards a season total. The athlete with the most points at the end of the six week season will be crowned the champion. Olympic gold and silver medalist, Cat Osterman, is the defending champion and she will be returning to play her last season of professional softball before she retires for the second time after a successful comeback that began in 2019.

To begin the 2021 season, Athletes Unlimited announced they will hold the inaugural collegiate draft on Monday, May 10th. The league will decide on the top 12 senior softball players to join the league. My list will feature the top 15 seniors I am most expecting to see get their names called. This list will only feature seniors who have used up all of their eligibility; as 4th year seniors have the opportunity to come back to college for their 5th year due to the COVID-19 NCAA rules.

1. RACHEL GARCIA | UCLA | RHP

Stat: 1.37 ERA, 89-14, 901 K, .343 BA, 37 HR, 156 RBI

I mean c’mon, it’s Rachel Garcia. She is the most complete player that we have seen in a very long time in the softball world. Lauren Haeger is the only player that comes to mind in recent years that could hit and pitch like Rachel can. Rachel has done both all 4 years she has played at UCLA. Team USA member, National Player of the Year twice in 2018 and 2019, National Champion in 2019, 3 time All-American. She is the best of the best of this class, no doubt.

2. SIS BATES | WASHINGTON | SS

Stat: .387 BA, 141 RBI, 78 XBH, .454 OBP, .982 FLD%

Sis may not be the best offensive player of this group, but she is the absolute best defensive player. Defense wins championships, and she may not be the best but she is no slouch at the plate by any means. She is a two time All-American, 2 time PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year. She is a personality, and in my opinion is the most fun player to watch in the country. Team USA, what were you doing leaving her off the Tokyo team?

3. DEJAH MULIPOLA | ARIZONA | C

Stat: .335 BA, 62 HR, 189 RBI, .714 SLG, .456 OBP, .997 FLD%

If anyone is going to give Sis a run for best defensive player in this group it is Dejah. She has been the starting catcher for the Wildcats since she stepped foot in Tucson. In 2019 she was named the Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year and was a first team All-American. She also plays for Team USA along with Garcia and Nickles.

4. BUBBA NICKLES | UCLA | OF

Stat: .362 BA, 181 RBI, .422 OBP, .982 FLD%

Bubba Nickles, the most underrated, fly under the radar player in the country; maybe even ever. Bubba does everything right and she makes it look so easy, you can almost forget just how hard this game is. In 2019 she was a National Champion and was an All-American, in 2018 she should have been an All-American but was left off the list.

5. JESSIE HARPER | ARIZONA | SS

Stat: .339 BA, 88 HR, 244 RBI, .746 SLG, .398 OBP

Having Jessie at number five almost feels like a travesty. There is a very good chance she will leave Tucson as the all time home run NCAA champion. She sometimes can be lost in the conversation when we talk about who the best of the best is in college softball right now, but she should never be forgotten. She is the best power hitter we have had since Lauren Chamberlain and if her team can play long enough into May/June she will take that crown from Chamberlain. She is a two-time All-American at two different positions in her career (1B & SS)

6. GISELLE “G” JUAREZ | OKLAHOMA | LHP

Stat: 77-18, 1.64 ERA, 765 SO

One thru five was pretty easy to narrow down; six thru fifteen is a toss up. I have “G” at 6 because she is dominant. Her first two seasons at ASU she was basically unhittable when she was healthy, and then she left for OU and was even better in 2019. She finished 2019’s regular season undefeated, she ran into UCLA in the postseason which ruined her perfect season but still 2019 was ridiculous. She has struggled a bit since coming back from an injury on her pitching arm but is still more dominant than most. She is up this high as well due to the fact the league needs more lefty depth in the circle and she is just who can bring that depth.

7. ALIYAH ANDREWS | LSU | OF

Stat: .354 BA, .400 OBP, .980 FLD%, 187 R

Air Aliyah. Do I need to say more? She is the best defensive outfielder we may have ever seen. Her sister, AJ, may be the only other that I can think of in recent memory and Caitlin Lowe for all time sake. She is purely on this list for her defensive abilities in the outfield, she has been on SC Top 10 more times than I can count this year alone. Her bat and ability to get on base is the reason she is so high on this list. The biggest upside to Aliyah in my opinion is her marketability, we need more name brands in this sport and I think she can bring that.

8. KENDYL LINDAMAN | FLORIDA | 1B/C

Stat: .362 BA, 68 HR, 235 RBI, .517 OBP, .718 SLG

The Golden Gopher turned Gator is possibly the most consistent player in the country these past 5 years. Her consistency is the reason I have her higher than some other catchers on this list, she finished every full season she played as an All-American, with 10+ home runs, and 50+ RBI. Lindaman is also versatile in the field which is going to be big this season as there are a lot of very good catchers in Athletes Unlimited for the 2021 season. Look for her to keep her consistency against any competition she faces.

9. BAILEY HEMPHILL | ALABAMA | C

Stat: .348 BA, 58 HR, 222 RBI, .514 OBP

Bailey Hemphill is feared, plain and simple. There is one reason and one reason alone that I did not place her higher than Lindaman. One of Hemphill’s biggest strengths is her ability to walk and get on base, I think that drops off a bit once you get into AU. The best pitchers in the world do not walk anyone. With that being said Hemphill can swing the bat; she is one of those that you see her coming up to the plate and you know she is going to get her hacks.

10. SHANNON RHODES | TEXAS | OF

Stat: .332 BA, 43 HR, 188 RBI, .396 OBP

Before this season started I would have had Shannon in my honorable mentions for this list but after the year she is having; the AU crew would be stupid not to have her. She can do everything. Hit for power, contact, bunt. She knows how to get on base and how to get the runners across home plate. She also may be one of the most versatile defenders in the country, she plays a stellar centerfield and can come in and play a great third place whenever necessary.

11. SAMI WILLIAMS | IOWA STATE | SS

Stat: .392 BA, 64 HR, 175 RBI, .742 SLG

Sami has put Iowa State on the map and is the sole reason the Cyclones have been competitive in the Big 12 over the past 5 years. She can flat out can bomb the ball, and she has proven she can hit against some talented pitching. She was putting up numbers in a Big 12 that had Cari Eberle, Miranda Elish, and G Juarez. The farthest home run she hit all year this year was against the aforementioned G Juarez. She is versatile in the field, I can envision her playing anywhere on the field except in the circle.

12. MADDI HACKBARTH | ARIZONA STATE | C

Stat: .277 BA, .652 SLG, 56 HR, 178 RBI

Hackbarth went from a sub .200 hitter to a .400 hitter by her senior year and is the best hitter in the Pac-12 this year. If there was an award for best growth by a single player it would go to Maddi. She will end her career at ASU as the single season home run leader. She rounds at my picks for the 12 athletes who will be next to join Athletes Unlimited in 2021. I chose Maddi because she has an attitude on the field, you either love or hate watching her play and there are not a lot of softball players right now that the same can be said for.

13. ALYSSA PALOMINO-CARDOZA | ARIZONA | OF

Stat: .354 BA, .737 SLG, 68 HR, 221 RBI

Starting out my bonus trio I had to go with Alyssa. If it wasn’t for the uncertainty in her recent injury she suffered in the Wildcats series against Arizona State she would easily be in my top 12. Palomino-Cardoza is an absolute warrior, she has battled back from 2 ACL injuries in both knees and still has been a two time first team All-American for the Wildcats. She has hit over 15 home runs in her previous 3 full seasons. If I am doing a schoolyard pick I want her and for that reason alone she will end up playing for Athletes Unlimited; I just don’t know if this season will be her debut or next year.

14. REYNA CARRANCO | ARIZONA | UTL

Stat: .368 BA, .433 OBP, 105 RBI

Carranco is solid and as underrated as you are going to find. She is the 4th Arizona Wildcat I have on this list, the most of any school. Similar to Palomino-Cardoza if it wasn’t for uncertainty with injuries in her career including a broken thumb this year she would be in my top 12. She is an All-American and can play anywhere on the diamond if asked of her. In 2019 she was the Pac-12 Batting Champion, the first ever Wildcat to achieve that award. She may be the most underrated Arizona softball player in history, she has brought solid numbers all 5 years in Tucson.

15. HALEY CRUSE | OREGON | OF

Stat: .370 BA, .450 OBP, 73 RBI

Cruse rounds out my top 15 choices to be selected in the Athletes Unlimited collegiate draft. Over her 5 years at Oregon she has gone from a solid reserve to the go to reserve to All-American. She has led the Ducks in batting each of the past 3 years, and has been the emotional leader of this squad since the 2019 season which saw nine of her teammates leave the program. The main reason I have her on this list is because she has proven throughout her career that she can play in any environment, at the flip of a switch which will serve her well in the Athletes Unlimited world.

Honorable Mentions: Alexis Mack (OF/Alabama), Alissa Dalton (SS/Louisiana), Alyson Febrey (1B/Oklahoma State), Anna Shelnutt (C/Florida State), Carri Eberle (RHP/Oklahoma State), Elissa Brown (OF/Alabama), Kate Gordon (UTL/James Madison), Odicci Alexander (P/INF/James Madison)

I am beyond excited for this draft, I think there is so much talent and narrowing this list down to just 15 prospects was harder than I thought it would be. This draft has everything you could ask for, pitching, speed, power and most importantly on the Athletes Unlimited field, versatility. Make sure to tune in on May 10th at 8pm ET on the Athletes Unlimited Facebook page.

All stats listed are as of Monday, May 2nd, 2021.