When putting together a roster for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League Bandits, general manager Jenny Dalton-Hill and head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz were looking for one thing in particular.
“I really wanted [our roster construction] to be balanced,” Nuveman Deniz said as the Bandits prepared for Saturday’s season opener against the Talons in Rosemont. “I believe in that. I think the game has shown us that having a little bit of everything can be helpful because there are certain days when a pitcher is slicing and dicing to power hitters. Well, then you’ve got some short-game options to create some momentum.
“I like having some different looks offensively. Same thing for the pitching staff, having different styles of pitchers. We have two lefties on our staff. We’ve got down, we’ve got some up. We’ve got the good off-speed pitches. Our job is to win games, and how we win games is making it difficult on the other team. That’s really our plan and our goal.”
Catcher (2): Jordan Roberts, Kelly Torres
Mia Davidson, the Bandits’ expected No. 1 catcher, will miss the start of the AUSL season as she finishes her season in Japan. Davidson is on the temporary inactive list. The Bandits should be in good hands with Roberts, who has been part of Athletes Unlimited since its inaugural season in 2020. She figures to get the bulk of the early playing time with rookie Torres backing up.
“Jo has been with us since [AU] started in 2020, so I got to know her really quick from Season 1 right off the gate,” said veteran pitcher Taylor McQuillin. “So I feel like Jo and I have a really good relationship on the field, but also off of the field. That obviously helps with the battery on the field.
“We’re sad Mia’s not with us right now, but we’re really happy Kelly is filling in for her because we’ve really enjoyed Kelly. But I think we’re excited to get Mia at the same time.”
Infielders (4): Sydney McKinney, Delanie Wisz, Erin Coffel, Sklar Wallace
Wallace had a strong rookie season in Athletes Unlimited in 2024, finishing sixth on the leaderboard with 1,500 points. Her .354 batting average makes her a candidate for the leadoff spot, along with outfielder Morgan Zerkle.
Wisz was named to the AU Pro Softball All-Defensive Team in 2023 during the Championship Season (now known as the All-Star Cup).
Coffel provided power (three home runs) and defense in her rookie season in AU in 2024. She was named to the All-Defensive Team.
McKinney ranked third last year in the AU Championship Season with a .362 batting average and fifth with an on-base percentage of .400.
Utility (1): Cori McMillan
A heralded rookie, McMillan is a player to watch. This past season at Virginia Tech, she batted .432 with a school-record 31 home runs and 65 RBIs. She became the first player in ACC history to hit at least 30 home runs. The Bandits won’t hold McMillan back, but they will watch closely how she adjusts to the pro game and how opposing pitchers work her.
Outfielders (3): Morgan Zerkle, Bubba Nickles-Camarena, Bella Dayton
Zerkle has been a standout in AU since its inception in 2020. She provides speed, on-base ability, and deceptive power. As the head coach at her alma mater, Marshall University, she’s also a natural leader.
Nickles-Camarena is the AU Pro Softball AUX champion, winning in dramatic fashion during a doubleheader on the final day of the AUX season. She provides pop at the plate as well as solid defense. During the 2024 AU Championship season, she earned All-Defensive Team honors.
Dayton is competing in her first professional season after being a three-year letter-winner at the University of Texas. She reached the Women’s College World Series three times with the Longhorns.
Pitchers (6): Taylor McQuillin (LHP), Emiley Kennedy (LHP), Odicci Alexander (RHP), Sarah Willis (RHP), Lexi Kilfoyl (RHP), Devyn Netz (RHP)
The Bandits chose depth with their pitching staff, going with six pitchers, two of them lefties. McQuillin has been with AU since its beginning in 2020, and she figures to be a mentor to the younger pitchers on the staff. A tireless worker, she appeared in 10 games during the 2024 AUX season, posting a 7-1 record and a 3.00 ERA.
Alexander burst onto the pro scene in 2021 with Athletes Unlimited after James Madison University’s magical postseason run to the Women’s College World Series. She secured the 2023 AU Championship Season title with a 12-3 record. Alexander also gives the Bandits an option to use on offense.
You don’t want to take your eyes off the charismatic Willis, especially when she enters the game. She likes to fire her first warmup pitch overhand. Now in her second season, Willis competed in both the 2024 Championship and AUX seasons. Like Alexander, Willis can be used as a hitter. She homered and doubled during the 2024 AUX season.
Kilfoyl, the first pick in the 2025 AUSL Inaugural Draft, was the 2024 AU Pro Softball Rookie of the Year after finishing second on the leaderboard with 1,734 points. She led the league with seven wins and a 2.23 ERA with a league-best five complete games. Kilfoyl joined elite company as she and the legendary Cat Osterman are the only pitchers with multiple shutouts in a season.
Kennedy was the seventh overall pick in the 2025 College Draft out of Texas A&M, where she was a four-year letter winner. She compiled a collegiate record of 70-33 with a 2.59 ERA and 568 strikeouts over 620 innings pitched. During her junior year, she became the first left-handed pitcher in 41 years to earn NFCA All-America honors, receiving Second Team recognition.
Netz is another rookie and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 College Draft. She was a two-way player at the University of Arizona, where she played 121 games as a pitcher and 160 as a hitter. She also should help the Bandits’ defense up the middle, as she was the 2025 NCAA Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner.
Bruce Miles has covered sports in the Chicago area for 46 years, including baseball, hockey, football and Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball. He covered the Chicago Cubs in their historic run to the World Series title in 2016. He has written stories for Athletes Unlimited since 2020.
Follow Bruce on Bluesky @brucemiles2112.bsky.social and on X @brucemiles2112
