Danielle Gibson Whorton has announced her retirement from professional softball at the conclusion of the 2025 Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup.
Gibson Whorton played professionally for three seasons and is one of the best players in Arkansas program history. She is the Razorbacks’ career leader with 180 RBIs and made history on Feb. 23, 2019, when she hit for the “home run cycle.” She is the second person in NCAA history to do so, hitting a solo home run, a two-run home run, a three-run home run, and a grand slam in the same game.
She made her pro debut in 2022 and opened the season with a six-game hitting streak and was one of 13 players selected in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft.
Gibson Whorton stepped away for the 2024 season and became a mom to her son, Whitley Whorton, in November of that year. She made her comeback for the 2025 AUSL season, starting in 23-of-24 games while splitting time between the Blaze and the Bandits. The Bandits acquired her on July 11 in exchange for pitcher Devyn Netz.
She hit for .351 in the inaugural season with three home runs. She was third in the league with 21 RBIs and also drew 11 walks, sharing fourth in the ledger in the category.
Gibson Whorton will continue working in softball as the assistant coach at the University of California, Berkeley.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
