After four standout years as a Duke Blue Devil, Ana Gold will continue her softball career in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League on the Blaze.
Commissioner Kim Ng presented Gold with a golden ticket on April 17, signifying that she was drafted to the AUSL. As the only middle infielder out of 12 golden tickets, Gold was a likely selection by the Blaze.
General manager Dana Sorensen and head coach Alisa Goler needed depth at the middle infield position. Before signing Gold, the Blaze had only Aubrey Leach and Anissa Urtez set to play second and shortstop.
Gold’s experience as Duke’s starting shortstop with a .936 career fielding percentage, along with her prowess at the plate, was the right fit for the emerging team. The Blaze selected her in the third round at the AUSL College Draft and, after concluding her collegiate season, signed a contract to officially join the team.
She’s been consistent at the plate too, hitting above .300 in three seasons. She found the sweet spot between consistency and power in her senior year. Gold logged a .333 batting average in 2025 along with a .640 slugging percentage. All the while, her strikeouts dropped with a career-low 22 Ks in 186 at-bats.
Gold’s effectiveness on the base path improved, too. She snagged 20 bags this season — double her stolen bases in the previous two years.
She could very well break into the starting lineup for the Blaze, coming off a hot collegiate season and providing a bump of power to the lineup. The Blaze open the season on June 7 vs. the Volts in Wichita, Kansas, at 6 pm. ET.
The AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams playing in a traditional format. Tickets to the 2025 season are on sale now.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
