Following a breakout inaugural season fueled by sellout crowds across the country, record viewership and social engagement, and a strategic investment by Major League Baseball, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) has unveiled two new teams set to make their debut in the league in 2026. AUSL has officially welcomed the Oklahoma City Spark into the league and revealed the identity of the second expansion team, Cascade. The Spark and Cascade will join the defending AUSL Champion Talons, along with the Bandits, Blaze and Volts, to form a six-team league to compete next summer. 

As part of this exciting expansion, Spark Softball – the current operators and original creators of the Spark brand – will serve as the team’s Local Organizer, bringing their deep local ties and operational experience to the AUSL system. Together, AUSL and Spark Softball will build on Oklahoma City’s rich softball tradition to deliver a world-class professional experience for players and fans alike.

As the home of the USA Softball Hall of Fame, the annual Women’s College World Series, and the designated site for softball during the 2028 Olympic Games, Oklahoma City has firmly established itself as the epicenter of the sport in the United States.

Spark Softball will shift team ownership and certain operational responsibilities to the AUSL while leading local business efforts and ensuring a continued strong presence in the Oklahoma City market. Spark Founder Tina Floyd will be the Executive Director, overseeing local game day operations, marketing and community engagement. Destinee McElroy will serve as the Chief Operating Officer of Spark Softball. 

Amber Flores will remain on staff as Head Coach of the Spark, while also entering her 14th season as Head Coach at Seminole State College. Kirk Walker, who has had a distinguished career in the collegiate softball ranks, will join the Spark as General Manager. Walker served for 18 years as the Head Softball Coach at Oregon State and 23 years as an integral, beloved member of the UCLA coaching staff.  During his time at UCLA, the team won seven NCAA Championships and earned a berth to 18 Women’s College World Series. In AUSL’s inaugural season, Walker served as the Associate Coach for the Talons.

The contracts of athletes who played for the Oklahoma City Spark will expire before the year’s end. Therefore, the Spark will begin with a fresh roster in 2026.  Players currently on the Oklahoma City Spark roster will have the opportunity to enter the AUSL’s Allocation Draft, giving them the chance to be selected by all six teams across the league and continue their pro careers in the AUSL (additional details on the AUSL Draft process below). 

“Building on the incredible momentum of our inaugural AUSL season, this is an exciting moment for the sport as we continue to grow this league,” said AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng. “The Oklahoma City Spark have built a strong foothold in a city with a storied softball history, and adding them to the AUSL along with the Cascade reflects the surging interest in professional softball and our commitment to expanding opportunities for players and fans across the country.”

“Joining the AUSL is a monumental step for the Oklahoma City Spark and for the future of professional softball,” said Tina Floyd, Executive Director, Spark Softball. “We’ve spent the last three seasons building something special – both on the field and in the community – and now we’re ready to bring that momentum to the national stage. This move solidifies our commitment to growing the sport and providing more opportunities for elite athletes to shine on a bigger stage.” 

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built as an independent team, and now, becoming part of the AUSL represents the next chapter in our journey,” said Destinee McElroy, Chief Operating Officer, Spark Softball. “This league is full of talent, energy, and vision, and we’re excited to compete at the highest level while continuing to inspire the next generation of softball players.”

“Oklahoma City is home to the greatest softball fans in the world and we want to be a part of any serious effort to continue growing the professional side of the game,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “The AUSL is putting the right pieces in place to represent the next evolution of professional softball, and the Spark have worked hard to build that foundation in OKC. As the home of the Women’s College World Series and the 2028 Olympics, it makes sense for OKC, this team and this league to come together to take professional softball to the next level. I commend everyone involved for getting us to this day, and I’m excited to see where it leads.”

As the AUSL enters a new chapter with the addition of these two expansion teams, the league will host the AUSL Draft, a two-part draft event designed to support competitive balance and provide opportunity across the league. The AUSL Draft will take place on December 1, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

The AUSL Draft event will lead off in its first half with an Expansion Draft, designed to help the Spark and the Cascade build a competitive foundation by selecting from unprotected players currently rostered with existing AUSL teams. The Blaze, Volts, Talons and Bandits will begin by protecting five players from their 2025 rosters and will add another protection for every subsequent round after the fifth. The Spark and Cascade can select up to eight players from the unprotected player pool in this draft.   

The Allocation Draft will follow, opening opportunities for all six teams to select players who opt in for AUSL consideration, including athletes from the 2025 Reserve Pool and professional players from other independent teams and leagues around the world. 

More details on the AUSL Draft structure can be found HERE. 

Remaining roster spots for each team will be primarily filled during the AUSL College Draft in the spring. Golden Tickets will be delivered to select NCAA athletes, inviting top NCAA talent who will finish their eligibility in May to participate in the AUSL College Draft. 

Additional information about the upcoming AUSL season, including home cities for the Bandits, Blaze, Cascade, Talons and Volts as well as the game schedule and other details, will be announced in the coming months. For more information, follow @theauslofficial and visit theausl.com.