A new era for the Oklahoma City Spark has arrived. The club announced last month that it joined the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, and now the team has the core of its roster.
The Spark drafted 13 athletes who will take the field this summer in the team’s first season with the league. For the last two years, Oklahoma City has operated as an independent team, and four athletes from the 2025 roster were re-drafted to the team while the rest were filled out with athletes from the AUSL and professional teams around the world.
“No brainer” No. 1 Pick
The Spark won the first pick of the expansion portion of the draft via coin toss and began the new age for the team by drafting UCLA superstar Maya Brady.
Brady was a predicted first selection in the draft because of her athleticism, power at the plate, and defensive versatility. She transitioned between shortstop and outfield flawlessly during her time as a Bruin, and Spark General Manager Kirk Walker was there to witness her ability to adapt.
Walker was on the UCLA coaching staff during Brady’s tenure there and as impressive as her resume is on the field, it’s the intangibles that drew him to build a team around her.
“The X’s and the O’s are kind of obvious. But for me… [it’s] her makeup, her experience, and way she competes,” Walker said. “I think she makes people around her better. She’s somebody who really understands the team concept, team culture. She values her teammates, she values those relationships – and all of those things make her an obvious number one type pick.”
Brady competed in the inaugural season with the Talons but missed the first month of the 2025 AUSL season due to injury. When she returned, Brady made a statement. She reached base safely in her first 10 plate appearances and on the season, recorded 11 hits in 17 at-bats.
“She just has this great ability to kind of elevate people around her, and she has great instincts and softball IQ.”
Rolling with the unexpected
Walker knew Brady was a lock, but what was unexpected was his next pick. The Cascade had consecutive selections and decided to go with back-to-back arms with Sam Landry and Carley Hoover.
That left utility Sydney McKinney on the board for the Spark.
“I was excited. It did kind of throw me off a little bit, but I didn’t hesitate,” Walker said.
McKinney was on a stacked Bandits roster last season, and production may have been overlooked. She was the batting champion of the 2025 season with a .457 average, finishing the regular season second in hits (32) and third in on-base percentage (.472).
The Wichita State star has pro experience at second, shortstop, and third base, making her a unique addition to any team.
Walker looked for that flexibility in many of the Sparks’ picks. He said that aside from Jessi Warren (the team’s fourth pick in expansion), who holds the crown as the queen of third base, everyone else is incredibly versatile.
“They’ve all lived in that world of being influencers on their team, in championship runs. And so to me, that veteran experience is so, so invaluable,” Walker added.
The Spark took seven players in the expansion portion, including Brady, McKinney, Sydney Romero, Jessi Warren, Alana Vawter, Bubba Nickles-Camarena, and Delanie Wisz.
Returners and new faces
In the allocation portion of the draft, all six teams had the opportunity to add to their squads.
The Spark was about to re-draft four athletes who played on the team last season: Kinzie Hansen, Maddie Penta, Sydney Sherrill, and Haley Lee.
“I think honoring and valuing the legacy of what, you know, Tina [Floyd] and Amber [Flores] and Destinee [Martinez] had kind of built was certainly at the forefront of our mind.”
Hansen was the team’s first selection in allocation, and for good reason. Catchers are particularly in high demand in the league right now, and she brings a championship pedigree and experience. Hansen is a four-time Women’s College World Series champion with Oklahoma and was honored with the Johnny Bench Award as college softball’s top catcher.
“Kinsey Hansen was an integral piece, not only on the field as a catcher, but her leadership, influence, fan engagement – just the whole package,” Walker said.
Walker was on the championship Talons staff last year as an assistant coach and saw the influence of the catcher on bringing a title-winning pitching staff together. Now at the helm of the Spark, he wants his franchise’s pitchers to trust and feel empowered by a quality catcher who knows and understands them.
“Besides being this physical, powerhouse hitter behind the plate, it was really important.”
Penta is one of the members of that staff. She played with AU Pro Softball in 2024 and has been a workhorse for the Spark, too, throwing a large chunk of innings for the team.
Walker remembers her taking a similar role during her time at Auburn, where she earned the distinction of 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year.
“Being that workhorse that could just go out there day in, day out and just throw and throw and throw. Her durability and tenacity are really something that really I’m excited about,” Walker said.
The Spark also picked up lefty arm Jailyn Ford, who has spent nearly a decade as a pro in the international circuit. Ford is a fifth infielder in the circle for what she’s able to do with her glove and has even played first throughout her career.
“She just plays a different time game as a pitcher and is such a competitor.”
Billie Andrews was another pick-up for the Spark in allocation and brings the team another middle-infield option.
Walker couldn’t wait after the draft ended and fired off a group text to all the members of the team he had in his phone. Through the connections and relationships the athletes formed through the years, all 13 players on the Spark were quickly added in and shared their anticipation for this summer.
“In that group chat, you could just see the excitement and the energy of people that were going to be connected together, that hadn’t been played together in a while, and it was really fun to see,” Walker said.
The updated Spark roster is available here.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
