The Volts come into the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League with one of the most powerful lineups across the four teams. They also have one of the best two-way players in the game, Rachel Garcia, leading the charge of their pitching staff.
When assembling their team, General Manager Cat Osterman and Head Coach Kelly Kretschman sought a few intangibles, especially from the college athletes they were drafting.
“I think the first thing I watch is in the big moments, are you able, not necessarily to have success, but how do you carry yourself?” Osterman told Athletes Unlimited senior reporter Savanna Collins in an introductory interview.
And as you look up and down the lineup, you see just that.
Catcher (2): Michaela Edenfield, Mary Iakopo
Michaela Edenfield enters her first pro season after a successful college career at Florida State. She finished with a .313 career batting average and is one of two players in program history with three seasons of 50 or more RBIs.
Mary Iakopo will be filling in as a reserve on opening weekend while Dejah Mulipola, one of the Volts’ catchers, will miss the start of the AUSL season as she finishes her season in Japan.
Iakopo was one of 13 players selected in the 2022 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft after finishing up her college career at Texas.
Infielders (5): Sis Bates, Tiare Jennings, Sierra Romero, Kelsey Stewart-Hunter, Jessi Warren
The infield group is one that head coach Kelly Kretschman is excited about. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how good people have come ready to go,” she said. “We have a lot more versatility than I initially thought, and that will be a bonus for us.”
Sis Bates has been competing professionally with Athletes Unlimited since 2021 and has dazzled fans with her incredible defensive plays in the middle infield. Last season, she played in all 15 games, posting a .327 batting average and tied for 7th in the league with 298 stat points.
Tiare Jennings is another stellar infielder for the Volts. While at Oklahoma, she was great for the Sooners at the shortstop position. She is one of only 21 players in NCAA Division 1 history to receive four NFCA First-Team All-America honors.
Sierra Romero is a seasoned pro and has spent time all across the infield. She will be able to fill in the gaps wherever she is needed for the Volts. In addition to all of her success at the professional and international level, she was also the 2016 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year.
Kelsey Stewart-Hunter is listed as a corner infielder, but she’s incredibly versatile. Head coach Kelly Kretschman says she can play anywhere.
Corner infielder Jessi Warren was a 2018 National Champion with Florida State and is a member of Team USA.
Utility (2): Danieca Coffey, Ali Newland
Danieca Coffey was one of three players selected by the Volts in the college draft and is someone Coach Kretschman is excited about.
“When I called her after I drafted her, I told her to attach herself to Sis Bates and learn as much as she can,” Kretschman said. “And Sis being Sis has taken her on and helped her.”
Kretschman says she can also play anywhere.
Ali Newland will be filling in as a reserve on opening weekend while outfielder Erika Piancastelli finishes her season in Japan.
Outfielders (2): McKenzie Clark, Amanda Lorenz
Amanda Lorenz enters the inaugural season of AUSL after being crowned champion of the Athletes Unlimited Championship Season (now the AUSL All-Star Cup) in 2024 and will primarily play corner outfield spots.
McKenzie Clark also played in Athletes Unlimited last summer. She spends a lot of time in center field.
Pitchers (4): Rachel Garcia, Payton Gottshall, Sam Landry, Mariah Mazón, Miranda Stoddard
The Volts are the only pitching staff in the AUSL without a left-handed pitcher.
Miranda Stoddard will be filling in as a reserve on opening weekend while Sam Show, a utility player and pitcher for the Volts, will miss the start of the AUSL season as she finishes her season in Japan.
AUSL College Draft No. 1 pick Sam Landry will also be joining the Volts this weekend following a Women’s College World Series Semifinals run with Oklahoma.
Rachel Garcia was the No. 4 overall pick in the AUSL Inaugural Draft. She will sit atop the staff. The UCLA alum has been hitting in the 70s, according to Kretschman.
“The rest of the staff compliments her (Rachel Garcia) really well,” Kretschman said.
Payton Gottshall will throw in the sixties. She made her pro debut last season with Athletes Unlimited. In her two years at Tennessee, she boasted a 1.70 career ERA.
Mariah Mazón, who made her pro debut in 2022, will also throw in the upper sixties. She finished her career at Oregon State with a 70-61 record and a 2.21 ERA.
Maria Trivelpiece is currently the Director of Video Communications and Reporter at the American Athletic Conference and a softball color analyst. Trivelpiece was an outfielder at Fordham University and still stays involved with the game through coaching and covering the sport. You can follow her on X M_Trivelpiece or Instagram @_mariatrivelpiece
