Some games of Sierra Romero’s 10-year career were played in front of just a few dozen people. She played for teams and leagues that have come and gone, carrying the torch for professional softball when the flame didn’t burn bright.
On Saturday night, when she stepped off the field for the final time, she got the applause her years as a trailblazer had earned her. A sold-out crowd of over three thousand stood to their feet at Hillsboro Ballpark in Portland, Oregon, to send Romero off. A stadium full of people embracing not only the legendary infielder and clutch hitter but the sport she poured her life into advancing.
Sierra, 32, is the oldest of four Romero siblings and the first to pave a path in softball/baseball that all of them would follow. Hailing from Murrieta, California, Romero played premier travel softball for the So Cal Athletics organization and attended Vista Murrieta High School. She was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the country by ESPN.com.
Romero chose Michigan, where she became one of the greatest hitters in NCAA softball history, putting together a legendary career for the Wolverines from 2013 to 2016. She set numerous school records and was the first four-time All-American in program history. She holds the Big Ten Conference career triple crown – the all-time leader in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in – along with still leading all of the NCAA Division I in runs scored and grand slams.
With her 300th run scored in Super Regionals, she became the first player to ever record 300 runs, 300 hits, and 300 RBIs.
After a junior year where she led the team to the Women’s College World Series championship, she was the inaugural winner of both the espnW Softball Player of the Year in 2015. As a senior, Romero was named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the inaugural NFCA National Player of the Year, and also won the Honda Sports Award as the nation’s best softball player in 2016.
A two-year Michigan team captain, Romero led a senior class that finished their careers 210-43, won four Big Ten titles, and made three WCWS appearances.
Romero was drafted second overall by the USSSA Pride in the National Pro Fastpitch 2016 draft, a now-defunct professional league. Following her rookie year, Romero was named to the All-NPF team in 2017. She missed the 2019 season due to a torn ACL sustained during a preseason exhibition game, but returned and played with the team through 2021 before joining Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball.
The 2022 AU Pro Softball season was Romero’s first with the league, competeing in the five-week format with its unique scoring system and leaderboard. In the 2023 Championship Season (now All-Star Cup), she had her highest finish on the leaderboard, coming in at 13th overall amongst 60 athletes.
When the Athletes Unlimited Softball League launched in 2025, Romero was on the inaugural Volts team. She was the first pick of the 12th round as the four original teams created their rosters. She was an everyday starter for the Volts in 2026 for their first season in their new home of Round Rock, Texas.
Read more: Sierra Romero Brings Fresh Athlete Perspective to the Athletes Unlimited Board of Directors
Amongst all the records, awards, and statistics, Romero will be remembered as a bridge; a connector from past iterations of pro softball that struggled to Athletes Unlimited and now the AUSL – the league where dreams of what the professional level could look like.
She’ll continue to remain in the spot after recently being named to the Athletes Unlimited Board of Directors.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @savvyco.
