Four former UCLA softball players and a general manager played key roles in the Talons’ victory at the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Championship. Maya Brady, Megan Faraimo, Sharlize Palacios, and Lisa Fernandez contributed to the team’s win on Sunday.
The championship series, delayed by rain on Saturday, resumed with the Talons defeating the Bandits 3-1 in Game 1. In Game 2, the Talons secured a 1-0 shutout to claim the league’s first title.
The Bandits also featured several UCLA alumnae: Bubba Nickles-Camarena and Delanie Wisz as players, and Stacey Nuveman Deniz as head coach. Kirk Walker, a longtime UCLA assistant, and Will Oldham, current Director of Player Development and Data Analytics for UCLA softball, served as assistant coaches for the Talons.
In Game 1, Brady scored after being hit by a pitch. Faraimo recorded two strikeouts in the seventh inning to earn a save. Sydney Romero from Oklahoma provided the only run in Game 2 with a solo home run. Palacios caught the final out of Montana Fouts’ complete-game performance.
Brady ended her first AUSL season with a .500 batting average over limited appearances. Palacios posted a .278 average with three doubles, one home run, one triple, and seven RBIs. Faraimo finished her second AUSL season with a 3-1 record and 40 strikeouts across more than 42 innings.
Jadelyn Allchin, another former Bruin, was part of the Talons during the regular season before moving to the reserve pool ahead of the championship series.
The AUSL began its first full season in June 2025 with four teams—the Bandits, Blaze, Talons, and Volts—playing a traditional 24-game schedule. Previously, Athletes Unlimited organized shorter events that focused on individual player achievements rather than team championships.
Kim Ng oversees AUSL operations as league commissioner after serving as general manager for Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
For additional information about AUSL’s structure and background: https://auprosports.com/softball/.
