AUSL Expands; Six Former Tigers Secure Roster Spots for 2026 Season
Aliyah Andrews, Ciara Briggs, Danieca Coffey, Carley Hoover, Sahvanna Jaquish, and Ali Newland will open the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) season on league rosters.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) conducted its Expansion Draft and Allocation Draft on Monday night, resulting in six former LSU Tigers landing roster spots for the 2026 season.
Pitcher Carley Hoover and utility player Ali Newland were selected by Cascade, one of the league’s two expansion teams. Outfielder Aliyah Andrews joins utility player Sahvanna Jaquish on the Talons, the inaugural 2025 AUSL Champions, led by head coach Howard Dobson, a former LSU assistant coach (2012–2024). Outfielder Ciara Briggs and utility player Danieca Coffey will remain with the Volts.
The two-part draft event was created to support competitive balance and expand opportunities across the league. The Expansion Draft allowed new teams, Cascade and the Spark, to select unprotected players from the four original AUSL teams. The Allocation Draft provided all six teams the chance to select athletes who opted in for AUSL consideration, including players from the 2025 Reserve Athlete Pool and professionals from other independent leagues, as well as former Spark players.
Remaining roster spots for each club will be filled through the AUSL College Draft this spring, which will feature draft-eligible NCAA athletes.
Additional information about the upcoming AUSL season—including home cities for all six teams and the full 2026 schedule—will be announced in the coming months.