Inside LSU’s Takeover of the AUSL: Former Tigers' Impact on the Pro Softball Landscape

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is in full swing, and LSU’s fingerprints are all over it. With six former Tigers on rosters—more than any other college program—LSU hasn’t just contributed talent, it’s helped shape the league’s identity.

These aren’t just former players filling out lineups. They’re centerpieces, draft picks, trade targets, and faces of national promotions. And none of that is surprising if you’ve followed the LSU program closely.

As someone who grew up playing the game and later walked campus in Baton Rouge as a student, I’ve seen firsthand what LSU builds. What’s happening in the AUSL is just the latest proof of that.

A Program That Prepares Pros

LSU’s impact at the professional level isn’t accidental—it’s built into the program. With elite competition, a strong culture, and a robust NIL infrastructure, Tigers are stepping onto national stages prepared to perform, represent, and lead.

The AUSL’s 2025 season spans 51 games, features four barnstorming teams, and is backed by MLB and ESPN. Broadcasts air nationally, with early games averaging between 175,000 and 280,000 viewers. And no school has more representation than LSU, with six alumni across three teams:

• Aliyah Andrews (Blaze)
• Ciara Briggs (Blaze)
• Carley Hoover (Blaze)
• Danieca Coffey (Volts)
• Ali Newland (Volts)
• Sahvanna Jaquish (Talons)

Danieca Coffey was selected No. 11 overall in the AUSL's inaugural draft and was one of a handful of players to receive a “Golden Ticket”—an early signal from the league that she was someone they were building around. At LSU, Coffey hit .366 with 255 hits and 41 stolen bases, and now in the pros, she’s already picked up a Player of the Series honor.

I asked Danieca what it is about LSU that makes its players stand out in this league:

“I think that they just build us very well and make us be able to do anything. So, we're very versatile and I think everyone can use us. So, and I think that also goes to LSU in general. Like we just recruit dogs.”

Aliyah Andrews, now in her fifth year as a pro, continues to be one of the most visible athletes in the AUSL. Known widely by her nickname "Air Aliyah", she became a viral sensation for her diving catches at LSU and built a personal brand that has lasted well beyond college. She remains a featured face of the league, appearing in many promos, commercials and social posts.

After a Blaze game this season, she told me:

“It just is like a testament to the kind of program that LSU is… It's awesome to know that once you leave LSU, you have a chance to go play somewhere else and you are prepared for it because we prepare really well at LSU.”

Ciara Briggs—who finished her LSU career with two Gold Gloves, a .333 average, and nearly 300 hits—made headlines this summer when she was involved in the first trade in AUSL history. She’s been a steady presence both on the field and in the league’s national media promotion.

And beyond that core three, LSU is still deep. Carley Hoover brings veteran stability to the Blaze; Ali Newland is establishing herself with the Volts; and Sahvanna Jaquish’s power and poise are on full display with the Talons. The list isn’t just long—it’s impactful.

LSU’s Brand Power: Proof That These Athletes Shift Entire Industries

What’s happening in softball is part of a larger LSU phenomenon: when LSU athletes shine, they don’t just perform—they transform entire sports ecosystems. Below are just a few names who’ve proven that LSU doesn’t just develop talent. It develops influence.

Livvy Dunne | Gymnastics → National Phenomenon

• 13M+ social followers (TikTok + Instagram)
• $4.1M NIL valuation in 2025, among the top for any female athlete
• Drove sold-out LSU Gymnastics meets and primetime ESPN coverage
• Helped expand gym viewership across all NCAA programs

Paul Skenes | Baseball → MLB Phenom

• Drafted No. 1 overall in 2023
• In 2024, Skenes’ home starts drew 24.2% higher attendance (25,461 fans) than non-Skenes games for the Pirates
• Ranks in the Top 15 of MLB jersey sales
• Already a two-time All-Star with a 1.98 ERA and over 300 strikeouts

Angel Reese | Women's Basketball → WNBA Game-Changer

• Sky vs. Fever debut: 2.7M viewers, peaking at 3.1M—most-watched regular-season WNBA game ever
• Helped drive 601% year-over-year increase in WNBA merch sales
• Sky games routinely topping 20,000 fans in attendance
• Part of why WNBA expansion franchise fees hit $250M+ in 2025

Jayden Daniels | Football → NFL Franchise Builder

• Won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and was drafted No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders
• Led all NFL rookies in jersey sales, topping Fanatics' charts since the start of 2025 season
• Commanders merch sales jumped 4,129% year-over-year, with team sales up and top 10 ticket renewal rate 
• Commanders set a new $981 average ticket price for their playoff game—the most expensive non-Super Bowl ever

These aren’t outliers. They’re part of a system that LSU has built to help athletes own their moment and extend their impact beyond the jersey. And the same thing is happening in softball.

For the Fans, It’s Personal

The connection to LSU’s AUSL impact isn’t just about stats or highlights—it’s emotional. It’s generational.

Zach Clark, a lifelong LSU fan and current high school softball coach, put it best:

“Seeing LSU softball be represented on such a massive stage is just incredible. Having the greats like Sahvanna Jaquish and Carley Hoover with recent graduates like Ali Newland and Danieca Coffey battle it out in the AUSL just proves that LSU Softball is truly sitting among the top NCAA programs.”

The same tradition of watching WCWS games with his grandfather has carried into a new chapter:

“It brings everything full circle getting to sit on the couch with my grandfather to watch the AUSL on TV like we would watch the WCWS together when I was a kid.”

Former Tigers Know the Culture Runs Deep

For Shelby Wickersham—a former LSU pitcher—the presence of so many Tigers in the AUSL speaks to something deeper than talent. It’s about preparation, longevity, and belonging.

“The AUSL has provided an amazing opportunity for the best of the best softball players to continue to chase their goals and dreams after college. It is absolutely incredible what the AUSL has done to grow the game of softball and to showcase the amazing abilities these women have. I am especially excited to see so many familiar LSU faces competing at the highest level. LSU is phenomenal when it comes to preparing athletes for competition and creating Tigers for life.”

It’s a sentiment you hear again and again—LSU athletes don’t just leave with stats. They leave with structure, identity, and pride that carries through every level they compete at.

What Comes Next

I’ve spent years talking to LSU athletes, covering their careers, and watching their paths unfold beyond college. I was a student on campus when Joe Burrow and the 2019 national championship team took over the country. I’ve stood on sidelines, sat in media rooms, been inside locker rooms — and I’ve seen up close what LSU does for its athletes. It’s not just about development on the field. It’s about preparing people to lead in every room they walk into.

That’s why LSU’s presence in the AUSL isn’t just notable — it’s an asset. The league gains visibility, credibility, and culture just by having Tigers on the roster.

The school has the talent pipeline, the brand power, and the infrastructure to keep producing pros who don’t just compete—they lead.

Softball doesn’t need to prove it belongs anymore.

But if you’re looking for the blueprint on how to build, brand, and back athletes the right way—LSU is it. And the AUSL is better because of it.