The opening day rosters for AUSL were set to feature six players who finished their careers wearing Arizona softball jerseys. Make that seven with the addition of pitcher Jalen Adams to the Utah Talons’ roster.
Adams was not originally in the reserve pool when senior day rolled around. At that time, catcher Sydney Stewart was a recipient of a Golden Ticket to the draft and utility player Grace Jenkins was part
of the reserve pool. Adams has since been added to the pool and was picked up by the Talons last week.
Adams spent her first three years at Iowa before coming to Arizona for her final season. She was Arizona’s ace and the experienced voice on a staff of a freshman and two sophomores.
Adams earned NFCA All-West Second Team and All-Big 12 Second Team honors in her single season at Arizona. She was also an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
She led the Wildcats’ staff with a 3.60 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 159.1 innings pitched. Her 21 pitching wins tied for 19th in Division I, making her one of just 31 pitchers with at least 20 wins.
According to Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe, Adams has long-term plans to return to her home state of Iowa and join her mother in coaching.
In addition to Adams, Jenkins, and Stewart, former Wildcats Dejah Mulipola, Alyssa Denham, Taylor McQuillin, and Devyn Netz made opening day rosters. Sharlize Palacios, who spent three years at Arizona before finishing her final two at UCLA, Bella Dayton, who spent two years at Arizona and two years at Texas, and Dakota Kennedy, who spent three years at Arizona and one at Arkansas, are also in the league. Arizona is represented on all six teams in the AUSL.
The reserve pool is made up of athletes who are available to fill in if regular members of the team are unavailable due to overseas or national team commitments. Arizona has had at least one member of the reserve pool make an opening day roster each season with Miranda Stoddard getting the call last season.
