Ex-Oklahoma softball star Jocelyn Alo has signed to play in Athletes Unlimited's AUX season
Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo (78) celebrates on the way to home plate after hitting a home run against Texas in NCAA Women's College World Series softball game June 4, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Former Oklahoma star Alo has signed with Athletes Unlimited for its AUX season in Wichita, Kan. Credit: AP/Alonzo Adams
Former Oklahoma softball star Jocelyn Alo has signed with Athletes Unlimited for its AUX season in June.
Alo is a two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year who helped Oklahoma win two national titles. She plays for the Oklahoma City Spark, but Spark owner Tina Floyd agreed to her playing for Athletes Unlimited.
“Athletes Unlimited is where the world’s best professional athletes compete, and few have lit up the softball field more in recent years than Jocelyn Alo, so I’m thrilled to officially welcome her to our family,” Cheri Kempf, Athletes Unlimited's senior vice president and director of softball, said in the announcement Wednesday.
Athletes Unlimited has two seasons — AUX and its regular season. Alo has agreed to play only in the AUX season, which will last 18 games from June 10 through June 25 at Wichita State University’s Wilkins Stadium. The league will include 42 players who will accumulate points during the season as they compete for an individual championship right after the Women's College World Series.
Athletes Unlimited is heading into its fifth regular season and third AUX season. All AUX games will be broadcast on the ESPN networks. Alo likes Athletes Unlimited's stability and visibility in softball, and it drew her to want to join.
“I’ve definitely seen a lot of growth in the sport,” Alo said. “And just seeing the athletes that they get, a lot of them are my friends, too. So just definitely excited to be playing with them.”
Athletes Unlimited drafted Alo in 2022, but she chose to join the Women's Professional Fastpitch league. She played 2022 for the WPF's Smash It Sports Vipers, then was traded to the WPF's Spark for last season. The Spark are operating independently this season.
Alo said joining AUX is just one step in her overall plan to be ready to eventually represent Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. There will be no softball at this year's Paris Games, but the sport will return to the Olympic program in four years.
“It’s definitely been at the back of my head," she said. "And as I approached this AUX season and this Spark season coming up, I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball, at the 2028 Olympics, you know? And, I’m just wanting to — I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure.”
