The Athletes Unlimited Softball League is filled with former UCLA softball players. Twelve former Bruins will be competing on one of the six different AUSL teams. There are also four Bruins serving as general managers or coaches in the AUSL this season.

After leading UCLA to the Women’s College World Series this season, three Bruins are entering their rookie seasons in the league: Megan Grant, Taylor Tinsley and Jordan Woolery.

Grant is the only former Bruin playing on the Portland Cascade but will work alongside former Bruin Tairia Flowers, who is the head coach of the expansion team. Meanwhile, Tinsley and Woolery will be one of five former UCLA players on the Utah Talons.

The Talons are led by two current UCLA coaching staff members. UCLA associate head coach and softball legend Lisa Fernandez is the general manager of the Talons, while UCLA Director of Player Development & Data Analytics serves as an assistant coach for Utah.

The Talons have the most former Bruins of any AUSL team. In addition to Tinsley and Woolery, Jadelyn Allchin, Megan Faraimo and Sharlize Palacios will be representing Utah.

The Oklahoma City Sparks features former Bruins Maya Brady, Bubba Nickles-Camarena and Delanie Wisz as players and former UCLA associate head coach Kirk Walker as general manager. The Texas Volts have former UCLA stars Ally Carda and Rachel Garcia, and the Chicago Bandits have one Bruin, Jessica Clements.

AUSL Commissioner Wants League to Be “MLB of Softball”

The AUSL completed its inaugural season last year. Commissioner Kim Ng recently said she is determined to help the league develop into the “MLB of softball”.

“I would hope that we are the major league baseball of softball,” Ng said in a phone conversation, per the Los Angeles Times. “That is a good number of teams, spread out across the country, with a huge following, all of our games televised.

“That’s the goal. To be the MLB of softball.”

The AUSL is backed by MLB and received a $10 million donation from the baseball league. Opening Day for the AUSL’s second season is on Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Crash Kamon

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The Big Ten conference announced home and away games for each team for the 2026-27 season. Each team will play an 18-game schedule, playing 16 opponents once and one opponent twice. USC and UCLA women’s basketball will see each other twice during the regular season for the crosstown rivalry game.

Due to UCLA and USC’s location, the Bruins and Trojans will host and travel to the same conference opponents. The home and away games are listed below:

Home Games: Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota and Nebraska

Away Games: Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers, Washington and Oregon

USC & UCLA Will Each Host One Crosstown Rivalry Game

UCLA and USC’s rivalry games will be two of the most anticipated matchups of the regular season.

The Bruins are coming off a national championship season but are entering a rebuilding era after losing six players to the 2026 WNBA Draft. Meanwhile, the Trojans are projected to be a frontrunner to win the NCAA title during the 2026-27 season. USC has the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class and will be getting superstar JuJu Watkins back after she missed all of last season.

UCLA added five players through the transfer portal to the squad and signed two incoming freshmen. USC star Jazzy Davidson, who was the consensus National Freshman of the Year last season, is also returning for her sophomore campaign next season.

Game times, dates and television designations have yet to be announced for any Big Ten conference games.

Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

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With graduation just a few days away, Ryan Bucu is continuing to break down gender barriers within cheerleading. After becoming the second male dancer on UCLA’s dance team, Bucu is joining the Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders for the 2026 season.

Devin Mallory was the first male dancer on UCLA’s dance team in 2019. Bucu became the second when he made the team on his second attempt as a junior last year. Bucu told the Daily Bruin he was inspired by Mallory’s story and wants to continue inspiring younger generations of male dancers and cheerleaders.

“Being able to have that title as the second male member in history, I will forever carry that with me and within my dance legacy,” Bucu said, per the Daily Bruin. “I need to always be performing for everyone in the crowd and showing younger generations that if you want to grow up and dance as well, become a cheerleader for a major university, … that you can do it.”

By Joining the Rams, Bucu is Building Space for Men in Cheerleading

The Rams became the first NFL team to feature male cheerleaders on its squad in 2018. As of 2026, there are still several NFL teams, like the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, that do not have male cheerleaders.

The Rams currently have four male cheerleaders on its roster. Bucu will be added to that group next season.

“Why I auditioned for the Rams is because I want to continue showing male visibility in spaces that may not be conventional,” Bucu said. “(I value) showing that male cheerleaders are a thing and pushing that agenda that males can be dancers and cheerleaders as well as females, too.”

There is still a long way to go in creating a welcoming space for men in cheerleading. But Bucu is helping the sport take steps in the right direction.

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