Utah Talons softball season to begin June 9
The Utah Talons will begin their 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League title defense on June 9 in Salt Lake City as the expanding professional softball league continues to build momentum. With ticket sales now underway, the reigning AUSL champions are expected to capitalize on Utah’s growing reputation as a destination for women’s professional sports.
Utah’s newest sports franchise, the Utah Talons, will begin play on June 9 at Dumbe Family Stadium on the University of Utah campus. (Tom Haraldsen/Salt Lake Business Journal)
Originally published June 1, 2026
The Utah Talons women’s softball team has announced its full 2026 schedule, including game times, along with details for single-game ticket sales.
Single-game tickets are now on sale to the general public at www.theausl.com. The Talons will open their home schedule at Dumke Family Stadium on the University of Utah campus on June 9 at 7 p.m. against the Chicago Bandits, launching their title defense.
The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) season will culminate with the AUSL Championship airing nationally on ABC.
The team will be led by General Manager Lisa Fernandez, a UCLA softball legend and three-time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA, alongside Head Coach Howard Dobson, the former LSU and Team USA assistant coach who returns for his second season at the helm of the Talons. In addition to former Utes star Hannah Flippen, the Talons’ roster also features Jayda Coleman, Georgina Corrick, Megan Faraimo and Montana Fouts amid a lineup of world-class athletes.
League officials say Salt Lake City has emerged as a dynamic sports market with a strong youth softball foundation and growing enthusiasm for women’s professional sports. Following sellout crowds during last season’s series, the Talons return as the reigning AUSL champions, bringing momentum and excitement to the Mountain West.
The Talons will join the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, Oklahoma City Spark, Portland Cascade and the Texas Volts in the six-team league.
The premier professional softball league in the U.S., the AUSL launched in 2025 with four teams and expanded to six teams ahead of the 2026 season while anchoring those teams in home markets for the first time. Led by Commissioner Kim Ng and featuring investment from Major League Baseball, the league is aided by advisors including softball legends Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Watley as well as a multi-year media rights deal with ESPN. Following the AUSL Championship, a select group of players will be chosen to compete in the AUSL All-Star Cup in Rosemont to crown the ultimate individual softball champion utilizing the innovative Athletes Unlimited format.
