Durham landed a women’s pro softball team, Carolina Blaze, as part of a new six-team Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). The team plays a 25-game summer schedule with ten home games starting June 9 at Smith Family Stadium on Duke East Campus. The stadium, built in 2017 for Duke softball, seats 900, has a 17×32 video board. and hosted NCAA regional softball last season.
Former Duke stars Ana Gold and Jala Wright are on the 13-player roster, along with three other former ACC players (Clemson 2, Va. Tech 1).
Blaze is the only East Coast and Southern-based league entry. Others are Chicago Bandits, Oklahoma City Spark, Portland Cascade, Texas Volts and Utah Talons. The Triangle’s support for women’s sports was cited as a reason Durham was selected.
AUSL began last year with four teams playing a barnstorming schedule at 12 venues. All games were broadcast on TV, including ESPN and MLB platforms. MLB is a partial AUSL owner. Three games were played in Holly Springs. Two sold out. Season tickets for Blaze start at $210. Single game tickets TBA.
They’ll play a three-game series against Utah June 25-27 at Durham Athletic Park.
Mia Davidson (Miss. St.) of Hillsborough is on the Portland Cascade roster.