LOS ANGELES – Six former UCLA softball student-athletes were selected in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Draft Wednesday night. The Bruins’ six selections were the most among all college programs.
Launching in June 2025, the AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams – the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts – playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. Athletes Unlimited previously ran four-week events and crowned individual champions based on a scoring system that awards players for on-field production the past four years.
UCLA’s draft selections were Megan Faraimo (Rd. 1, Pick 3 – Talons), Rachel Garcia (Rd. 1, Pick 4 – Volts), Sharlize Palacios (Rd. 3, Pick 9 – Talons), Madilyn Nickles-Camarena (Rd. 4, Pick 14 – Bandits), Maya Brady (Rd. 5, Pick 19 – Talons) and Delanie Wisz (Rd. 8, Pick 30 – Bandits).
The Bruins accounted for half of the first-round draft picks, with Faraimo and Garcia being picked third and fourth, respectively. Palacios was the first catcher selected off the board with the ninth overall pick.
All but one of the UCLA’s draft picks (Maya Brady) have experience playing in the former Athletes Unlimited league. Nickles-Camarena, who starts her coaching career at UCLA in 2025, was crowned the 2024 AUX Champion with 1,344 points. Garcia was the previous AUX Champion in 2023 with 1,392 points. Faraimo was named the 2023 Athletes Unlimited Rookie of the Year after pitching the second no-hitter in league history.
UCLA softball greats Lisa Fernandez, Stacey Nuveman-Deniz and Natasha Watley are serving key leadership and advisory roles to help kickstart the AUSL. Fernandez, who is entering her 27th season on the Bruins’ staff, is the general manager for the Talons. Nuveman-Deniz, UCLA’s all-time home runs leader, is the head coach for the Bandits. Watley has signed on as an advisory, consulting with AUSL leadership and current athletes on the direction of the new league.
The AUSL is ran by former Miami Marlins general manager and trailblazing sports executive Kim Ng.
To learn more about the AUSL, click HERE.
UCLA’s 2025 AUSL Draft Selections
Rd. 1 (Pick 3): Megan Faraimo, Talons
Rd. 1 (Pick 4): Rachel Garcia, Volts
Rd. 3 (Pick 9): Sharlize Palacios, Talons
Rd. 4 (Pick 14): Madilyn Nickles-Camarena, Bandits
Rd. 5 (Pick 19): Maya Brady, Talons
Rd. 8 (Pick 30): Delanie Wisz, Bandits