Former Kentucky softball star Erin Coffel was named the Most Valuable Player of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League on Saturday.
Coffel also won the league’s Hitter of the Year award and made the all-defensive team. In 24 games, she hit 4 triples and had 28 runs batted in along with being hit by a pitch a league-high 13 times. She finished with a .410 batting average and had a league-high .869 slugging percentage.
Here is a press release from UK Athletics:
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Former Kentucky Softball player Erin Coffel was named the Most Valuable Player of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League’s inaugural season Saturday afternoon, where she was awarded the trophy by AUSL Commissioner, Kim Ng, ahead of game one of the AUSL Championship Series presented by Sephora at Rhoads Stadium.
The league’s MVP was voted on by the AUSL’s Player Executive Committee, advisors, General Managers and Head Coaches in addition to members of the AUSL broadcast team, beat writers and select members of the press.
Coffel, who also won the league’s Hitter of the Year award earlier this week, guided the Bandits to a 15-9 record and a second-place finish in the AUSL regular season standings. The former University of Kentucky star paced the AUSL with four triples and 28 runs batted in along with being hit by a pitch a league-high 13 times. In addition, she fashioned a .410 batting average while owning a league-high .869 slugging percentage and .566 on-base percentage.
A member of the AUSL All-Defensive Team, Coffel opened the season by reaching base safely in 19 consecutive games, which stands as the longest mark in the league. She also posted a pair of five-game hitting streaks and recorded a season-high three hits, including a pair of triples, against the Blaze on July 8.
AUSL Commissioner, Kim Ng
“Erin Coffel delivered an exceptional season that truly set the standard in our inaugural year. Her power at the plate, consistency in the field, and relentless competitiveness made her a force in every game she played. Most importantly, she elevated everyone around her and played a vital role in helping propel the Bandits to compete for the AUSL Championship. We’re proud to recognize her as our first AUSL MVP.” – Kim Ng
While at Kentucky, Coffel was named All-SEC in all four of her years as a Wildcat, while becoming a National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association All-American in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, her final two in the Blue and White. She is the all-time leader at UK in both home runs and runs batted in.
Coffel’s team, the Bandits, is playing the Talons in the three-game series to decide the first season’s winner of the league, with game one currently in a rain delay, but slated for a start time of 4 p.m. ET on ESPN with Chuckie Kempf on the call from Tuscaloosa.
The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
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