IMG Academy Partners With AUSL to Develop Next Generation of Softball Stars
Athletes Unlimited Softball League announced Tuesday that it has partnered with IMG Academy to commit to long-term student-athlete development in softball.
Athletes Unlimited, since its inception in 2020, has always shown dedication to the next generation of athletes, and this partnership continues that steadfast commitment. Now, with the help of IMG Academy, the two entities can serve the softball community further.
The partnership will include social media integration including cross promotion and collaborating on content and highlights, national media exposure in commercials and in-game content on ESPN platforms, email and digital presence, and brand visibility at both venues.
This one’s for the future of women’s softball. 🥎
— IMG Academy (@IMGAcademy) July 15, 2025
Together with @theAUSLofficial, IMG Academy is showing student-athletes what’s possible through performance, connection, and purpose-driven events designed just for them. https://t.co/s5wWLgLAMD pic.twitter.com/1KuXYxFIG7
In addition, IMG Academy will have several Youth Nights at AUSL games where family-friendly activations will be front and center. The locations for the IMG Academy Youth Nights are Round Rock, Texas, on Friday, Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday, July 23, Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Rosemont, Ill., on Friday, Aug. 29 for the AUSL All-Star Cup.
In a statement about the partnership, AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng said, "This partnership with IMG Academy represents another important step in our mission to grow the game of softball and inspire the next generation. By creating opportunities for young athletes to interact with our players and experience the excitement of professional softball firsthand, we’re building a stronger, more connected future for the sport.”
Beyond simply providing giveaways, the activations will include custom game-day experiences, including hitting clinics that will be hosted by Olympian and former Athletes Unlimited professional athlete Joey Lye, who is now serving as the Softball Director at IMG Academy.
"We’re excited to bring the expertise, energy, and purpose of IMG Academy to passionate softball communities across the country," Lye said about working with AUSL and impacting softball at large. "Whether it’s a student-athlete working to elevate their game, exploring opportunities to play at the next level, or dreaming of competing in college softball, we want to help her take that next step."
Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.
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