Softball On SI

SEC Star Makes Statement in Athletes Unlimited Softball Debut

Allison Smith|
Kendra Falby (27) performs the signature Gator chop in front of home fans.
Kendra Falby (27) performs the signature Gator chop in front of home fans. | Molly Kaiser-University of Florida Athletics

Kendra Falby, the sensational player from the University of Florida, made her professional softball debut in Athletes Unlimited's All-Star Cup on Saturday.

Falby, a flashy player in Gator orange and blue, left the program on a high note as she won the 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field, was named to the 2025 NFCA Second Team All-American, and to the 2025 All Southeastern Conference (SEC) Defensive and First Team in her senior season.

More impressively, her Gold Glove Award was won in back-to-back seasons, making her one of only three softball Gators to record that feat.

As a key contributor to the Gators' lineup, Falby hit a career .393 with 337 hits and 109 RBIs.

Additionally, offensively, Falby scored a school record 259 runs and ranked second in Florida’s career record books with 118 stolen bases.

Falby also maintained an impressive .985 fielding percentage, only committing seven total errors over four years.

Kendra Falby (27) leaps over the fence and snags a home run.
Kendra Falby (27) leaps over the fence and snags a home run. | Florida Softball

Falby Wins MVP in Athletes Unlimited Introduction

Picking right back up where she left off from Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium, Falby was named the first MVP of the 2025 Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup season in the 3-2 victory for Team Kilfoyl over Team Ocasio.

After the first two games of the season, Falby is tied for third place with 190 points with fellow rookie sensation Kayla Kowalik from Kentucky. Falby was able to win the MVP voting awards due to her timely hitting in the bottom of the sixth inning that propelled Team Kilfoyl to a 3-1 lead.

Falby went 2-for-3 on the day including her first professional hit of her career with a single down the third base line to start the bottom of the third inning in addition to her crucial hit late in the sixth.

Falby also notched a clean slate on the day in the outfield as she recorded a single fly out in right field.

More Chances to Watch Falby

Falby and Team Kilfoyl do not have a large amount of time to rest as they will play back-to-back days at Rosemont Stadium in Illinois. Team Kilfoyl (orange) plays Team Corrick (purple) on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST on ESPNU.

This will be a difficult matchup for Falby and her squad as Georgina Corrick is leading her team after winning Pitcher of the Year for the inaugural AUSL season. Additionally, Corrick has stacked her roster with Talon teammates who won the first ever championship including superstar pitcher Montana Fouts.

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Allison Smith
ALLISON SMITH

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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