Softball On SI

USA Olympic Infielder Named AUSL Defensive Player of the Year

Allison Smith|
AUSL Talons celebrate after a home run from Sierra Sacco (21).
AUSL Talons celebrate after a home run from Sierra Sacco (21). | Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL)

Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is having an unprecedented year which includes partners in the MLB, IMG Academy, and makeup company Sephora, to sold out stadiums across the country.

Flippen, who was a three-time All-American at the University of Utah, is no stranger to defensive stops and dynamic plays.

At Utah, Flippen acrued a .966 fielding percentage with only 25 errors over her three season with the Utes. Due to her defensive prowess, Flippen was named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2016 and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.

As an Olympian and professional athlete, Flippen has continued this consistency and dominance on the diamond. Flippen, who has played in the Red, White, and Blue since 2017, won a gold medal at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham and silver at the 2024 World Cup.

Hannah Flippen throws a ball across the diamond in her USA uniform.
Hannah Flippen throws a ball across the diamond in her USA uniform. | USA Softball/University of Utah Athletics

In her professional playing career, Flippen has been a member of Athletes Unlimited since its inaugural season in 2020. She was awarded Defensive Player of the Year for the 2022 AU season.

Thus, it is no surprise that Flippen is the first winner of this award in AUSL's first season.

As a member of the Talons, the first-place team in the league with an 18-5 record, Flippen has recorded 56 putouts, 38 assists, and only conceded three errors for a .969 fielding percentage.

In addition, Flippen hit .313, scoring 17 runs on 21 hits, which notched her 20 RBIs. She also had four doubles and three home runs on the season.

The Talons, along with Flippen, took the No. 1 spot in the regular season and will play the Bandits for the AUSL championship in Tuscaloosa at Alabama's Rhoads Stadium July 26-28.

All three games will air on ESPN or ESPN2.

Published | Modified
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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