Each athlete has chosen a charity to receive a donation equal to 50 percent of their season bonus. Pendley is playing for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Mauga’s play will benefit Black Girls Code.
Photo by: Jade Hewitt/Athletes Unlimited
Mauga, Pendley Open Athletes Unlimited Season Saturday
August 28, 2020 | Softball
Athletes Unlimited is the newest professional softball league, and players earn or lose points as individuals based on their statistics along with an additional 10 points for every inning their team wins and 50 points for every game their team wins
CHICAGO – Two members of Mississippi State's 2020 softball staff return to the diamond as professionals this weekend. Volunteer assistant coach Katiyana Mauga and graduate assistant Nicole Pendley open the inaugural weekend of the Athletes Unlimited softball season on Saturday.
Mauga, who played collegiately at Arizona, will play in the first game in the league's history when she takes the field with Team Warren (Orange) at noon CT on Saturday. The game will air on ESPN2. Pendley, a two-time national champion at Oklahoma, is captaining the Blue squad and will follow at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
Team Pendley and Team Warren go head-to-head on Sunday at noon with the game available on ESPN3. On Monday, Pendley's team opens the day at 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network with Mauga playing in the nightcap at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Athletes Unlimited is the newest professional softball league, but the organization does not feature traditional teams. Instead, 60 athletes – 17 of whom played in the SEC – remain Chicago for the duration of the season and are drafted to one of four new teams each week. Following the final game of each week, the top four athletes will be named captains for the next week's draft. All games will be broadcast on ESPN2, ESPN3, CBS Sports Network or the Olympic Channel.
Captains are selected by virtue of a unique individual scoring system that mimics most fantasy league scoring systems. Players earn or lose points as individuals based on their statistics along with an additional 10 points for every inning their team wins and 50 points for every game their team wins. Additionally, 60 points are available to the athlete who finishes first in MVP voting by the players following each game. The second and third place vote getters receive 40 and 20 points, respectively.
Points also translate to dollars at the end of the season, and each athlete has chosen a charity to receive a donation equal to 50 percent of their season bonus through the Athletes Causes program powered by Give Lively. Pendley is playing for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Mauga's play will benefit Black Girls Code.
Pendley was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 National Pro Fastpitch Draft and won the 2018 Crowles Cup with the USSSA Pride. Most recently, she played part of the 2019 season with the Cleveland Comets. The Rio Rancho, New Mexico, native was a three-time All-Big 12 honoree and earned three NFCA All-Region honors before ending her career ranking in the top 10 in Sooner history in games played, hits, runs, home runs, total bases, RBI and extra-base hits.
Mauga is the only player in NCAA history to hit 20 home runs in each of her four seasons and graduated as the Arizona, Pac-12 and NCAA career record holder with 92 long balls. The two-time All-American was the 2017 Co-Pac-12 Player of the Year and a top-10 finalist for USA Softball's Player of the Year award. She was the sixth overall selection of the Texas Charge in the 2017 NPF Draft.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. Team Warren (Orange) at 12 p.m. on ESPN3
Monday, Aug. 31 vs. Team Fagan (Purple) at 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. Team Pendley (Blue) at 12 p.m. on ESPN3
Monday, Aug. 31 vs. Team Wagner (Yellow) at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Mauga, who played collegiately at Arizona, will play in the first game in the league's history when she takes the field with Team Warren (Orange) at noon CT on Saturday. The game will air on ESPN2. Pendley, a two-time national champion at Oklahoma, is captaining the Blue squad and will follow at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
Team Pendley and Team Warren go head-to-head on Sunday at noon with the game available on ESPN3. On Monday, Pendley's team opens the day at 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network with Mauga playing in the nightcap at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Athletes Unlimited is the newest professional softball league, but the organization does not feature traditional teams. Instead, 60 athletes – 17 of whom played in the SEC – remain Chicago for the duration of the season and are drafted to one of four new teams each week. Following the final game of each week, the top four athletes will be named captains for the next week's draft. All games will be broadcast on ESPN2, ESPN3, CBS Sports Network or the Olympic Channel.
Captains are selected by virtue of a unique individual scoring system that mimics most fantasy league scoring systems. Players earn or lose points as individuals based on their statistics along with an additional 10 points for every inning their team wins and 50 points for every game their team wins. Additionally, 60 points are available to the athlete who finishes first in MVP voting by the players following each game. The second and third place vote getters receive 40 and 20 points, respectively.
Points also translate to dollars at the end of the season, and each athlete has chosen a charity to receive a donation equal to 50 percent of their season bonus through the Athletes Causes program powered by Give Lively. Pendley is playing for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Mauga's play will benefit Black Girls Code.
Pendley was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 National Pro Fastpitch Draft and won the 2018 Crowles Cup with the USSSA Pride. Most recently, she played part of the 2019 season with the Cleveland Comets. The Rio Rancho, New Mexico, native was a three-time All-Big 12 honoree and earned three NFCA All-Region honors before ending her career ranking in the top 10 in Sooner history in games played, hits, runs, home runs, total bases, RBI and extra-base hits.
Mauga is the only player in NCAA history to hit 20 home runs in each of her four seasons and graduated as the Arizona, Pac-12 and NCAA career record holder with 92 long balls. The two-time All-American was the 2017 Co-Pac-12 Player of the Year and a top-10 finalist for USA Softball's Player of the Year award. She was the sixth overall selection of the Texas Charge in the 2017 NPF Draft.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Nicole Pendley's Week 1 Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 29 vs. Team Wagner (Yellow) at 3 p.m. on ESPN2Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. Team Warren (Orange) at 12 p.m. on ESPN3
Monday, Aug. 31 vs. Team Fagan (Purple) at 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
Katiyana Mauga's Week 1 Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 29 vs. Team Fagan (Purple) at 12 p.m. on ESPN2Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. Team Pendley (Blue) at 12 p.m. on ESPN3
Monday, Aug. 31 vs. Team Wagner (Yellow) at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
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