CLEMSON, S.C. – Current Clemson Softball pitcher/utility player Valerie Cagle was the No. 1 overall draft pick during the Athletes Unlimited Softball College Draft on Tuesday. Cagle was one of 15 athletes drafted and has been invited to join contracted returnees and free agents on the rosters for the 2024 AUX Pro Softball Season in Wichita, Kansas, and the 2024 AU Pro Softball Championship Season in Rosemont, Illinois.
Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX (pronounced A-U-X) features 18 games across two weeks, utilizing AU’s unique scoring system to crown an individual champion. The 2024 event will take place June 10-25 at Wichita State’s Wilkins Stadium. All games will be broadcast live on the ESPN family of networks.
Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship Season features 15 games across five weeks, utilizing AU’s unique scoring system to crown an individual champion. The 2024 event will take place July 26- Aug. 25 at The Stadium at Parkway Bank Sports Complex – the first sports venue dedicated solely to women’s professional sports in the United States. Fifteen AU Pro Softball championship games will be available live exclusively on ESPN platforms.
Cagle is the reigning 2023 USA Softball Player of the Year and a two-time ACC Player of the Year. The Yorktown, Va., native joined the Tigers in 2020 for their inaugural season. During her five years in the Orange and Regalia, Cagle has maintained a .385 average off 288 hits, including 66 home runs, 49 doubles and six triples. She holds a .731 slugging percentage while also sitting second on the ACC’s all-time list for home runs.
A dual threat, Cagle has held a 1.70 ERA through 753.2 innings of work. The redshirt senior has 86 career victories and struck out 816 batters while limiting opponents to a .203 average and securing 28 solo shutouts, including two no-hitters and one perfect game. Additional awards won during her tenure include the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove (Pitcher), 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year, three NFCA All-America honors and numerous others. She will also compete this summer with the USA Softball WNT in the Japan All-Star Series.
Cagle becomes the third Tiger to be selected to play professionally. She joins former teammates Caroline Jacobsen (2023) and Ansley Gilstrap (2021), who were both drafted by teams in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) league. Cagle is the second athlete with the opportunity to play with Athletes Unlimited after Jacobsen spent the 2023 championship season with the league.
