Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Expands to Athletes Unlimited Softball League

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI (June 2, 2026) – Rawlings®, the official game ball, glove, helmet, face guard and base of Major League Baseball®, and now the official bat, glove and base of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), is introducing its renowned Gold Glove Award to the newly-formed professional softball organization.

Since its inception in 1957, the Gold Glove Award has been bestowed upon top defensive athletes in professional baseball, with collegiate and high school baseball athletes added to the list of recipients in 2007, followed by collegiate softball athletes in 2022. This will mark the second instance the Rawlings Gold Glove Award has been awarded in professional softball, with the first being from 2016-2019 with the now obsolete National Pro Fastpitch League.

“At Rawlings, we’ve always believed in supporting the athletes and leagues that help move the game forward, and bringing the Gold Glove Award to the AUSL accomplishes that and more,” said Mike Thomspon, Chief Marketing Officer at Rawlings. “Partnering with the AUSL is an exciting opportunity to stand behind the incredible talent in women’s professional softball and contribute to the continued growth of the sport.”

Similar to the award selection process in baseball, coaches and managers throughout the AUSL will vote for the winner, excluding any players from their respective teams. The winner will be announced following the conclusion of the ’26 season in late July.

“The Rawlings Gold Glove Award represents the highest standards of defensive excellence in the game and bringing that recognition to the AUSL is a meaningful step for our athletes and for the league,” said AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng. “This partnership with Rawlings, a brand with a deep legacy in diamond sports, reinforces the caliber of talent and performance that defines the AUSL.”

Rawlings and Easton were announced as the official bat, glove and base of the AUSL in May 2026 and have several individual endorsement deals with AUSL athletes that include Tiare Jennings, Jayda Coleman, Rachel Garcia and Maya Brady.

Rawlings is a member and supporter of NSGA. Mike Thompson, Harry Latina, Claude Carr and Ed Horner of Rawlings are in the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame.