Former Mississippi State standout Mia Davidson heard her name called in Wednesday night’s inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League Draft, selected by the Bandits with the 17th overall pick.
Since 2020, the Athletes Unlimited league has been player-driven with new teams selected each week and an individual leaderboard. This season, the league is shifting to a more traditional format with four permanent teams playing 24 games each beginning in June. The Bandits are named for the former National Pro Fastpitch franchise based in the Chicago area from 2005 through 2019.
In five seasons with the Bulldogs, Davidson became the Southeastern Conference’s all-time home run leader with 92. She blasted 26 as a sophomore in 2019, then hit 23 as a fifth-year senior in 2022 to help MSU reach the NCAA super regionals for the first time in program history. Davidson batted .352 in a Bulldogs uniform with a .775 slugging percentage and more walks than strikeouts.
Following the end of her collegiate career, Davidson played the last three years with Athletes Unlimited, finishing third in the shorter AUX season in 2023. Last year, she also played for Denso Bright Pegasus in the Japan Diamond League, and last weekend she opened the 2025 season in Liga Mexicana.
Davidson has already hit two homers through four games in Mexico as well as a game-winning three-run double, and also caught the league’s first-ever perfect game from former UCLA pitcher Megan Faraimo.
Each of the four AUSL teams drafted 12 players, with the remaining roster spots reserved for free agent signings and current college seniors who will finish their last year of college eligibility this spring.
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