The Chicago Bandits are building their roster for the 2027 Athletes Unlimited Softball League season.
Bandits players who are offered contracts will re-sign throughout the next month. The group may include players who competed with Chicago during the 2026 season as well as provisional selections from the 2026 AUSL College Draft.
Players who were not offered returning contracts remain eligible for selection in the Allocation Draft this winter and may also join the Reserve Athlete Pool.
This article will be updated as players sign.
Ailana Agbayani, Infield
Infielder Ailana Agbayani returns to Chicago after emerging as one of the AUSL’s top rookies in 2026. As the squad’s primary second baseman, she started all 25 regular-season games for the Bandits. She led all first-year players with a .319 batting average and 22 hits, and was among the league leaders in stolen bases and sacrifice bunts. Agbayani added six multi-hit games and hit her first professional home run on June 28 at Oklahoma City. She also started all three of Chicago’s postseason games and recorded two hits in the Bandits’ Play-In Game win over Portland.
Jocelyn Alo, Utility
Jocelyn Alo will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after spending 2026 on the Temporary Inactive List following the birth of her first child. Alo most recently competed with Athletes Unlimited during the 2024 AUX season, where she finished second on the leaderboard while setting single-season records with six home runs and 34 total bases.
Erin Coffel, Infield
Erin Coffel posted another strong year with the Bandits in 2026. Coffel hit .333 with five doubles in 15 starts during the 2026 regular season before being placed on the Injured List on July 8, while leading the AUSL with 15 walks. The 2025 AUSL MVP and Hitter of the Year previously led the league in RBIs, on-base percentage and OPS during the inaugural season in 2025.
Mary Iakopo, Catcher
Mary Iakopo will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after contributing both during the regular season and the Bandits’ postseason run in 2026. Iakopo recorded two home runs and 10 RBIs during the regular season and opened the year with an eight-game hitting streak. She also started two of Chicago’s three postseason games, including the Bandits’ Play-In Game victory over Portland.
Bella Dayton, Outfield
Bella Dayton will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after batting .321 with 17 hits and 12 runs scored for the Bandits in 2026. She started all three of Chicago’s postseason games and went 5-for-10, with a pair of two-hit performances during the AUSL Championship.
Jocelyn Erickson, Utility
Jocelyn Erickson will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after starting 23 games for the Bandits as a rookie in 2026. Erickson hit .242 with 11 RBIs and ranked second in the AUSL after being hit by a pitch six times. She also recorded her first professional home run on July 12 at Portland.
Aliyah Binford, Utility
Aliyah Binford will officially join Chicago for the 2027 season after making an impact both in the circle and at the plate for Texas in 2026 before being traded to the Bandits. Binford posted a 2.89 ERA across 36.1 innings and set an AUSL single-season record with 16 relief appearances, while also hitting .268 with five home runs and 11 RBIs. On June 23, she became the first player in AUSL history to hit a home run and earn a pitching win in the same game, when she went 2-for-3 with two home runs while tossing three scoreless innings in relief versus Chicago.
Morgan Zerkle, Outfield
Morgan Zerkle will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after ranking among the AUSL’s top hitters in 2026. Zerkle batted .333 with 27 hits, six doubles and a league-leading three triples, while also ranking second with five stolen bases. She remained productive during the Bandits’ postseason run, and started all three games while batting .400 with four hits and three RBI.
Sami Williams, Infield
Sami Williams will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after putting together one of the AUSL’s top offensive seasons in 2026. Williams started all 25 games for the Bandits and finished second in the league with a .427 batting average while tying for first with 32 hits. She also set AUSL single-season records with 12 doubles and 34 RBIs and led the league with 67 total bases.
Taylor McQuillin, Left-Handed Pitcher
Taylor McQuillin will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after making eight appearances for the Bandits in 2026. McQuillin posted a 2-3 record with one save and a 4.44 ERA while making three starts. She will enter her third AUSL season after tying for the league lead with four saves and recording 24 strikeouts across 29 innings during the inaugural 2025 campaign.
Lexi Kilfoyl, Right-Handed Pitcher
Lexi Kilfoyl will return to Chicago for the 2027 season after an unbeaten regular season and an individual title at the 2026 AUSL All-Star Cup. Kilfoyl went 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA across 43 innings for the Bandits, while holding opponents to a .222 batting average and tying for the team lead with three complete games. She also posted a 1.47 ERA across 14.1 postseason innings before winning the All-Star Cup with a 3-1 record, 1.98 ERA and league-high three saves.
More Roster News
Clements, Kern Released from Bandits Roster
Tickets to the 2027 Bandits Season
Season ticket deposits for the 2027 Chicago Bandits season are available now. Fans interested in attending individual games can fill out the single-game ticket interest form to receive updates as soon as single-game tickets go on sale.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
