The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) announced that Cindy Ball-Malone has been named the new head coach of the Utah Talons. Ball-Malone succeeds Howard Dobson and brings over twenty years of collegiate head coaching experience to the Salt Lake City-based team.
While leading the Talons, Ball-Malone will continue her current role as the head coach at the University of Central Florida.
Utah Talons General Manager Lisa Fernandez stated that Ball-Malone is a respected coach with a proven track record of developing elite talent and building successful programs. Fernandez also expressed gratitude to Howard Dobson for his work in establishing the team culture and helping the franchise achieve its inaugural AUSL championship.
Ball-Malument's coaching career includes leading UCF since 2019, where she has achieved five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and a Super Regionals berth in 2022. She previously coached at Boise State, where she led the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Between these two programs, she has accumulated nearly 400 career wins.
Beyond the collegiate level, Ball-Malone has worked with USA Softball on both the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U-19 National Team, contributing to gold medal wins at the World Games and World Cup.
Ball-Malone expressed her honor in joining the Utah Talons and the AUSL during what she described as an exciting time for professional softball.
The Talons enter their 2026 season as defending AUSL champions. The team is scheduled to begin its home schedule on June 9 at Dumke Family Stadium against the Chicago Bandits.
