Odicci Alexander-Bennett Is Creating Opportunities Beyond Softball
AUSL Chicago Bandits

Odicci Alexander-Bennett Is Creating Opportunities Beyond Softball

Published on July 24, 2026 under Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL)
Chicago Bandits News Release


When Odicci Alexander-Bennett learned she had been nominated for the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League Impact Award, the recognition meant more than an acknowledgment of her work in the community. It was validation that the purpose she's built alongside her softball career is making a difference.

"It's an honor because coming from such a big league of role models, people that I look up to, to know that I am an inspiration means a lot," Alexander-Bennett said. "I try my best to, of course, give back to the game that has given so much to me."

That mindset is exactly why Alexander-Bennett was named the AUSL's 2026 Impact Award winner for her support of the Natasha Watley Foundation, a nonprofit that introduces softball to girls in historically marginalized communities while using the sport to build confidence, leadership and life skills.

"What motivates me as an athlete to support the causes and communities that matter most to me is knowing that the game gave me a platform, but purpose is what gives it meaning," Alexander-Bennett said. "I've seen how much access, representation, and support can change a young athlete's path. Being in a position where kids are watching, especially young girls who look like me, pushes me to show up for more than just performance. It's about impact, opening doors, and making sure the next generation has more than we did."

Her platform first grew after she helped lead James Madison on its memorable run to the 2021 Women's College World Series. Alexander-Bennett said that's when she realized just how much influence she could have on the next generation.

"I feel like I've always had that," she said. "But of course after the Women's College World Series in 2021, when I was given the opportunity and the platform to do all these things, that's when it really took place. I was able to invest and share my knowledge more because I was given the platform."

Since then, she's made it a priority to create opportunities for young athletes beyond the field, one of the biggest being SixFour3 Richmond-a training facility built specifically with female athletes in mind.

"My goal after college was to always own a facility," Alexander-Bennett said. "It's all females, which is something I feel like we don't have in this softball world. When you go into a building, it's always baseball guys or whatever, so having something specifically for females was a huge thing for me."

Through camps, clinics and mentoring sessions, Alexander-Bennett has created spaces where young athletes can develop both their softball skills and their confidence.

"That's probably the most impactful space for me," she said. "Being able to teach, build confidence, and pour into girls not just as players, but as people."

That mission made the Natasha Watley Foundation the perfect organization for the right-handed pitcher to represent on the field.

Alexander-Bennett named Watley as one of her biggest role models throughout her career, not only because of what she accomplished as one of softball's most decorated players, but for the impact she's continued to make after her playing career.

"Natasha has always been a role model to me, and she's inspired so many, including myself," Alexander-Bennett said. "To see what she continues to do after she's left the field has been amazing. She's paved the way for softball, women's sports, and she's continuing to do that. I wanted to be a part of that foundation because it's so much of giving back, and I feel like that's exactly what God put me here to do."

Her perspective on that mission has continued to transform over the past year.

After playing for the Bandits while pregnant during the 2025 season, Alexander-Bennett returned to the field this year as a new mother. She admitted there were moments of uncertainty about whether she could still compete at the highest level after giving birth.

"You come back, and you feel like, 'Will others think you're still enough? Will others think you can still do what you do?'" she explained. "I had the same feeling."

Those doubts quickly disappeared once she stepped back on the field.

"Women are built so different," she said. "Halo is almost six months now, and I'm sitting here playing professional softball with the best of the best. It's the craziest thing that it's possible, and you can do it."

Motherhood has also changed how she views success. After wins and losses alike, she knows someone is waiting for her who couldn't care less about the final score.

"Halo lights up after she sees me after the game," Alexander-Bennett said. "That makes me see there's so much more than playing the game. The sport you play is what you do. It's not who you are."

That perspective is something she hopes every young athlete carries with them.

"I would tell them that any game you play is hard, and you're going to fail a lot, and it's okay," she said. "Letting that not define you is what I hope kids take away. It's okay. You're human, and you make mistakes. Move on."

For Alexander-Bennett, the game may have given her a platform, but the legacy she's building will be defined by the opportunities she creates for the girls who follow.

Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.

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