GRANVILLE, OH -- Denison University softball catcher Annabelle Calderon ’25 has signed with the Kansas City Diamonds as a development player in the newly formed Professional Softball League (PSL). Calderon is the first Big Red softball player selected to compete in the PSL.

Calderon is currently playing in the Professional Softball League Development (PSLD) with a feeder team to the Kansas City Diamonds organization. The PSL’s mission is to “advance professional softball through a coalition of equal partner franchises committed to upholding competitive integrity, providing player opportunities, and ensuring long-term sustainability.”

The PSL’s inaugural season begins this summer, with four teams – the Florida Vibe, Atlanta Smoke, Kansas City Diamonds and Florida Breeze – playing full schedules. The league will expand to six teams in 2027, with the NY Rise and Chattanooga Chill among the organizations set to join on a reduced schedule as the PSL continues preparations for expansion.

A four-year varsity letter winner with the Denison softball team, Calderon graduated as one of the most decorated softball players in program history. She earned her degree magna cum laude as a Biology major, was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma national scholar-athlete honor society and was a 2025 Denison President’s Medal recipient.
On the field, Calderon wrapped her career as the Big Red’s all-time leader in batting average, doubles, slugging percentage, home runs and total bases. In her final season as Denison’s starting catcher, she recorded 161 putouts, 15 assists and a .983 fielding percentage. She is a two-time NFCA Catcher of the Year, two-time NFCA First Team All-America honoree and two-time NCAC Player of the Year. Academically, she is a three-time Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete and one of two softball players nationally to earn College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® recognition.

Much as she did at Denison, Calderon continues to make an impact in her community. In addition to her spot on the PSLD roster, she coaches an 18u JR Diamonds team under the pro organization and volunteers with two inner-city 12u rec teams through the Boys & Girls Club/Royals Athletic Development as part of the organization’s youth outreach efforts.

When she isn’t on the field, Calderon works full-time as a researcher with the orthopedics team at the University of Kansas, where she and fellow researchers are contributing to seven active studies and will present their findings at several upcoming conferences.

“I’m already pre-selected to play exhibition games throughout the summer for the pro teams in the PSL, which is pretty freaking exciting!” Calderon said.