Ally Carda
PositionPitcher/Utility
TeamTexas Volts
BatsRight
ThrowsRight
Birth dateJanuary 15, 1993 (age 33)[1]
Birth placeSacramento, California, U.S.
Teams

Allyson "Ally" Nicole Carda (born January 15, 1993) is an American professional softball pitcher and first baseman for the Texas Volts of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). She has been a member of the United States women's national softball team since 2015 and represented Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal.[2] She played college softball for the UCLA Bruins from 2012 to 2015, and won back-to-back conference Player of the Year awards in 2014 and 2015.[3][4][5] She also earned back-to-back National Fastpitch Coaches Association First Team All-American honors.[6][7]

Early life

Carda was born on January 15, 1993, in Sacramento, California, to parents Heather and Jim Carda. Carda and her family moved to Elk Grove, California,[8][9] where she attended Pleasant Grove High School,[10] from where she graduated in 2011. She is openly lesbian and her partner is Kelly Kretschman.[11]

College career

Carda signed a letter of intent to play for UCLA during her senior year of High School. Carda became one of the all-time greats in the winningest program in history, becoming the best 2 way player for the Bruins since Lisa Fernandez.[12]

Professional career

On December 1, 2025, Carda was drafted sixth overall by the Volts in the AUSL allocation draft.[13]

International career

Carda was named to the United States women's national softball team roster in 2015.[12] Carda also played for the Red, White, and Blue in 2016[14] and 2017.[15] Carda helped the Red, White, and Blue to a World Cup of Softball Gold Medal in 2015, and a Silver in 2016. Carda also won a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2016 Women's Softball World Championship. Carda represented Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal.[16] At the Tokyo Games, Carda suffered the loss in the gold medal game to Team Japan in two innings of work on July 27, 2021. For the tournament, Carda pitched eight innings and scored a run for Team USA.[17][18]

On August 31, 2023, Carda was named to the U.S. women's national team for the 2023 Pan American Games.[19]

Carda represented the United States at the 2024 Women's Softball World Cup and won a silver medal.[20]

Statistics

UCLA Bruins
YearWLGPGSCGShSVIPHRERBBSOERAWHIP
20121353725611120.0101655871973.381.43
2013231046271230206.21548771882172.411.17
201432546321892220.21697960652301.901.06
201532849331893240.0184106901232812.621.28
TOTALS1002817811754226787.16083372793478252.481.21
UCLA Bruins
YearGABRHBARBIHR3B2BTBSLGBBSOSBSBA
2012521081631.2872541550.463%152411
2013601171660.339501817123.695%311812
2014601755669.3946513211123.703%3916918
2015631835960.328508015100.541%572345
TOTALS235643173220.34218043438395.614%142811526
Team USA
YearWLGPGSCGSHOSVIPHRERBBSOERAWHIP
2015308422024.2142210200.570.99
2016509600024.010538320.880.75
2020209420023.11511107333.030.95
20218015500051.2297625520.821.05
Olympics01210008.07433112.621.25
TOTALS1714320420131.2752924531481.280.97

[21][22]

NPF
YEARGABRHBARBIHR3B2BTBSLGBBSOSB
20175611.16600001.166%110
2018262149.428511014.666%330
20193612.33300002.333%321
TOTALS3433612.363511017.515%761
YEARWLGPGSCGShSVIPHRERBBSOERAWHIP
2017315410023.121556281.511.17
20185327600444.026121021451.591.07
201900510017.2766385.831.39
TOTALS84371110575.054232130811.961.12

References

  1. ^ "Ally Carda - Softball"
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team". Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  3. ^ "Pac-12 announces softball all-conference honors". Pac-12.com. 2013-05-12. Archived from the original on August 17, 2013. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  4. ^ "Pac-12 announces softball all-Conference honors". Pac-12.com. 2014-05-14. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  5. ^ "Pac-12 announces 2015 softball all-Conference honors". Pac-12.com. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  6. ^ "2014 ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS". Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  7. ^ "2015 ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS". Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  8. ^ Ip, Jennifer (2021-08-02). "Silver Medal For Elk Grove Native Ally Carda In Softball". Elk Grove Tribune. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
  9. ^ "Ally Carda: National Softball Superstar". Elk Grove, CA Patch. 2011-03-05. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
  10. ^ Ip, Jennifer (2021-08-02). "Silver Medal For Elk Grove Native Ally Carda In Softball". Elk Grove Tribune. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  11. ^ Schultz, Ken (2021-07-13). "Out Olympian Ally Carda turns to her partner for Olympic inspiration". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  12. ^ "Ally Carda - Softball". uclabruins.com. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  13. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Softball League holds expansion and allocation draft". ESPN.com. December 1, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  14. ^ "Four Players, Two Coaches on Team USA". uclabruins.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  15. ^ "Three Bruins Named to USA Women's National Team". uclabruins.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  16. ^ "Ally Carda". Team USA. 3 June 2022. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  17. ^ "JPN 2, USA 0". 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  18. ^ "Carda". 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  19. ^ "USA Softball announces 16-player Women's National Team roster set to represent Team USA at 2023 Pan American Games". usasoftball.com. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  20. ^ "Japan outscore USA in the final to become Women's Softball World Champions". wbsc.org. July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  21. ^ "United States | Summer 2015 | Adult Softball"
  22. ^ "United States | Summer 2016 | Adult Softball"