Akron Racers
The Akron Racers were a professional women’s softball team based in Akron, Ohio. They were founded in 1999 by Joey Arietta to play in the Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). In 2000 the WPSL reorganized and Akron shared Firestone Stadium with the Ohio Pride.
The Racers moved to National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) when the WPSL folded, and they played in the NPF from 2004 through 2017. They won the league championship in 2005, beating the Chicago Bandits. Over 2004–2008, their combined WPSL/NPF record was strong (149–94).
In 2009 Crystl Bustos became the team’s manager. In 2014, the Racers upset the favored Chicago Bandits in the NPF Championship Series in Hoover, Alabama, but then lost to the USSSA Pride in the finals. That year the Racers earned several awards, including Coach of the Year (Brian Levin and Dustin Combs), Offensive Player of the Year Nerissa Myers, and the Jennie Finch Award for Kelley Montalvo. Five Racers players were named to the All-NPF Team.
In 2015–2017 the team continued to compete, with coaching changes in 2017. Head coach Brian Levin stepped down to focus on his job with Belmont University, and the Racers finished third in the regular season before being swept by the Scrap Yard Dawgs in the first round of the playoffs.
General manager: Joey Arrietta. The Racers retired four numbers: 4 (Carla Brookbank-Schaal), 6 (Crystl Bustos), 24 (Amy Kyler), and 43 (Duke Justice).
In 2018 the Akron Racers moved to Cleveland and became the Cleveland Comets, ending the Akron chapter of the team.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 20:40 (CET).