Nicole Bates

Nicole Lynn "Sis" Bates is an American professional softball player for the Portland Cascade of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) and a member of the United States women's national softball team. She played college softball at Washington. She is also as an ambassador and mentor within the sport of softball.

Early life Bates was born and raised in Ceres, California where she grew up playing baseball with her brother, Jimmy, which earned her the nickname of "Sis". Even in her youth, Sis enjoyed working on defensive skills. Growing up, Sis also played basketball, volleyball, soccer, dance, and gymnastics but softball stuck with her the most. It was not until a youth softball camp on campus where Sis showed Heather Tarr the impressive range and skills she possessed in the shortstop position. Concluding her sophomore year, Sis earned 1 Pac-12 player of the week, USA Softball collegiate Player of the year finalist, Pac-12 All- Academic Honorable mention, Pac-12 All defensive team, All Pac-12 First Team, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the year, NFCA All-region first team, and NFCA All-American First team. She was named the Greatest Softball Shortstop of All Time by ESPN in 2020. She finished her career as the all-time leader in hits in program history. She was named Softball America Defensive Player of the Year three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021. She accumulated just five total errors at shortstop since the start of the 2019 season, which covered 125 games. Bates finished her college career with a fielding percentage of .982, the second-highest mark of any middle infielder in Washington program history.

Professional career After her first professional season with Athletes Unlimited, Bates took a year off following leg injuries to help coach the University of Washington softball program. On December 1, 2025, she was drafted in the third round, 13th overall, by the Cascade in the AUSL allocation draft.

National Team career In 2017, Sis Bates was not even invited to try out for the national team and then again in 2018 where she was not invited back after an open tryout. During her adult national team career thus far, Sis has recorded an impressive resume while representing the USA.

Coaching career Sis began her first year coaching following her rookie season of professional softball in 2022. Sis believes that playing loose creates the best mental and physical environment on the softball field, so she stresses that within her coaching.