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Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens earns fifth 2026 AUSL Golden Ticket

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh04/03/26griffin_mcveigh

Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens has earned a Golden Ticket from the AUSL, the league announced on Thursday night. Pickens is the fifth player to receive the honor in 2026. She will now see her softball career continue once the playing days in Knoxville are up. A huge honor for Pickens.

As mentioned, Pickens joins four other current college softball players as a Golden Ticket recipient. Two come from the SEC, as Texas recently double-dipped with Reese Atwood and Leighann Goode. Star Texas Tech pitcher NiJarre Canady got the ball rolling back on March 27. Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart was the most recent prior to Pickens.

Pickens had a previous relationship with the AUSL. Back in February, the two announced an NIL partnership. Finding a way to bridge the gap between college softball and the AUSL was the main goal.

The AUSL Golden Ticket is a fun way for college players to learn that they will be drafted. This is the second year of the tradition after the league began play in 2025.

“Over the next several weeks, Athletes Unlimited Softball League Golden Tickets will be presented to college softball players at programs across the country,” the AUSL website says. “These Golden Tickets — delivered by softball legends, AUSL ambassadors, or league leadership in front of teammates, coaches, and family members — signify that the athlete has been drafted to AUSL.”

Monday, May 4, 2026, is when the AUSL college draft is scheduled to take place. ESPN2 will have the broadcast. Pickens and the other four players will find out which teams they have been selected to.

More on Karyln Pickens, 2026 season for Tennessee

Pickens is in the middle of her senior year at Tennessee, once again putting together dominant performances. In 15 appearances, Pickens has an ERA of 1.46. Funny enough, that would be the worst number put up by Pickens in the last three years if she keeps the pace. The Vols saw Pickens post a 1.12 ERA in 2023 before slightly ticking up to 1.17 the next season.

A scary moment did take place earlier in the year when Tennessee was facing Belmont on March 3. Pickens was in the circle before being removed from the game due to an injury. Tennessee eventually listed her day-to-day and saw an absence of 12 days take place. Pickens once again took the field on March 15 in Starkville vs. Mississippi State.