2026 AUSL College Mock Draft

The 17 AUSL Golden Tickets are out, and the college seniors will find out where they land on May 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 for the AUSL College Draft show. Then they’ll hit the field for Opening Day on June 9.

Just a reminder to those who are making the picks:

Bandits: General Manager Jenny Dalton-Hill; Head Coach Shonda Stanton

Blaze: General Manager Dana Sorensen; Head Coach Kara Dill

Cascade: General Manager Jami Lobpries; Head Coach to be announced

Spark: General Manager Kirk Walker; Head Coach Amber Flores

Talons: General Manager Lisa Fernandez; Head Coach Howard Dobson

Volts: General Manager Cat Osterman; Head Coach Ricci Woodard

Round 1

1. Carolina Blaze – Karlyn Pickens, RHP, Tennessee

Pickens to the Blaze makes too much sense. The multi-time All-American fills the team’s biggest need; she’s a North Carolina native, and the flamethrower on a team called the Blaze? It just fits. Carolina can’t really go wrong here.

2. Texas Volts – NiJaree Canady, RHP, Texas Tech

The Volts and Cat Osterman take another generational arm in NiJaree Canady here, keeping the so-to-be Texas Tech alum in the state and adding her to the pitching staff with Rachel Garcia.

3. Oklahoma City Spark – Megan Grant, UTIL, UCLA

The Spark would love either of the top two arms, but new Spark General Manager Kirk Walker goes to his roots to take Megan Grant, adding an elite bat that can play in the infield or outfield.

4. Portland Cascade – Maya Johnson, LHP, Belmont

The Cascade adds a premier arm in Maya Johnson, arguably the best pitcher of the 2026 collegiate season. Portland should already have one of the league’s strongest pitching staffs.

5. Chicago Bandits – Jocelyn Erickson, C, Florida

The Bandits have a need for another catcher with only Mary Iakopo on the roster. Erickson, who can also play first base for Chicago, rejoins Skylar Wallace to make the lineup stronger.

6. Utah Talons – Jordan Woolery, INF, UCLA

The Talons lost a lot of offensive production after projecting its pitching staff in the expansion draft. Woolery can play either corner spot and could make for a dangerous duo with Bri Ellis if she has a better sophomore season.

Round 2

7. Carolina Blaze – Reese Atwood, C, Texas

A general consensus would be that there are at least seven elite players; someone has to fall into the second round, which is a benefit to the Blaze. The Texas star revamps the battery and also allows Kayla Kowalik to play in the outfield more as well.

8. Texas Volts – Taryn Kern, INF, Stanford

The Volts need more power with Kern joining the lineup, and she’s a true professional hitter in her ability to control the strike zone. Kern could easily start right away at first base for Texas and pair back up with Canady.

9. Portland Cascade – Sydney Stewart, C, Arizona

Stewart has been one of the best hitters and gives the Cascade another option behind the plate or the potential to play at first base.

10. Oklahoma City Spark – Kenzie Brown, RHP, Arizona State

Oklahoma City needs more pitching depth and lands one of the best arms over the past two seasons. Brown has elite stuff to add to the pitching staff.

11. Chicago Bandits – Dakota Kennedy, OF, Arkansas

Bandits General Manager and former Arizona great Jenny Dalton-Hill knows Kennedy from her time with the Wildcats. Another solid hitter who adds a lot to the lineup and a great defender

12. Utah Talons – Kenleigh Cahalan, INF, Florida

Cahalan is having a breakout senior season for the Gators, showing a ton of talent this year. She gives defensive versatility in the infield for the Talons.

Round 3

13. Chicago Bandits – Leighann Goode, UTIL, Texas

Goode has played around the field, giving Chicago more options for how to put together the defense. Her power has also been much better

14. Oklahoma City Spark – Taylor Tinsley, RHP, UCLA

While Tinsley isn’t having her best statistical year, again, Kirk Walker has seen her at her best firehand and adding two more arms to the roster makes a lot of sense for the Spark.

15. Portland Cascade – Ailana Agbayani, INF, Oklahoma

Good luck getting a ball through an infield of Agbayani, Sis Bates and Paige Sinicki. Agbayani also brings more offensive juice to the Portland lineup.

16. Carolina Blaze – Peja Goold, RHP, Mississippi State

The Blaze have to sure up the pitching staff, and adding Goold, whose stuff is very different from Pickens’s, gives them another quality arm.

Round 4

17. Portland Cascade – Amari Harper, UTIL, Oregon

Cascade General Manager and Texas A&M alum Jami Lobpries knows Harper from her time in College Station. Harper has been a great bat the past two seasons and has shown to play nearly anywhere on the field, which is a bonus at the professional level.

Compensation Pick

Round 1, Picks 1-3: For any player that has been selected in the first three picks overall and does not sign a contract with AUSL for that season, the drafting team shall receive a compensation pick in the next year’s draft equal to three selections later than where the non-signing player was drafted.

For example, if the 2nd overall selection does not sign, the drafting team would be given the 5th overall selection in the next year’s draft

Round 1, Picks 4-6: For overall picks 4 through 6 that do not sign, the drafting team shall receive a supplemental pick at the end of the 1st round in the next year’s draft.

Rounds 2+: For players selected in Round 2 or later that do not sign, the drafting team shall receive a supplemental pick at the end of that particular round in the next year’s draft.

Team Exclusivity of Selected Players

If a player chooses not to sign for their drafted season, the player’s drafting team retains exclusive rights to that player for a period of time. This helps maintain competitive balance across the league.