The No. 1 overall pick of the AUSL College Draft is set to make her professional debut.
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens signed with the Carolina Blaze after concluding a run in the Women’s College World Series with the Lady Volunteers.
Pickens received a Golden Ticket in April, and it was revealed at the draft that the Blaze selected her with the first pick. Pickens is a native of Weaverville, N.C., just under four hours from the team’s home field in Durham.
A two-time reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year, Pickens was a consistent and dominant arm for the Lady Vols since her freshman year, with the best numbers and biggest moments of her career last season. As a junior, Pickens recorded a 1.17 ERA in 226.2 innings pitched along with 25 complete games and a 25-11 record.
She also made softball history, breaking the record for the fastest pitch on March 24, 2025, with a 78.2 mph fastball against Arkansas. Then she surpassed her own mark, hitting 79.4 mph with a fireball to Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl in the first inning of Game 2 in the Knoxville Super Regional.
She ended her collegiate career against the No. 2 seed Texas in the WCWS semifinals. She logged a 1.70 ERA in 2026 with 17 starts, 11 complete games, and 194 strikeouts.
Earlier this year, Pickens became the first college softball player to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with the AUSL.
The Blaze will open their 2026 season at home at Smith Family Stadium in Durham versus the Portland Cascade on June 9. Tickets are on sale now.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @savvyco.