For standout Duke infielder Ana Gold, senior weekend got off to a golden start.
Following the Blue Devils’ meeting with Notre Dame in Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday night, Gold was presented with a golden ticket, signifying her selection to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).
Over the next few weeks, more golden tickets will be awarded to top college players around the country. The AUSL College Draft Show airs Saturday, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU, revealing which teams selected each draftee.
Gold’s collegiate résumé is packed with accolades. She’s a two-time All-ACC selection, earning first-team honors in 2023 and third-team recognition in 2022, along with a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team. She was named to the NFCA All-Region third team in 2023 and earned ACC All-Tournament honors in 2024.
The senior slugger made an immediate impact at Duke in 2022, starting 51 games and hitting 10 home runs—the most by a freshman in program history. She started 120 more games during her sophomore and junior seasons.
In 2024, Gold helped lead Duke to the Women’s College World Series and was one of just six players to start every game for the Blue Devils. She hit .269 with 49 hits, 44 RBIs, and 47 runs scored, while leading the team in triples (3) and home runs (9). That total included a record-setting performance against North Dakota State, where she hit two grand slams in a single game—the first player in program history to do so.
Gold also set the Duke program record for career home runs in 2024 and currently has 49, including 11 this season.
More golden ticket moments are expected on college campuses in the weeks leading up to the draft.
Follow @theAUSLofficial on social media to see where the next golden ticket pops up. Tune in to the AUSL College Draft Show on May 3 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU to find out where Gold and the rest of this year’s draftees are headed.
The AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams competing in a traditional season format. Tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
