Texas A&M’s Emiley Kennedy added a major highlight to her senior season when she received a Golden Ticket during the Aggies’ home stand on Tuesday. One of the most dominant pitchers in the country, Kennedy entered 2025 as a Preseason First-Team All-America selection and has continued to live up to the hype with 21 wins, over 100 strikeouts, and more than 100 innings pitched so far this season.
Kennedy is neither the first nor the last college star to be handed a Golden Ticket to the AUSL. Over the next few weeks, more Golden Tickets will be awarded to top players from across the country. The AUSL College Draft Show airs Saturday, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU, revealing which teams selected each draftee.
In 2024, Kennedy became the first left-handed pitcher in 41 years to earn NFCA All-America honors, landing on the Second Team. She also became the first Aggie in 13 seasons to reach double-digit shutouts and the first in 11 seasons to surpass 200 strikeouts. She finished her junior year ranked in the top 20 nationally in wins (24), strikeouts (200), innings pitched (202.2), shutouts (10), and complete games (24), while setting Texas A&M single-season records for innings pitched (100.1) and strikeouts (86) in the SEC.
Kennedy’s postseason presence was just as impactful. She threw 15.2 of the Aggies’ 22 innings in the NCAA Super Regional round and delivered back-to-back complete game shutouts to send A&M to its first Super since 2018. During her junior season, she also earned her D1 Softball National Pitcher of the Week honors in March, becoming just the second Aggie to receive the national award.
As her workload has increased over her career with the Aggies, Kennedy has proven herself to be one of the country’s most consistent collegiate performers. With a Golden Ticket now in hand, she will have the opportunity to compete with the sport’s best athletes as a pro.
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 Kennedy and the rest of this year’s draftees are headed.
The AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams playing in a traditional format. Tickets to 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.
