Thursday night at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium was one to remember for Karlyn Pickens. Not only did she receive an Athletes Unlimited Softball League ‘Golden Ticket’, but it was given to her by her idol.
Olympian and AUSL advisor Jennie Finch was in attendance to give Pickens a ‘Golden Ticket’ to the league’s second annual college draft. Pickens has shared the admiration she’s had for Finch from a young age, wearing pink bows and looking up to the legendary pitcher.
“I heard there was a little meeting that needed to take place, and what better way?” Finch said to the crowd before awarding Pickens the ‘Golden Ticket’.
Pickens is the fifth of 17 collegiate players to receive a ‘Golden Ticket’ to the draft. In February, the AUSL announced that it had signed a name, image, and likeness partnership with the University of Tennessee pitcher. She is the first college softball player to sign an NIL deal with a professional league.
The Weaverville, North Carolina, native has been impactful for the Lady Vols since she stepped on campus. She is the back-to-back SEC Pitcher of the Year after earning conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2023. She was also named to an NFCA First Team All-American as a sophomore and junior.
Last year, Pickens launched into the sports stratosphere when she set the record for the fastest pitch in NCAA softball history at 79.4 mph.
Her senior season is even more highly anticipated after helping the Lady Vols reach the Women’s College World Series semifinals in 2025, and with the sports world wondering, can she break her record again?
Through the first 35 games of the season, Pickens has authored an 8-3 record with a 1.46 ERA. She’s tossed seven complete games, one shutout, logged two saves, and 96 strikeouts.
AUSL’s College Draft Show is scheduled for Monday, May 4, and will be televised on ESPN2, revealing which teams selected Pickens and the other draftees.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on Instagram @savvyco.
