The Athletes Unlimited Softball League surprises star collegiate softball players by giving them “Golden Tickets” in the weeks before the draft – letting them know they will be assigned to one of six AUSL teams this season.
On Monday, draftees found out which team selected them during the AUSL Draft Show (ESPN2; 7 p.m. ET).
AUSL Draft Selection:
first round
1. Carolina Blaze: P Carlin Pickens
2. Texas Vols: P Nizari Kennedy
3.Oklahoma City Spark: P Maya Johnson
4. Portland Cascades: Utile Megan Grant
5. Outlaw: C. Jocelyn Erickson
6. Utah Talons: INF Jordan Woolery
second round
7. Blaze: C. Reese Atwood
8. Volt: INF Leighann Goode
9. Cascade: C Sydney Stewart
10: Spark: Pezza Gould
11. Outlaw: INF Taryn Kern
12. Talons: P Taylor Tinsley
Seventeen players were awarded golden tickets in the weeks before the draft:
Player No. 17: Pezza Gould, Mississippi State
The 17th and final Golden Ticket was awarded to Sasha Gould. @HailStateSB x @pejagoold7 pic.twitter.com/rFk4kWyAuL
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 25 April 2026
Player No. 16: INF Elana Agbayani, Oklahoma
announcement is golden
The Gold Glove winning infielder has received his 16th Golden Ticket, indicating he has been accepted into the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/ahE7tZ7xbZ
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 25 April 2026
Player No. 15: UTIL Amari Harper, Oregon
⭐️ Amari is golden ⭐️
Oregon utility Amari Harper has been awarded a golden ticket to join the AUSL! 🎫 pic.twitter.com/0rkJW4gkkS
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 20 April 2026
Players No. 12, 13 and 14: INF Jordan Woolery, UTIL Megan Grant and P Taylor Tinsley, UCLA
⭐️ Golden Ticket Trio ⭐️
UCLA’s Jordan Woolery, Megan Grant and Taylor Tinsley have all received a golden ticket to attend the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/Z9DJZRBN9q
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 18 April 2026
Players No. 10 and 11: C Jocelyn Erickson and INF Kenley Cahalan, Florida
Golden, but make it a pair
Jocelyn Erickson and Kenley Cahalan have both received a golden ticket to join the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/3mkkApaG8d
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 18 April 2026
Player No. 9: P Maya Johnson, Belmont
The compliments keep coming, but this one is golden.
Maya Johnson becomes the first mid-major player to receive a Golden Ticket! 🎫 pic.twitter.com/snQtwL1kiF
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 17 April 2026
Player No. 8: INF Taryn Kern, Stanford
Friday Night Lights, but make it GOLDEN @stanfordball fielder, @tarynkernn The pros have got tickets! pic.twitter.com/xQoQoKDAPu
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 11 April 2026
Player No. 7: P Kenzie Brown, Arizona State
The decibel levels in Tempe today were off the charts 🗣️@SportSiren Surprised Kenzie Brown with a golden ticket to join the AUSL! Congratulations Kenzie 🥳 pic.twitter.com/3J0mdDp18b
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 7 April 2026
Player No. 6: OF Dakota Kennedy, Arkansas
Big night in Bogal 🐗
After winning the series, Dakota Kennedy earned a golden ticket to prepare for the pros pic.twitter.com/q7T7G0mCwx
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 7 April 2026
Player No. 5: P Carlin Pickens, Tennessee
Golden moment for Carlin!
Congratulations @PickensKarlyn Upon receiving the 5th Golden Ticket of 2026@Vol_Softball | @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/QgqPTqyoyo
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 3 April 2026
Player No. 4: C Sydney Stewart, Arizona
⭐️ Golden Ticket. Sidney Stewart. ⭐️@sydneyystewart Received the fourth Golden Ticket of 2026 to be drafted in the AUSL! ➡️ pic.twitter.com/VCGaRzfJey
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 29 March 2026
Player No. 3: INF Leighann Good, Texas
🌟Good as gold! 🌟@leighannn_11 The third one gets the golden ticket. 🤘 @SEC | @texassoftball pic.twitter.com/YabPIpgPaN
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 28 March 2026
Player No. 2: C. Reese Atwood, Texas
Hook them up! REESE ATWOOD IS EARLY GOLDENSHOT
The second golden ticket goes @texassoftball‘S @atwood_reese! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/ONA5E314u2
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 28 March 2026
Player No. 1: P Nizari Canady, Texas Tech
The first Golden Ticket was presented to pitcher Canady by Commissioner Kim Ng and Patrick Mahomes on March 27.
First Golden Ticket of 2026 📷📷
NiJaree Canady receives the first Golden Ticket of 2026 to join the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/2mB7bWIfgj
– AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) 28 March 2026
2025 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, Texas Tech Sr. has signed two seven-figure zero contracts and led Stanford to two consecutive World Series appearances before transferring. Last year, Texas Tech made it to the national championship series before losing in Game 3.
