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2026 AUSL Draft full results: Texas Tech's NiJaree Canady picked second overall
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- 2026 AUSL Draft full results: Texas Tech's NiJaree Canady picked second overall
The top three picks in the the Athletes Unlimited Softball League college draft, held Monday night, were all pitchers.
Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens was the No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Blaze , Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was selected second by the Texas Volts with the pick and Belmont's Maya Johnson was drafted third overall by the Oklahoma City Spark.
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The draft featured 17 selections by six teams from a pool of college players who were given "Golden Tickets" this year to make them eligible for the draft.
Megan Grant of UCLA was the first non-pitcher selected, taken fourth overall by the Portland Cascade. She was one of three Bruins drafted, which led all college teams, as Jordan Woolery and Taylor Tinsley were also selected.
The AUSL will play its second full season this summer and is pivoting from being a touring league to having teams based in six cities throughout the country. The season begins on June 9 and ESPN will carry 50 AUSL games annually, including the championship series.
Here's the full results of Monday's draft:
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Round 1, Pick 1, Carolina Blaze: Karlyn Pickens | P, Tennessee
Pickens has been named SEC Pitcher of the Year in each of the last two seasons and is in the midst of putting together another strong season for the Lady Vols. The 6-foot-1 native of Weaverville, North Carolina is eighth nationally in earned run average (1.44) and first in hits allowed per seven innings (3.06). She holds the record for throwing the fastest pitch in the history of Division I softball, clocking 79.4 mph in last year's Super Regional.
Round 1, Pick 2, Texas Volts: NiJaree Canady | P, Texas Tech
The 6-foot right-hander from Topeka, Kansas, ranks sixth nationally in ERA (1.30), fourth in hits allowed per seven innings (3.48) and 10th in total strikeouts (194). Canady is the highest paid player in college softball, earning more than $1 million from Texas Tech's NIL collective, the Matador Club. Last season she was a consensus first-team All-American and named National Pitcher of the Year by D1 Softball and NFCA.
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Round 1, Pick 3, Oklahoma City Spark: Maya Johnson | P, Belmont
The first mid-major player to receive a golden ticket from the AUSL, Johnson leads the nation in ERA with a 0.72 mark. Johnson was an All-American and the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year last season. She's 49-8 as a starting pitcher over the last two seasons.
Round 1, Pick 4, Portland Cascade: Megan Grant | UTL, UCLA
Grant is having her best offensive season, hitting .477 with 35 home runs, 75 RBI and 1.326 slugging percentage, which leads the Bruins. She also leads the nation in walks per game with 1.16. Grant — who has also played for UCLA's women's basketball team — is a two-time consensus All-American. She's started double-digit games at right field, first base and third base across her career for the Bruins.
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Round 1, Pick 5, Chicago Bandits: Jocelyn Erickson | C, Florida
A left‑handed hitter with power, Erickson was the SEC and NFCA Division I Player of the Year in 2024. Last season, she had a .997 fielding percentage with one error in 315 chances. Erickson is having the best offensive season of her career with a .424 batting average and .901 slugging percentage. She's also hit a career-best 19 home runs so far this season.
Round 1, Pick 6, Utah Talons: Jordan Woolery | INF, UCLA
Woolery has been instrumental to UCLA's success, starting every game of her college career — 232 and counting — as a cornerstone of the Bruins' offense and infield. She's hitting .513 this season with 33 home runs and 106 RBI this season. Woolery is a two-time consensus All-American.
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Round 2, Pick 1, Carolina Blaze: Reese Atwood | C, Texas
Atwood has been rewriting the Longhorns' record books since she arrived in Austin. She's known for her power as a hitter and leadership as a catcher. She holds Texas school records for career home runs (71), RBI (276) and slugging percentage (.744).
Round 2, Pick 2, Texas Volts: Leighann Goode | INF, Texas
Known for her speed and consistency at the plate, Goode is hitting .377 this season through 46 games. She usually bats second and is able to get on base for players like Atwood to bring her in. Goode plays both second base and shortstop and has a .967 career fielding percentage with 311 putouts.
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Round 2, Pick 3, Portland Cascade: Sydney Stewart | C, Arizona
Stewart has elite plate discipline with 131 career walks in 461 plate appearances. She has 36 of her 43 homers in the past two seasons and has notched 160 career RBI. Stewart is also a strong defensive presence behind the plate. She received her golden ticket from Arizona legend Jennie Finch.
Round 2, Pick 4, Oklahoma City Spark: Peja Goold | P, Mississippi State
The last player to receive a Golden Ticket, Goold has developed into one of the best pitchers in the SEC, ranking fourth in the conference with 164 strikeouts. She boasts a .177 batting average-against that would be top-five in single-season program history for the Bulldogs. Before transferring to Mississippi State, Goold was the two-time Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year for Chattanooga.
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Round 2, Pick 5, Chicago Bandits: Taryn Kern | INF, Stanford
Kern has a rare combination of power, on‑base skills and defensive versatility. She played her freshman season at Indiana and won Big Ten Player of the Year before transferring to Stanford. Kern has 18 homers and 43 RBI this season. She has the fourth-best OPS in the ACC with a 1.463 mark.
Round 2, Pick 6, Utah Talons: Taylor Tinsley | P, UCLA
The third Bruin selected in the draft, the 5-foot-7 right-hander from Lawrenceville, Georgia was an All-American last season and has established herself as UCLA's ace. She has 26 wins this season, which is tied for second nationally.
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Round 3, Pick 1, Chicago Bandits: Ailana Agbayani | INF, Oklahoma
The second baseman from Hawaii was named to the SEC's All-Defense team last season and won a Gold Glove award. She was previously the Defensive Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference. At the plate, she's hitting for a .385 average this season with six home runs and 13 stolen bases.
Round 3, Pick 2, Oklahoma City Spark: Amari Harper | UTL, Oregon
Harper is hitting for a .401 average this season, her first at Oregon after transferring in from Texas A&M where she was an All-SEC selection. She also has 15 home runs and 47 RBI.
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Round 3, Pick 3, Portland Cascade: Kenzie Brown | P, Arizona State
A three-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week this season, Brown is 13-6 on the season with 222 strikeouts. A former All-American, she struck out 13 Oklahoma batters earlier this season. She has 11 games with double-digit strikeouts this year.
Round 3, Pick 4, Carolina Blaze: Dakota Kennedy | OF, Arkansas
One of the best defensive outfielders in college softball, she won the 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 111 putouts. Kennedy this season is hitting for a .343 average with 14 home runs.
Round 3, Pick 5, Portland Cascade: Kenleigh Cahalan | INF, Florida
Cahalan is a left‑handed hitting infielder who began her career at Alabama, where she started every game as a freshman and sophomore. She has played shortstop, third base and second base. Cahalan has a career .961 fielding average. At the plate, she's hitting for a .379 average this season with 15 homers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 AUSL Draft results: Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady picked second
