The Athletes Unlimited Softball League will surprise star collegiate softball players with “golden tickets” over the coming weeks leading up to the draft — letting them know they will be drafted this season on one of the six AUSL teams.
Draftees will find out which team selected her — and the overall order of selection — during the AUSL Draft Show on May 4 (ESPN2; 7 p.m. ET).
On Friday, pitcher NiJaree Canady was presented with the first golden ticket by commissioner Kim Ng and Patrick Mahomes.
FIRST GOLDEN TICKET OF 2026 📷📷
NiJaree Canady receives the first golden ticket of 2026 to be drafted into the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/2mB7bWIfgj
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) March 28, 2026
The 2025 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, the Texas Tech senior has signed two seven-figure NIL contracts and led Stanford to two straight World Series appearances before transferring. Last year, Texas Tech made it to the national championship series before falling in Game 3.
Player No. 5: P Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
GOLDEN MOMENT FOR KARLYN!
Congratulations to @PickensKarlyn on receiving the 5th Golden Ticket of 2026@Vol_Softball | @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/QgqPTqyoyo
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) April 3, 2026
Player No. 4: C Sydney Stewart, Arizona
⭐️ GOLDEN TICKET. SYDNEY STEWART. ⭐️@sydneyyystewart receives the 4th golden ticket of 2026 to be drafted into the AUSL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/VCGaRzfJey
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) March 29, 2026
Player No. 3: INF Leighann Goode, Texas
🌟 GOODE AS GOLD! 🌟@leighannn_11 receives the third golden ticket. 🤘 @SEC | @texassoftball pic.twitter.com/YabPIpgPaN
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) March 28, 2026
Player No. 2: C Reese Atwood , Texas
HOOK ‘EM! Reese Atwood is ✨GOLDEN✨
The second golden ticket goes to @TexasSoftball‘s @atwood_reese! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/ONA5E314u2
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) March 28, 2026
