Athletes Unlimited Softball League to Draft 17 Players Monday Night

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League surprised star collegiate softball players with "golden tickets" in the weeks leading up to the draft -- letting them know they will be drafted this season on one of the six AUSL teams.

On Monday, draftees will find out which team selected her during the AUSL Draft Show (ESPN2; 7 p.m. ET).

AUSL draft picks:

1. Carolina Blaze: P Karlyn Pickens

2. Texas Volts: P NiJaree Canady

3. Oklahoma City Spark: P Maya Johnson

4. Portland Cascade: UTIL Megan Grant

5. Bandits: C Jocelyn Erickson

6. Utah Talons: INF Jordan Woolery

7. Blaze: C Reese Atwood

8. Volts: INF Leighann Goode

9. Cascade: C Sydney Stewart

10: Spark: P Peja Goold

11. Bandits: INF Taryn Kern

12. Talons: P Taylor Tinsley

The seventeen players were awarded golden tickets in the weeks leading up to the draft:

the 17th and final Golden Ticket was delivered to ✨ Peja Goold ✨ @HailStateSB x @pejagoold7 pic.twitter.com/rFk4kWyAuL

AILANA IS G⭐️LDEN

The Gold Glove-winning infielder has received the 16th Golden Ticket, indicating she's been drafted to the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/ahE7tZ7xbZ

⭐️ AMARI IS GOLDEN ⭐️

Oregon utility Amari Harper has been presented with a golden ticket to be drafted into the AUSL! 🎫 pic.twitter.com/0rkJW4gkkS

⭐️ GOLDEN TICKET TRIO ⭐️

UCLA's Jordan Woolery, Megan Grant, and Taylor Tinsley have all received a golden ticket to be drafted into the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/Z9DJZRBN9q

Golden, but make it a duo ✨

Jocelyn Erickson and Kenleigh Cahalan have both received a golden ticket to be drafted into the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/3mkkApaG8d

accolades keep coming, but this one is GOLDEN ✨✨

Maya Johnson becomes the first-ever mid-major player to receive a golden ticket! 🎫 pic.twitter.com/snQtwL1kiF

friday night lights, but make it ✨ Golden ✨ @StanfordSball infielder, @tarynkernn has received a ticket to the pros! pic.twitter.com/xQoQoKDAPu

decibel level was off the charts in Tempe today 🗣️ @sportsiren surprised Kenzie Brown with a Golden Ticket to be drafted to the AUSL! congratulations Kenzie 🥳 pic.twitter.com/3J0mdDp18b

BIG night at Bogle 🐗

after securing the series sweep, Dakota Kennedy secured a Golden Ticket to be drafted to the pros 🎫 pic.twitter.com/q7T7G0mCwx

GOLDEN MOMENT FOR KARLYN!

Congratulations to @PickensKarlyn on receiving the 5th Golden Ticket of 2026 @Vol_Softball | @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/QgqPTqyoyo

⭐️ GOLDEN TICKET. SYDNEY STEWART. ⭐️ @sydneyyystewart receives the 4th golden ticket of 2026 to be drafted into the AUSL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/VCGaRzfJey

🌟 GOODE AS GOLD! 🌟 @leighannn_11 receives the third golden ticket. 🤘 @SEC | @texassoftball pic.twitter.com/YabPIpgPaN

HOOK 'EM! Reese Atwood is ✨GOLDEN✨

The second golden ticket goes to @TexasSoftball 's @atwood_reese ! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/ONA5E314u2

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 be drafted into the AUSL! pic.twitter.com/2mB7bWIfgj

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.

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/48311977/athletes-unlimited-softball-league-ausl-nijaree-canady-golden-ticket-draft)._