Former Tennessee softball star pitcher Karlyn Pickens has re-signed with the AUSL's Carolina Blaze, the team announced Oct. 13.
Pickens immediately became the top pitcher on the Blaze's staff after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 AUSL Draft. She led the team in games started (10) and strikeouts – her 60 strikeouts ranked second in the league.
Pickens had a 4-6 record with a 3.13 ERA, which ranked sixth among pitchers with at least 30 innings, as a rookie with 15 appearances and 60⅓ innings pitched.
Fellow Tennessee alum and current assistant coach Aubrey Leach also re-signed with the Blaze for the 2027 season, along with rookie catcher Reese Atwood, who won two national titles at Texas.
Pickens' offseason has included getting engaged to
her longtime boyfriend, Jack Browder, who played basketball at Carson-Newman before pursuing playing professionally overseas. Pickens also joined Tennessee's staff as a student assistant.
The Weaverville, North Carolina, native left Tennessee as a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year, a three-time first-team All-American and the record holder for the fastest softball pitch ever recorded (79.4 mph). Pickens led the Lady Vols to the Women's College World Series semifinals three times and ended her college career with a 71-33 record, 824 strikeouts, 26 shutouts and four no-hitters.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social.Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Tennessee star Karlyn Pickens re-signs with AUSL's Carolina Blaze
