Karlyn Pickens

Karlyn Pickens
Carolina Blaze – No. 23
Pitcher
Born: (2004-01-09) January 9, 2004
Weaverville, North Carolina, U.S.
Teams
  • Tennessee (2023–2026)
  • Carolina Blaze (2026–present)
Career highlights and awards

Karlyn Nicole Pickens (born January 9, 2004) is an American professional softball pitcher for the Carolina Blaze of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). She played college softball at Tennessee and holds the NCAA Division I record for fastest pitch ever thrown at 79.4 miles per hour (127.8 km/h).

High school career

Pickens attended North Buncombe High School in Weaverville, North Carolina where she was a three-sport athlete, playing softball, basketball and volleyball. During the 2021 season, in her junior year, she posted a 12–1 record with a 0.41 earned run average (ERA), with 207 strikeouts, and allowed only 12 hits and 21 walks in 85 innings. Following the season she was named North Carolina Gatorade Softball Player of the Year.[1]

She was ranked as the No. 2 pitcher and No. 5 overall player for the class of 2022 by Extra Inning Softball.[2] On November 11, 2021, she signed her national letter of intent to play college softball at Tennessee.[3]

College career

As a freshman during the 2023 season, Pickens appeared in 28 games, with 16 starts, and posted a 9–7 record and two saves, with a 3.05 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 87+1⁄3 innings. Following the season she was named SEC Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore during the 2024 season, she appeared in 38 games, with 27 starts, and posted a 22–7 record and one save, with a 1.12 ERA, 225 strikeouts, 15 complete games and 12 shutouts in 188+1⁄3 innings. Following the season she was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and a top-ten finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.[2][4]

As a junior during the 2025 season, she appeared in 37 games, with 27 starts, and posted a 22–8 record and three saves, with a 0.90 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 186+1⁄3 innings. On March 24, 2025, in a game against Arkansas, she set the record for the fastest pitch ever thrown in NCAA softball history at 79.4 miles per hour (127.8 km/h), surpassing the previous record of 77 miles per hour (124 km/h) set by Monica Abbott in 2012.[5][6] On May 24, 2025, during the Super Regionals of the 2025 NCAA Division I softball tournament against Nebraska, she set a new fastest pitch record at 79.4 miles per hour (127.8 km/h).[7] During conference play she posted an 11–4 with a 1.13 ERA, 113 strikeouts, ten complete games and three shutouts in 93 innings.[8] Following the season she was named SEC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive year. She became the fifth pitcher in SEC history to win the award in consecutive seasons, and the seventh in conference history to win the award multiple times.[9] She was also named Softball America Pitcher of the Year, and a top-ten finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.[10][11]

Professional career

On May 4, 2026, Pickens was drafted first overall by the Carolina Blaze in the 2026 AUSL College Draft.[12] On June 4, 2026, she signed a rookie contract with the Blaze.[13]

International career

On August 3, 2026, she won a gold medal representing the United States at the USA Softball International Cup.[14]

Personal life

Pickens was born to Phillip and Rebecca Pickens, and has two older brothers, Kolton and Rayce.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "North Buncombe High School Student-Athlete Named Gatorade North Carolina Softball Player of the Year" (PDF). Gatorade. June 18, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Karlyn Pickens". utsports.com. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  3. ↑ Crabtree-Hannigan, James (November 11, 2021). "North Buncombe softball ace Karlyn Pickens signs with Tennessee". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Florida's Otis, Tennessee's Pickens named Top 10 Finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year". secsports.com. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ Hall, Cora (March 25, 2025). "Karlyn Pickens throws fastest pitch ever recorded at 78 mph for Tennessee softball". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ Chester, Michella (March 25, 2025). "Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens makes NCAA softball history with 78.2 mph fastball". NCAA.com. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  7. ↑ Hall, Cora (May 24, 2025). "Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens breaks her own record for fastest softball pitch ever thrown". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Pickens Repeats as SEC Pitcher of the Year; Pannell Named First Team All-SEC". utsports.com. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ Hall, Cora (May 9, 2025). "Tennessee softball junior Karlyn Pickens wins second consecutive SEC Pitcher of the Year award". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ Person, Sarah (May 20, 2025). "Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens named Softball America's Pitcher of the Year". SI.com. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ Meyer, Craig (May 14, 2025). "Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens a finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ Collins, Savanna (May 4, 2026). "Blaze select Karlyn Pickens with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft". theausl.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  13. ↑ Collins, Savanna (June 4, 2026). "Karlyn Pickens inks rookie contract with the Carolina Blaze". theausl.com. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ "U.S. WNT earns gold at 2026 International Cup; Elite Team finishes third". USA Softball. Archived from the original on August 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ Kerr, Stephen (August 11, 2020). "Rising Star: 2022 Carolina Elite Hurler Karlyn Pickens". SI.com. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
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