Sports
AUSL surprises NiJaree Canady with its first ‘golden ticket’
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.