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No. 23 Softball’s Brown receives ‘Golden Ticket,’ opportunity in the AUSL

The 2026 AUSL College Draft will air on May 4 at 7 p.m. EDT / 4 p.m. MST on ESPN2

No. 23 Softball’s Brown receives ‘Golden Ticket,’ opportunity in the AUSLNo. 23 Softball’s Brown receives ‘Golden Ticket,’ opportunity in the AUSL

Kenzie Brown (center) poses with an AUSL 'Golden Ticket' while being surrounded by her teammates and ESPN's Holly Rowe (far left).

by Chris Brown

TEMPE – Less than 48 hours after presenting UCLA’s Lauren Betts with the NCAA Women’s National Championship trophy inside Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, ESPN reporter Holly Rowe presented Sun Devil Softball’s Kenzie Brown with one of 17 Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) “Golden Ticket” following Arizona State’s 13-0 win over UTEP at Farrington Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

“Oh gosh, I did not think that was happening today. I didn't even hear the announcement,” Brown said. “Then everyone started looking at me, so I was like, ‘What the heck, what's going on?' But yeah, that was crazy. I was not expecting it. I'm still obviously in shock.”

Brown was the seventh recipient – since Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady became the first on March 27 – across the country to receive a “Golden Ticket,” which represents a softball student-athletes opportunity to play professionally after completing their collegiate eligibility. The “Golden Ticket” serves as a bridge between the college and professional softball levels, while celebrating each student-athletes’ journey while engaging the communities that have supported them.  

The AUSL College Draft is an invitation-based process that identifies top collegiate seniors, confirms their readiness to turn professional and introduces them to fans. The process prioritizes transparency with NCAA programs, strong general manager involvement and a best-in-class athlete experience.

The 2026 AUSL College Draft will air on May 4, 2026 at 7 p.m. EDT / 4 p.m. MST on ESPN2.

“Kenzie Brown is not only incredibly talented, but she is such a special human,” said Sun Devil Softball head coach Megan Bartlett. “She is a loyal teammate and has been our hardest worker. The amount of sacrifice that this kid has exuded to get this program back to where it is, I’d keep her for 20 years if I could, she is just that special.

“To share that moment with her and her family is so incredible, it's been a lifelong dream of hers. Very few people get to play at the next level in this sport and she is certainly deserving.”

Following a three-inning outing without surrendering a hit to UTEP on Tuesday, Brown will enter her next pitching appearance with an 8-4 record with three saves, a 2.84 ERA with 142 strikeouts to just 46 walks in 81.1 innings of work. She’s limited opposing batters to just a .180 batting average.

Brown entered the 2026 campaign having concluded a 2025 season that saw her strikeout 40.5 percent of the batters she faced en route to a team-high 19 wins and being selected as an NFCA First Team All-American.

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For the latest information on the team, follow @SunDevilSoftball on X, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TheSunDevils on X, Instagram and Facebook.