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Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Dakota Kennedy Goes Pro: Arkansas Star Selected by Carolina Blaze in AUSL College Draft

Razorbacks slugger caps breakout season with third-round selection, joining a rising wave of talent reshaping professional softball.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. | Arkansas outfielder Dakota Kennedy has officially taken the next step in her softball career, selected by the Carolina Blaze with the fourth pick in the third round of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) College Draft on Monday night.

Kennedy’s selection underscores a dominant senior campaign that made her one of the most dangerous bats in the SEC. In her lone season with Arkansas, the Sacramento native delivered a .343 batting average with 46 hits, including 14 home runs and 43 RBIs — both career highs. Her power production tied for the team lead in homers, while her consistency showed in 12 multi-hit and 12 multi-RBI performances.

Her season résumé included headline-grabbing moments, notably a three-home-run, five-RBI explosion against Kansas on March 1 and a seven-RBI performance at Alabama that featured both a grand slam and a solo shot — performances that solidified her draft stock.

Kennedy joins a strong Carolina Blaze draft class alongside top selections like Karlyn Pickens and Reese Atwood, signaling the franchise’s commitment to building a competitive roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The AUSL, under Commissioner Kim Ng, continues to expand its footprint as a premier destination for elite softball talent. Entering its second season under a traditional team format, the league will feature six teams competing in a 24-game schedule beginning June 9. Kennedy is expected to make her professional debut when the Blaze open against the Portland Cascade in Durham, North Carolina.

The league’s hybrid structure — blending a traditional season with the innovative AUSL All-Star Cup — offers players additional opportunities to showcase their skills in a points-based competition format that has helped redefine professional softball since its introduction in 2020.

Kennedy also becomes the fourth player in Arkansas program history to be drafted into the AUSL, joining recent standouts like Bri Ellis, Chenise Delce and Danielle Gibson. Her selection reflects not only individual excellence but also the Razorbacks’ growing reputation as a pipeline for professional talent.

Arkansas enters the postseason with a 41-10 record, including a strong showing in SEC play. The Razorbacks are coming off a statement series win over top-ranked Texas and now turn their focus to the SEC Tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, where they aim to build momentum for a deep postseason run.

For Kennedy, the timing couldn’t be better — closing her collegiate chapter while stepping onto a rapidly evolving professional stage that is gaining national attention and reshaping the future of women’s sports.


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-- By Andre Leday

© Copyright 2026 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.

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Location: Fayetteville, AR, USA

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