{"id":5074,"date":"2026-07-21T05:04:43","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T05:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=5074"},"modified":"2026-07-21T05:04:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T05:04:43","slug":"a-star-in-the-circle-karlyn-pickens-gets-full-circle-moment-with-return-to-nc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=5074","title":{"rendered":"A star in the circle, Karlyn Pickens gets full-circle moment with return to NC"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

It was a straight shot down Interstate-40, through the Blue Ridge Mountains, a route Carolina Blaze pitcher Karlyn Pickens knows well.<\/p>\n

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Pickens made the drive at the beginning of June en route to Durham \u2014 another location with which she is familiar \u2014 with a brief pit stop in her hometown of Weaverville.<\/p>\n

The Carolina Blaze selected the two-time All-American from Tennessee as the No. 1 pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League college draft this spring. After spending four years in Knoxville, Pickens was coming home.<\/p>\n

She attended Duke softball camps with her travel team, her family home is 230 miles away, and she made a trip to Smith Family Stadium with the Lady Vols<\/a> in April.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really have many expectations,\u201d Pickens said last month. \u201cI thought it would be really cool to be back in North Carolina, but I was going to be excited for whatever opportunity I was going to get. When they did call my name, part of me was really stoked. That\u2019s what I wanted to hear. I\u2019m excited to be able to go to the pros and be back in my home state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickens. NiJaree Canady. Maya Johnson.<\/p>\n

Blaze General Manager Dana Sorensen wanted to draft a solid arm to give the bullpen more depth and versatility. With three elite players fresh off their collegiate careers, Sorensen was guaranteed to nab an All-American.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was accused of being a pitching hoarder, but to me it was like, \u2018I\u2019m gonna get a game changer. I\u2019m gonna get a program changer,\u2019\u201d Sorensen said. \u201cI knew early on the pitching was so strong coming out of the draft class.\u201d<\/p>\n

Canady and Johnson were worthy candidates, but Pickens was the obvious choice. She\u2019s speedy, can play defense from the position, possesses a high level of mental toughness and features a diverse pitching profile.<\/p>\n

Pickens is known for throwing the fastest pitch in softball history, touching 79.4 mph \u2014 the baseball equivalent of throwing 110 mph \u2014 during the 2025 Super Regional against Nebraska. She regularly reaches velocities in the upper 70s. Pickens can move the ball around the strike zone and trick batters with a mid-60s change-up, too.<\/p>\n

Plus, Blaze infielders Ana Gold and Aubrey Leach said her success comes from her competitive fire, work ethic and love for her teammates. On top of her length and natural talent, Pickens is willing to put in the \u201cdirty work\u201d with no complaints.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a single person I\u2019ve ever talked to has said anything other than she is a fantastic teammate who just wants to win and is 100% team first,\u201d Sorensen said. \u201cThat is hard to do when you\u2019re the most talked-about, hardest-throwing pitcher we\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickens started Game 2 of the season days after her arrival in Durham, and has made 15 appearances in the circle.<\/p>\n

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The right-hander is seconds in the AUSL in innings pitched (60.1) and strikeouts (60). Pickens holds a 3.36 ERA, which is third \u2014 behind Chicago\u2019s Lexi Kilfoyl (1.95) and Utah\u2019s Montana Fouts (2.36) \u2014 among players who have thrown more than 40 innings. Batters, meanwhile, are only hitting .232 when facing the North Carolina native.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been great,\u201d Blaze head coach Kara Dill said Thursday. \u201cHer physical dominance is one thing. Her statistics are another thing. \u2026 It\u2019s easy to play defense behind somebody who you know is going to fight for you every single pitch and compete every single pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

A line of fans of all ages and genders stood outside the batting cages Thursday after the Blaze\u2019s 15-7 loss to the Chicago Bandits. They eagerly awaited their opportunity to get an autograph and take a photo with the softball star.<\/p>\n

Pickens\u2019 impact on the field and on her team certainly played a part in her selection. Her character and engagement with the community, however, set the 22-year-old apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we drafted Karlyn, immediately people were ready to get in their cars, drive, buy tickets and see her in person,\u201d Sorensen said. \u201cThat kind of commitment to watching elite-level athletes, I think, is strong here in the Carolina region, the Southeast and even beyond that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Blaze\u2019s first season in Durham comes to a close in the coming days. It\u2019s been a roller coaster of results, but the softball community has embraced the franchise. Nearly every game has been a sellout, with fans coming from all over the country to watch their favorite players.<\/p>\n

Pickens is among the top, leading in merchandise sales and garnering some of the loudest cheers at every venue.<\/p>\n

None of it is lost on her. Pickens understands the significance of this summer and getting to play where she\u2019s from. People who supported her from the beginning are back in the stands, supporting her like she never left.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why she\u2019ll stand outside on a muggy night, a smile on her face as she signs softballs, T-shirts and pink tumblers. She won\u2019t complain when people ask to take multiple selfies or young fans ask for a hug.<\/p>\n

Call it a full circle moment. It\u2019s only appropriate for a pitcher who spends her time in one on the field.<\/p>\n

Read more Storms, with damaging wind and flooding, possible in Triangle area<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NC native and top AUSL draft pick Karlyn Pickens leads the Carolina Blaze in her first professional season, energizing local fans, and finds athletic success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nA star in the circle, Karlyn Pickens gets full-circle moment with return to NC - Durham Moving Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=5074\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A star in the circle, Karlyn Pickens gets full-circle moment with return to NC - 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