Kennedy Drafted in Third Round of AUSL College Draft by Carolina Blaze

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– Arkansas senior OF Dakota Kennedy was selected by the Carolina Blaze as the fourth pick in the third round of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League College Draft on Monday night.

Kennedy has made an immediate impact during her one season with the Razorbacks. The Sacramento, Calif., product is batting .343 this season with 46 hits, including 10 doubles, a triple, 14 homers, 43 RBI, 21 walks, and 46 runs scored. Her 14 round-trippers are tied for the team lead, while she has set career-highs in both RBI (43) and home runs (14). She has posted 12 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games, highlighted by a 3-3 day that featured three home runs and five RBI in a win over Kansas on March 1 and a 3-4 showing that featured a solo home run, a grand slam, a double and a walk in addition to seven RBI and two runs scored in a 14-9 win at Alabama on March 14.

Kennedy joins Karlyn Pickens of Tennessee (Round 1, Pick 1) and Reese Atwood (Round 2, Pick 1) in the Blaze’s 2026 Draft Class.

Starting its second season under its current format in June, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League will feature six teams playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. Under the direction of Commissioner Kim Ng, the AUSL creates a new opportunity for the world’s best professional softball players to compete.

The Blaze will open the season on Tuesday, June 9, at 4 p.m. in Durham, N.C., against the Portland Cascade. Kennedy and the Blaze will face the Utah Talons and former Razorback great Bri Ellis five times in the 2026 regular season, courtesy of a three-game series in North Carolina (June 25-27) and a two-game set in Salt Lake City, Utah (July 3-4).

In addition to the 24-game season, the league will also hold the AUSL All-Star Cup, a four-week season where 60 players will compete for points using Athletes Unlimited’s unique scoring format. Players can earn points for their individual and team performances, fighting for a spot at the top of a leaderboard. The AUSL All-Star Cup, previously known as Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball, has been in existence since 2020.

Kennedy became the fourth player in program history to be drafted in the AUSL, joining Bri Ellis (2025), Chenise Delce (2023), and Danielle Gibson (2022).

Arkansas finished the 2026 regular season with a 41-10 record and 15-9 mark in SEC play, with 21 wins coming by run-rule. The Razorbacks are coming off a 2-1 series win at No. 5/7 Texas last weekend, taking the first two games 2-0 and 4-3 before falling 4-1 in the series finale. Kennedy and Arkansas will open play at the 2026 SEC Tournament in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, May 6 at 1 p.m. The Hogs will face the winner of the Mississippi State/Kentucky matchup, which takes place on Tuesday, May 5.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.