University of Tennessee Athletics
Pickens Tabbed Preseason All-SEC, #4 Lady Vols Picked Third in the League
January 29, 2026 | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference released its annual preseason All-SEC Team on Thursday, with senior pitcher Karlyn Pickens earning a spot on the 24-player team. The league also announced its preseason poll.
In the coaches' poll, Tennessee was picked third in the conference. Texas earned nine first-place votes and was selected first, while Oklahoma received six votes and was picked second.
Tennessee enters the 2026 season after reaching the national semifinals at the Women's College World Series in two of the past three seasons. Since the start of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols have dominated SEC play, winning 21 of 24 conference series, including eight sweeps. In 2025, Tennessee won road series at No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Oklahoma, becoming just the second team in SEC history to take three-game sets from the nation's top two ranked teams in the same season.
Over the past two seasons, the Lady Vols have thrived away from home, winning eight consecutive SEC road series.
Pickens continues to collect preseason accolades, adding preseason All-SEC Team honors to an already extensive list. She has been named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, earned D1Softball preseason first-team All-America recognition, and was previously selected as a Softball America preseason first-team All-American.
Entering the 2026 season, Pickens is ranked No. 3 nationally by both Softball America and D1Softball and No. 2 among pitchers by Softball America. One of the most dominant arms in college softball, she posted a 25-11 record with a 1.17 ERA in 2025, striking out 306 batters in 226 2/3 innings while leading the SEC in every major pitching category.
A two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year and two-time consensus first-team All-American, Pickens delivered elite postseason performances at the Women's College World Series and set the world record for fastest softball pitch at 79.4 mph.
In the coaches' poll, Tennessee was picked third in the conference. Texas earned nine first-place votes and was selected first, while Oklahoma received six votes and was picked second.
Tennessee enters the 2026 season after reaching the national semifinals at the Women's College World Series in two of the past three seasons. Since the start of the 2023 season, the Lady Vols have dominated SEC play, winning 21 of 24 conference series, including eight sweeps. In 2025, Tennessee won road series at No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Oklahoma, becoming just the second team in SEC history to take three-game sets from the nation's top two ranked teams in the same season.
Over the past two seasons, the Lady Vols have thrived away from home, winning eight consecutive SEC road series.
Pickens continues to collect preseason accolades, adding preseason All-SEC Team honors to an already extensive list. She has been named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, earned D1Softball preseason first-team All-America recognition, and was previously selected as a Softball America preseason first-team All-American.
Entering the 2026 season, Pickens is ranked No. 3 nationally by both Softball America and D1Softball and No. 2 among pitchers by Softball America. One of the most dominant arms in college softball, she posted a 25-11 record with a 1.17 ERA in 2025, striking out 306 batters in 226 2/3 innings while leading the SEC in every major pitching category.
A two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year and two-time consensus first-team All-American, Pickens delivered elite postseason performances at the Women's College World Series and set the world record for fastest softball pitch at 79.4 mph.
Players Mentioned
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