2025 Softball Roster | College World Series
Roster
Pickens, Karlyn
OF
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/ SoftballOF
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/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
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/ Softball
Jersey Number 23
Karlyn Pickens
- Position:
- Pitcher
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-1
- B/T:
- R/R
- Hometown:
- Weaverville, N.C.
- High School:
- North Buncombe
Bio
CAREER HIGHS
- Innings Pitched: 9.1 vs. Alabama (5/25/24)
- Strikeouts: 15 vs Tulsa (2/15/25)
- Batters Faced: 41 vs. UCLA (6/1/25)
- Perfect Games: 2, last vs. LMU (2/23/24)
- No-Hitters: 3, last vs. UT Martin (3/1/25)
- Fastest Pitch Record Holder: 79.4 MPH (5/24/25)
HONORS
- 2025 CSC Academic All-American
- 2025 CSC Academic All-District
- 2025 All-SEC First Team
- 2025 SEC Pitcher of the Year
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (4/15/25)
- NFCA Pitcher of the Week (4/15/25)
- NFCA Pitcher of the Week (4/8/25)
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (4/8/25)
- NFCA Pitcher of the Week (4/1/25)
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (4/1/25)
- 2024 Consensus First Team All-American (NFCA, D1, Softball America)
- 2024 Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
- 2024 NFCA Southeast All-Region
- 2024 SEC Pitcher of the Year
- 2024 All-SEC First Team
- 2024 CSC Academic All-District
- 2024 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (3/19/24)
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (3/12/24)
- 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year
- 2023 All-SEC Second Team
- SEC Pitcher of the Week (3/21/23)
- 2022-23 SEC First-Year Honor Roll
- 3x SEC Freshman of the Week (3/14/23) (3/6/23) (2/27/23)
2025 - JUNIOR
- Finished her junior season with a 25-11 record, posting a 1.17 ERA over 226 2/3 innings pitched. Recorded 306 strikeouts and allowed an average of just 4.45 hits per seven innings.
- Set the record for the fastest pitch in softball history on 3/24 with a 78.2 mph fastball, then broke her own record on 5/24 in the postseason with a 79.4 mph pitch.
- Appeared in 44 games, including 34 starts, and threw 25 complete games with seven shutouts and three saves.
- Led the SEC in ERA, games started, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeouts, and opponent batting average.
- Allowed one earned run over six innings against no. 6 Texas in the WCWS semi-finals
- Went a season-long nine innings in an extra-innings battle against No. 9 UCLA in the Women’s College World Series, facing 41 batters and throwing 148 pitches to earn her 25th win and send the Lady Vols to the semifinals (6/1)
- Threw her second complete game in as many days, striking out 10 in shut-out victory to clinch a spot in the WCWS (5/25)
- Forced a Game 3 in the NCAA Super Regionals with a dominant complete-game performance against Nebraska, striking out 11 and setting a new record with a 79.4 mph pitch (5/24)
- Relieved in the sixth and dominated the final two innings, striking out five en route to her third save over Ohio State (5/18). Leading the Lady Vols to their 14th NCAA Super Regional
- Threw her 20th complete game in Saturday's win, improving to 22-8 on the year against Ohio State (5/17). Allowed two runs – one earned – on five hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts to advance to the NCAA Regional Final
- Earned the win in the NCAA Regional (5/16) verses Miami (Ohio), pitching three scoreless innings while striking out six and allowing just two hits and a walk
- Pitched a complete game in the SEC Tournament against Arkansas (5/8), allowing six runs—three earned—on seven hits while striking out 10 and issuing two walks
- Entered in relief in the top of the sixth and locked down the victory, tossing two innings while allowing just one hit and recording one strikeout against Texas A&M (5/2)
- Turned in another stellar performance verses No. 2 Texas A&M (5/1), tossing a complete game while allowing six hits, three walks and one unearned run
- Sealed the win verses Ole Miss (4/27) with 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, striking out four and allowing just two hits. Improving to 20-6 on the year
- Went the distance for her sixth shutout of the season. Allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out 10 against Ole Miss (4/26). The complete-game effort marked her 17th of the year and eighth double-digit strikeout performance of the 2025 campaign
- The complete game against No.19 Clemson (4/22) set a new personal best with 16 on the season. Striking out eight, walking three and allowing four runs – one earned – on the night
- Came on in the seventh of the final game against Auburn (4/19) to earn her second save in as many days, giving up just one hit to close out the win
- Took over in the fifth inning against Auburn (4/18) and delivered a dominant three-inning save, striking out six and allowing just two hits. Lowering her season ERA to 0.97
- Earned her 15th complete game of the season, tying her career high set last season. capturing her 18th win of the season in game 1 against Auburn (4/17), allowing just two runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out six, walked one, and recorded five 1-2-3 innings
- Earned her second win of the weekend against No 1 Texas (4/13). Allowed one run on six hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts, improving to 17-4 on the year
- Remained dominant in the circle, allowing just one run on four hits, walking three and striking out eight in match-up against Texas (4/12)
- Continued dominance as she fired a one-hit five-inning complete-game shutout in the series finale against Mississippi State (4/5). She walked one and notched four strikeouts en route to her 15th victory of the season
- Delivered a dominant performance, striking out six and allowing just four hits in a five-inning shutout of No. 17 Mississippi State (4/4)
- Earned her second win against No. 2 Oklahoma (3/30), throwing a complete game. She allowed three runs on four hits, with three walks and six strikeouts. Pickens worked two 1-2-3 innings in Game 3 to help secure the series victory
- Appeared in relief in the third inning against No. 2 Oklahoma (3/28) and tossed 5.2 strong innings, giving up one run on six hits while striking out six. Pickens worked 1-2-3 innings in both the fourth and eighth frames, including fanning the final two batters to seal the win
- Came on with two out in the third and shut down Arkansas (3/24) with 4.1 scoreless, hitless innings, striking out six to earn her 11th win of the season in her 17th appearance. In the sixth inning, Pickens made history by throwing the fastest pitch in softball history at 78.2 mph, surpassing the previous record of 77 mph
- Tossed all eight innings against No. 14 Arkansas (3/22). Allowing six runs—three earned—on eight hits, with four walks and 10 strikeouts
- Entered in relief during game two of the doubleheader against UConn (2/14), pitching six innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and recording three strikeouts
- In game one of the doubleheader against UConn (3/14), she pitched a complete game, surrendering just one run on four hits while striking out eight
- Made her 10th start of the season against No. 16 Duke (3/11), striking out 10 batters and allowing just two hits and two walks
- Came in as relief in the second game of the Georgia series (3/8) and pitched 4.2 innings, holding the Bulldogs to one run while posting six strikeouts.
- Recorded a complete game win against Georgia (3/7), striking out nine batters with only two walks, two hits, and one run
- Pitched her third career no-hitter against UT Martin (3/1) with eleven strikeouts. Alongside her teammate, Peyton Tanner, the duo made program history on March 1. It marked the third time in program history—and the first since 2006—that Lady Vol pitchers have thrown no-hitters on the same day. It was also the first instance of a no-hitter and perfect game combo in Tennessee softball history.
- Fired a winning, five-inning complete game paired with eight strikeouts over Minnesota (2/22)
- Tossed 7.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on just one hit against Oregon with 13 strikeouts and three walks (2/20)
- Delivered a career-high 15 strikeouts in a shutout against Tulsa (2/15) while giving up only two hits and one run
- Secured a win for the Lady Vols by throwing five innings with five strikeouts and only allowing four hits against McNeese State (2/14)
- Retired the last three batters in a relief appearance versus Pittsburgh leading Tennessee to a victory (2/9)
- She pitched a five-inning complete game, holding No. 21 Northwestern to one run on three hits, while issuing three walks and recording seven strikeouts to secure her first win of the season (2/8)
- Began third season on Rocky Top with 11 strikeouts against No. 19 Nebraska (2/6) at the NFCA Leadoff Classic
2024 - SOPHOMORE
- Finished the 2024 season with a 22-7 record and an ERA of 1.12
- Appeared in 38 games – making 27 starts – and tossed 15 complete games with 12 shutouts and a save
- Over 188.1 innings pitched, the right-hander notched 225 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .156 batting average
- Pitched a career-high 9.1 innings in relief, scattered five hits, allowed one run, walked three and struck out 10 against Alabama (5/25)
- Scattered four hits, allowed just two runs – one earned – with one walk and seven strikeouts in her 22nd victory over Alabama (5/24)
- Earned her 21st victory of the season in the victory over Virginia in the NCAA Regionals (5/19) with no runs, no errors and only allowing one walk
- Gave up three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings of work, walked one with four strikeouts for her 19th victory of the year to sweep Kentucky (5/4)
- Came on in relief and secured her 18th victory of the season, pitching four innings with no runs or hits and fanning five batters against Kentucky (5/3)
- Recorded seven strikeouts and allowed just one free pass en route to her 17th win and a complete game shutout against Alabama (4/28)
- Throwing six shutout innings en route to her 16th win of the season, thee righty fanned seven and walked four in the outing, while scattering four hits over LSU (4/21)
- Earned her 11th complete game and 15th win of the year during the first battle against Georgia (4/5), scattering six hits over seven innings of work with six strikeouts and two walks
- Finished game three of the South Carolina series with 10 strikeouts, two walks and just three hits - tossing her 10th complete game and earning her ninth shutout of the year (3/26)
- Tossed nine stellar innings, allowing just one run on six hits, while striking out nine in game one against South Carolina (3/24)
- Fanned 11, walked one and allowed three hits as she cruised to her 12th victory of the season after pitching her second complete-game shutout of the weekend over Missouri (3/17)
- Tossed her eighth complete game and seventh shutout of the season, two-hitting the Tigers with five strikeouts and two walks during the first game against Missouri (3/15)
- Pitched her fifth complete-game shutout of the season and fanned 13 on the night, allowing just one hit and one walk (3/8)
- Picked up eighth win of the season in 2-1 win over #10 Clemson (3/5)
- Threw her sixth career complete game in 7-0 victory over Longwood (3/4)
- Came in on relief against Stetson (3/3), producing five strikeouts with one hit in 2.2 innings
- Went five innings with three strikeouts, only allowing one hit in Tennessee's mercy rule win over Stetson (3/2)
- With a, then, career-high 14 strikeouts, tossed a complete game shutout, scattering six hits and two walks against UCF (2/24)
- Struck out 12 and retired all 21 batters she faced en route to a perfect game during Tennessee's take-down of LMU (2/23) - becoming one of three Lady Vols to throw multiple perfect games in program history
- Tossed three shutout innings against Kennesaw State (2/14), allowing just one hit, striking out six and walking none during the entirety of the Lady Vols' 14-0 win
- Struck out five batters during the Lady Vols 3-2 win over Baylor (2/9)
2023 - FRESHMAN
- Named 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year
- Closed out her rookie season with a 9-7 record - made 28 appearances in the circle with 16 starts
- Tossed five complete games and five shutouts in 2023, while earning a pair of saves
- Tossed two innings versus No. 3 Florida State in the WCWS, tallying a pair of strikeouts (6/5)
- Made her Women's College World Series debut against No. 1 Oklahoma (6/3), recording three strikeouts
- Notched six strikeouts in five innings against South Carolina, earning ninth victory of the season (5/6)
- Struck out six in 5.2 innings of work at Arkansas (5/1)
- Picked up her eighth win of the year after throwing 4.1 innings at Kentucky (4/15), striking out four
- Threw 6.2 innings in relief, surrendering no hits and fanning 11 batters in UT's 9-2 win over Texas A&M (4/2)
- Tossed a one-hitter against LSU (3/18), striking out nine batters over seven innings as the Lady Vols beat the Tigers 3-0
- Pitched a complete-game shutout, surrounding only one hit and striking out eight batters in UT's 1-0 win over Ole Miss (3/11)
- Threw three innings of relief against Belmont, striking out five batters in UT's 7-1 win over Belmont (3/5)
- Hurled the first perfect game of her collegiate career, striking out of five of the 15 batters she retired en route to a 8-0 Tennessee victory (3/4)
- Threw a complete-game shutout, striking out eight batters in the Lady Vols' 1-0 win over No. 5 Clemson (2/25)
- Pitched six scoreless innings and struck out four batters in the Lady Vols' 8-0 win over North Dakota State (2/17)
- Earned her first collegiate save, pitching two perfect innings to close out Tennessee's 9-2 win over Illinois (2/10)
- Recorded her first two collegiate strikeouts in Tennessee's 21-1 win over Howard (2/10)
HIGH SCHOOL/TRAVEL BALL
- Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 2 pitcher (duo) and No. 5 overall prospect for the class of 2022
- 2020-21 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the state of North Carolina
- Two-time Division 1 Female Athlete of the Year, earning the honors in 2021 from Mountain Amateur Athletic Club and in 2020 from the WNC Asheville Citizen Times
- Selected as one of 21 high school juniors to compete in the 2021 PGF Futures All-American Game
- Named Extra Inning Softball's National High School Player of the Week on April 27, 2021 after throwing a perfect game with 17 strikeouts, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two homers and drawing seven intentional walks in three games
- Selected as the WMAC Softball Player of the Year as a freshman in 2019 and WMAC Softball Pitcher of the Year in 2021
- Racked up 207 strikeouts to accompany a staggering 0.41 ERA her junior year, tossing one perfect game and four no-hitters last spring
- Hit .503 at the plate as a junior with 28 runs scored, five home runs, 22 stolen bases and a .764 on-base percentage
- Played travel ball for Carolina Elite SC alongside fellow signees Amanda Ahlin, Brylee Mesusan and Camryn Sarvis
PERSONAL
- Three-sport standout at NBHS, lettering all four years in softball, basketball and volleyball and earning multiple all-conference honors in all three sports
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
Sunday, May 25
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.24.25)
Saturday, May 24
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.23.25)
Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
