AUSL Names 21 Provisional Draft Selections, Filling 2026 Reserve Pool Ahead of May 4 College Draft

ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS — The Athletes Unlimited Softball League on Sunday named 21 college seniors to its 2026 Provisional Draft Selections list, securing rights to a deeper Reserve Pool of players one week ahead of the May 4 College Draft on ESPN2.

The provisional list runs alongside the league’s 17 Golden Ticket recipients, who are guaranteed roster spots when AUSL teams make their picks during the draft show. Provisional selections, by contrast, give franchises rights to additional graduating seniors who can be activated as needed during the season — for injuries, national-team call-ups, or late roster gaps. Commissioner Kim Ng announced the list on the league’s website Sunday afternoon.

The 21 Provisional Selections

The provisional pool draws from 13 different programs, with Oklahoma leading the way at four selections.

Kaiah Altmeyer – Texas, OF
Jordy Bahl-Frahm – Nebraska, RHP
Sydney Berzon – Oklahoma, RHP
Elon Butler – Oregon, UTL
Hannah Camenzind – Nebraska, OF
Cassidy Curd – Duke, LHP
Abby Dayton – Oklahoma, OF
Isabela Emerling – Oklahoma, C
Sarah Gordon – Georgia, C
Lyndsey Grein – Oregon, RHP
Robyn Herron – Arkansas, LHP
Grace Jenkins – Arizona, C
Reagan Johnson – Arkansas, OF
Jackie Lis – Texas Tech, UTL
River Mahler – Stanford, IF
Ruby Meylan – Oklahoma State, RHP
Kennedy Powell – Texas A&M, IF
Keirstin Roose – Georgia, IF
Kiarra Sells – Mississippi State, OF
Elise Sokolsky – Oregon, RHP
Aminah Vega – Duke, IF

How the Reserve Pool Works

Provisional selections do not receive on-stage team assignments at the draft show. Instead, AUSL franchises hold negotiating rights to the players in this group, and can call them into active roster slots when situations arise during the season — an injured starter, a USA Softball or international commitment that pulls a player away, or a late summer roster need. Players in the Reserve Pool can also accept invitations to join active rosters at the start of the season if franchises choose to expand.

The structure differs from a traditional minor-league call-up system. AUSL teams play a compressed season starting June 9, and the Reserve Pool is built to flex around the league’s six-team, single-tier format rather than feed it from below.

Familiar Names From AE’s Coverage

Three of the 21 provisional selections have already been profiled on Aspen Eighty as 2026 draft watch prospects: Oklahoma right-hander Sydney Berzon, Oregon utility player Elon Butler, and Nebraska right-hander Jordy Bahl-Frahm. Bahl-Frahm’s inclusion on the list comes after she announced earlier this month that she did not intend to play professional softball in 2026 to focus on her 2028 Olympic preparation; the AUSL release does not indicate whether her status has changed or whether the league is securing her rights for a future season.

Mississippi State outfielder Kiarra Sells joins the Bulldogs’ Peja Goold, who became the program’s 17th and final 2026 Golden Ticket recipient on April 25, as the second MSU player headed to the AUSL pipeline.

What Comes Next

The 2026 College Draft Show airs Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, where Golden Ticket recipients learn their team assignments and AUSL teams make their remaining selections. The league’s six franchises — Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, OKC Spark, Portland Cascade, Texas Volts, and Utah Talons — open the 2026 season on June 9.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AUSL Provisional Draft Selections list?

It is a group of 21 college seniors named on April 26, 2026 whose rights AUSL franchises hold for the 2026 season. Unlike the 17 Golden Ticket recipients, provisional players do not receive team assignments at the May 4 draft show. They populate the league’s Reserve Pool and can be activated by teams during the season to fill in for injuries, national-team commitments, or roster gaps.

How many total players are in the AUSL’s 2026 pre-draft pool?

Thirty-eight: 17 Golden Ticket recipients announced between March 27 and April 25, plus 21 provisional selections announced on April 26. Additional players may be drafted directly during the May 4 College Draft show on ESPN2.

Why is Jordy Bahl-Frahm on the list after announcing she would not play in 2026?

The Nebraska right-hander announced earlier in April that she planned to focus on her 2028 Olympic preparation rather than play professional softball this year. The AUSL release does not address her status directly. Provisional rights typically carry over to subsequent seasons, so her inclusion may secure those rights for a future activation rather than an immediate 2026 roster slot.

When is the 2026 AUSL College Draft?

The 2026 AUSL College Draft Show airs Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Golden Ticket recipients learn their team assignments and AUSL teams make their remaining selections live during the broadcast. The 2026 season opens on June 9. See the full league calendar on the Aspen Eighty schedule page.

Which schools have the most provisional selections?

Oklahoma leads with four selections: right-hander Sydney Berzon, outfielder Abby Dayton, catcher Isabela Emerling, and the Sooners’ rotation depth on display heading into postseason play. Oregon has three (right-handers Lyndsey Grein and Elise Sokolsky and utility player Elon Butler), and Nebraska, Duke, Arkansas, and Georgia each have two. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Mississippi State, Stanford, Oklahoma State, and Arizona each have one provisional player.

Will provisional selections appear at the May 4 draft show?

No. The May 4 broadcast on ESPN2 focuses on the 17 Golden Ticket recipients learning their team assignments and on AUSL teams making their remaining direct selections. Provisional players are not on stage and are not assigned to specific franchises during the show. Their rights are held by the league and distributed to teams through the Reserve Pool process, which operates on its own timeline before and during the season.

How does the AUSL Reserve Pool differ from a traditional minor league?

A minor league is a separate competitive structure with its own teams, schedule, and standings, designed to develop players over years before they reach the top level. The AUSL Reserve Pool is not a separate league. It is a roster-management mechanism: a defined group of college seniors whose rights AUSL teams hold and can convert to active roster slots when a starter is unavailable. Players in the pool train independently or remain with their college programs through the end of NCAA eligibility, then become callable as the AUSL season progresses.

What happens to provisional players who aren’t called up in 2026?

The AUSL release does not address that scenario directly. Provisional rights typically carry over to subsequent seasons, so a player who is not activated in 2026 may remain in the league’s rights pool for 2027 or be available for inclusion in next year’s draft cycle, subject to AUSL roster rules and individual player decisions about continuing in professional softball.

Sources: Athletes Unlimited Softball League (theausl.com/news/ausl-announces-2026-college-provisional-draft-selections/), Aspen Eighty staff reporting.