Stanford's Taryn Kern Earns Eighth AUSL Golden Ticket in Walk-Off Win Over No. 6 Florida State

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford senior infielder Taryn Kern was awarded the eighth AUSL Golden Ticket on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the No. 21 Cardinal beat No. 6 Florida State 9-8 in one of the wildest games of the ACC season. ESPN broadcaster Amanda Scarborough delivered the envelope on the field after the final out.

Kern made the case herself in the bottom of the sixth, launching a three-run home run that put Stanford ahead 5-2. Florida State answered in the seventh to retake the lead, only for Cardinal freshman Addyson Sheppard to end the game with a walk-off grand slam. Stanford went on to sweep the weekend series, winning 9-8, 7-2, and 6-5 in eight innings — the first time Florida State had been swept in an ACC series since 2011.

The Golden Ticket guarantees Kern a spot in the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League College Draft on May 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. She is the eighth recipient announced; AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng has said the league plans to award 12 in total before draft night.

A Power Hitter With Two Programs on Her Resume

Kern came out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose and started her college career at Indiana, where her freshman season in 2023 rewrote the program record book. She hit .404 with a .578 on-base percentage, .942 slugging, and 23 home runs — the most ever by a Hoosier in a single season. She also drew 45 walks and was hit by 23 pitches, leading the Big Ten in eight statistical categories. Indiana named her the conference’s Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season, the first time any Indiana player had swept both awards.

That summer she entered the transfer portal and announced her move to Stanford, becoming the Cardinal’s first transfer addition since 2000. She started all 67 games at second base in 2024, posted a 1.013 OPS, and set Stanford program records for walks (58) and hit-by-pitches (22) in a season. In 2025 she hit 19 home runs to tie the Stanford single-season record, including an eight-homers-in-six-games stretch from April 5-15. She represented the United States in the 2024 Japan All-Star Series.

Career Year in 2026

Kern’s senior season has been her best. Through 35 games she is hitting .413 with a .545 on-base percentage and a 1.508 OPS — up from her 1.283 OPS the year before. She has 14 home runs, 12 doubles, three triples, 50 runs, and 37 RBI. Among ACC hitters, she ranks 15th in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, and third in OPS.

Her 14 home runs this season rank fifth on Stanford’s single-season list, and her 40 career home runs in a Cardinal uniform are tied for third in program history. Combined with her 23 at Indiana, Kern has hit 63 home runs across four college seasons.

The 2026 Golden Ticket Class

NiJaree Canady, RHP, Texas Tech (March 27)
Reese Atwood, C, Texas (March 28)
Leighann Goode, IF, Texas (March 28)
Sydney Stewart, C, Arizona (March 29)
Karlyn Pickens, RHP, Tennessee (April 2)
Dakota Kennedy, OF, Arkansas (April 6)
Kenzie Brown, RHP, Arizona State (April 7)
Taryn Kern, IF, Stanford (April 10)

Kern is the first infielder in the class beyond the two Texas Longhorns — Atwood and Goode — and the second power hitter from the Pac-12 footprint after Stewart. Four more Golden Tickets are expected before the May 4 draft.

What Comes Next

Stanford’s sweep of Florida State pushed the Cardinal into the upper half of the ACC standings with the postseason in view. The team has a regular-season slate to finish before conference and NCAA tournament play, and Kern’s production through her first 35 games suggests Stanford will lean on her bat the rest of the way.

The AUSL Draft on May 4 will determine which franchise picks her. The Carolina Blaze hold the No. 1 overall pick. The 2026 AUSL season opens June 9 across the league’s six teams — the Blaze, Chicago Bandits, OKC Spark, Portland Cascade, Texas Volts, and defending champion Utah Talons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Taryn Kern?

Taryn Kern is a senior infielder at Stanford University and an AUSL Golden Ticket recipient. A native of San Jose, California, she played her freshman season at Indiana in 2023, where she won Big Ten Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, then transferred to Stanford in July 2023 — the Cardinal’s first transfer since 2000. Through 35 games of her 2026 senior season she is hitting .413 with 14 home runs.

How many career home runs does Kern have?

Kern has 63 career home runs across four college seasons: 23 as an Indiana freshman in 2023 and 40 in three years at Stanford. Her 40 Stanford home runs are tied for third in program history.

What happened in the game where Kern received her Golden Ticket?

No. 21 Stanford beat No. 6 Florida State 9-8 on April 10, 2026, in the opener of a three-game weekend series at home. Kern hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth that gave Stanford a 5-2 lead, and freshman Addyson Sheppard hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh after Florida State retook the lead. Stanford swept the series 9-8, 7-2, and 6-5 in eight innings — Florida State’s first ACC sweep loss since 2011.

When is the 2026 AUSL Draft?

The 2026 AUSL College Draft airs Monday, May 4, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Carolina Blaze hold the No. 1 overall pick. As of April 10, eight Golden Tickets have been announced and four more are expected before draft night.

Stanford’s Taryn Kern Earns Eighth AUSL Golden Ticket in Walk-Off Win Over No. 6 Florida State