Sells Selected To AUSL Reserve Pool

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Kiarra Sells was selected with a provisional pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft and has been named to the league's reserve athlete pool.

The Bulldogs' Peja Goold received the league's final Golden Ticket on Saturday, securing her spot in the draft.

The AUSL enters its second season in 2026 and has expanded to a six-team footprint. Teams have already completed the draft, but selections remain confidential until the College Draft Show on Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2. At that time, Goold and Sells will learn which teams selected them.

Only 17 collegiate athletes nationwide were drafted to the league, and another 21 were taken with provisional picks to join the reserve pool.

"I'm just really proud of Ki and all of these seniors," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "They've done a great job of leading this team. You look at what Kiarra has done over the course of four years, and she's just grown so much. Ki came in as a walk-on. She wanted to be here. She wanted to earn her way, and she did exactly that. She's gotten better and better, and I think her best softball is still in front of her. I think she's going to continue to grow and get better. I'm very proud of her and excited for the opportunity for her to be considered to be a pro at the highest level."

In four seasons in Starkville, Sells has transformed into an everyday player for the Bulldogs. After just 17 plate appearances in her first two years, she now ranks fifth in MSU career history in slugging percentage (.658) and on-base percentage (.476) and sixth in OPS (1.134).

The Jasper, Texas, native leads the team with 41 runs, 13 home runs, 12 doubles and a .366 average this year while slugging .756 with a 1.262 OPS that would land among the top 10 in MSU single-season history.

"I'm so extremely proud of Ki and how far she has come in her time at Mississippi State," associate head coach Tyler Bratton said. "Her best softball is ahead of her, and she is just now tapping into the God-given talent she has. She's one of the most-explosive athletes I've ever coached. Her combination of speed, power, arm strength and ability to hit both for a high average and power make her a prototypical pro player. I can't wait to follow along in her journey at the next level."

Should Sells be called up at any point this summer, she will become the 30th Bulldog to go on to a professional career, and the 18th MSU player coached by Samantha Ricketts to do so. She would also give the Bulldogs 11 professionals in the seven years since Ricketts was named the program's head coach. At least one player has signed a professional contract in each of the last six seasons.

Goold gives MSU three active players in the AUSL, joining Sierra Sacco and Mia Davidson. Sells would be the fourth. Davidson and Sacco will play for the Portland Cascade this summer, and Goold's franchise will be determined in the coming weeks.

The AUSL begins play on June 9 with teams playing in home cities for the first time.

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

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Sells Selected To AUSL Reserve Pool

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