Mississippi State’s Kiarra Sells and Peja Goold Selected for AUSL Reserve Pool
Mississippi State softball players Kiarra Sells and Peja Goold have been selected for the Australian University Softball League’s reserve athlete pool, according to the university. Sells was chosen with a provisional pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft, and Goold received the league’s final Golden Ticket on Saturday, securing her spot in the draft, the school said.
The AUSL is in its second season in 2026, with six teams competing. The league has completed its draft, but team selections remain confidential until the College Draft Show on May 4 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN2. At that time, Goold and Sells will learn which teams selected them, sources said.
Only 17 collegiate athletes nationwide were drafted into the league, with an additional 21 earning provisional picks to join the reserve pool, the university added. Head coach Samantha Ricketts expressed pride in her players, highlighting Sells’ development over her four years and her journey from walk-on to standout.
Sells, a Jasper, Texas native, has become an everyday player for Mississippi State. She ranks fifth in program history in slugging percentage (.658) and on-base percentage (.476), and sixth in OPS (1.134). This season, she leads the team with 41 runs, 13 home runs, 12 doubles, and a .366 batting average. Her slugging percentage of .756 and OPS of 1.262 are among the top single-season marks in school history, the school said.
Associate head coach Tyler Bratton praised Sells’ talent, noting her speed, power, and arm strength. If called up this summer, she will become the 30th Bulldog to pursue a professional softball career and the 18th player coached by Ricketts to do so. The Bulldogs have had at least one player sign a professional contract in each of the last six seasons, the program noted.
Goold joins Sierra Sacco and Mia Davidson as active Bulldogs in the AUSL. Davidson and Sacco will play for the Portland Cascade this summer, while Goold’s team will be announced soon. The AUSL season begins June 9, with teams playing in their home cities for the first time, sources said.
Source: Original Article
