Karlyn Pickens Goes Viral: Watch Tennessee’s Freshman Ace Dominate SEC Softball

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee softball ace Karlyn Pickens shattered her own NCAA record on Saturday, uncorking a 79.4 mph heater against Nebraska in the Knoxville Super Regional to reclaim the title of fastest pitch in college softball history. The 6-foot-1 junior right-hander had previously held the mark at 78.2 mph, established earlier this season. The blistering fastball headlined a dominant 11-strikeout performance that powered the Lady Vols to a 3-2 victory and forced a winner-take-all Game 3 versus the Huskers on Sunday. It was a swift bounce-back after Tennessee’s 5-2 setback in Friday’s opener, when a shaky fourth inning proved costly. SEC hardware and national spotlight Pickens’ latest feat caps an award-laden spring. She repeated as SEC Pitcher of the Year and earned Softball America National Pitcher of the Year honors after piling up 252 strikeouts and a 0.90 ERA across 186⅓ innings. The Lady Vol flamethrower also landed on the 2025 All-SEC First Team and Softball America First-Team All-America list. Why Pickens’ velocity matters A 79.4 mph softball pitch travels the 43-foot NCAA distance in roughly 0.36 seconds — the reaction-time equivalent of a 105-mph baseball fastball — leaving hitters with virtually no time to adjust. Her record is pushing the envelope of what’s considered possible in the women’s game and fueling conversations about training, biomechanics and equipment standards nationwide. Road to Oklahoma City If Tennessee can clinch the Super Regional, the Lady Vols will punch their ticket to the Women’s College World Series for the second straight year, riding a staff anchored by Pickens and fellow All-American Taylor Pannell. Head coach Karen Weekly praised her ace’s poise, noting that Pickens “feeds off the big stage” — a trait on full display amid a raucous sold-out crowd at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. What’s next • Game 3 vs. Nebraska: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 • Pickens enters the finale with 21 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed in the series. • A win would set up a potential WCWS opening matchup with Pac-12 champion UCLA. Search interest around “Karlyn Pickens fastest pitch,” “Tennessee softball Super Regional,” and “SEC Pitcher of the Year 2025” has surged this week, and with another record in the books, the flame-throwing junior is giving fans — and search engines — plenty to talk about heading into championship week.