Less than two weeks removed from the Women's College World Series, the final 2026 AUSL draftees are at last filtering in to begin their professional careers.
One of those players is NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 pick in this year's College Draft out of Texas Tech, who made her professional debut with the Texas Volts on Sunday. And the first batter she saw? Let's just call her a familiar face.
ATHLETES UNLIMITED SOFTBALL LEAGUE
Kayla Kowalik, a utility player for the Carolina Blaze, was a star softball player at the University of Kentucky from 2019-23 and is playing her second season in the AUSL. She's also currently an assistant softball coach ... at Texas Tech.
As for who won the battle, although they're now officially peers, it would appear that Kowalik is still benefitting from her years in a mentoring role -- she hit a double.