Tennessee softball star Karlyn Pickens throws fastest pitch in NCAA history: 'Surreal moment'

A Tennessee softball prima pitched her mode into the NCAA grounds books.

Lady Volunteers pitcher Karlyn Pickens took the mound connected Monday, and proceeded to propulsion the fastest transportation successful collegiate softball history. Pickens' historical transportation happened successful the sixth inning of Tennessee's crippled against Arkansas.

Her transportation clocked successful astatine 78.2 mph.

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Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens (23) reacts aft 1 of her pitches was ruled a shot during an NCAA assemblage softball crippled against Arkansas connected Monday, March 24, 2025, successful Knoxville, Tenn. (Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Pickens' erstwhile apical velocity was 77 mph, which tied her with erstwhile Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott.

Abbott acceptable the people during the 2012 National Pro Fastpitch crippled against Carolina Diamonds. Pickens had already thrown 2 pitches this play that reached 77 mph. 

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Pickens was asked astir the peculiar infinitesimal aft the Lady Volunteers' 3-2 triumph implicit the Lady Razorbacks.

Karlyn Pickens #23 of the Tennessee Lady Vols throws a transportation against the Alabama Crimson Tide successful the archetypal inning astatine Sherri Parker Lee Stadium connected March 25, 2023 successful Knoxville, Tennessee. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

"There was a batch of emotions. At archetypal I conscionable was ace excited to observe that with my team. It's mode cooler uncovering retired that mode than uncovering retired astatine location aft the game," Pickens said via the Knoxville News Sentinel. 

Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens (23) pitches against Arkansas during an NCAA assemblage softball crippled connected Monday, March 24, 2025, successful Knoxville, Tenn. (Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Pickens did not springiness up a deed done her 4.1 innings connected the mound. She besides struck retired six Arkansas hitters.

"And past it was benignant of emotional. All the enactment that we’ve enactment successful arsenic a pitching staff, everyone that’s helped manager maine — it was a truly surreal moment. It was truly special," she added.

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Pickens earned SEC Pitcher of the Year honors past season. She has an 0.86 ERA implicit 89.1 innings. 

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