Maya Johnson Receives Golden Ticket From Athletes Unlimited Softball League
- Nick Rampe
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
Maya Johnson's stellar career will continue after Belmont.
The Bruins' ace was presented with a golden ticket from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, ensuring that she will be selected in the league's draft on May 4.
"It's something that, when you're a little girl, you grow up dreaming of," Johnson said. "And then for it to actually happen, I'm still a little bit lost for words."
Johnson was given the ticket by Jessica Mendoza, a former softball player who earned four first-team all-American odds during her time at Stanford University and is a two-time olympic medalist. She is widely considered to be one of the greatest softball players of all time, and currently works as a reporter for ESPN.
Johnson, who's been one of the best pitchers in softball across her four-year collegiate career, is the first mid-major player to be drafted to the AUSL. She is the ninth college softball player to receive one for the 2026 draft. Only 12 are given out.
"You got to survive, or you don't make it," said Mendoza. "I feel like no one is more up for that challenge than Maya Johnson."
Johnson's senior season has been her best yet. Through 155 innings pitched, she boasts a
21-2 record, pitched 23 complete games in 23 starts and has just a 0.63 ERA and a .136 batting average against.
After an offseason lupus diagnosis, she didn't even know if she would play this season.
"She's gone through so much physically with her lupus and the challenges and the ups and downs of a horrible disease this year, in particular with chemo and all of the things that go with that," said head coach Laura Matthews. "She's the toughest, most resilient person I know, and this is kind of the cherry on top for her."
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