Arizona senior standout Devyn Netz will have the opportunity to continue her softball career as a professional.
Netz on Tuesday received a “golden ticket” from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Netz and 11 other players will be assigned to AUSL teams during the league’s inaugural college draft on May 3.
AUSL representative Natasha Watley presented Netz with the golden ticket after Arizona’s doubleheader sweep of New Mexico State at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Arizona’s Devyn Netz, right, celebrates with the team after the Wildcats beat Texas Tech 2-1 in their Big 12 game on April 17, at Hillenbrand Stadium. Netz pitched five shutout innings in relief of Miranda Stoddard to get her 17th win of the season.
Netz’s two-way talent was on full display during the doubleheader. She earned the win in the opener, pitching four innings of one-hit relief in a 3-0 UA triumph. In the nightcap, Netz went 3 for 3 and had one of Arizona’s six home runs as the Wildcats run-ruled the Aggies 13-0. Teammate Sydney Stewart had three homers and five RBIs.
“I’m honestly really happy about this moment because I’ve worked so hard for it my whole life,” Netz told Arizona Athletics. “I never really thought pro softball would be in my future like this.”
After missing all of last season because of injury, Netz leads Arizona with 18 wins and 16 home runs. She ranks in the top 50 nationally in multiple categories, including home runs, RBIs (57), strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.17) and walks allowed per seven innings (1.07).
Netz, who played her senior season of high school at Ironwood Ridge, has a 52-28 career record as a pitcher, 29 home runs and a .321 batting average.
Earlier this season, she became the first Wildcat to pitch a perfect game and hit a home run in the same game.
No. 13 Arizona (39-9) visits San Diego State on Friday and Saturday before concluding the regular season with a three-game series at Houston May 2-4.
