Gottshall and Pickens Honored as NFCA First Team All-Americans
Tennessee softball’s Payton Gottshall and Karlyn Pickens have been named First Team All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), as announced by the organization on Wednesday.
Pickens, already named a First Team All-American by D1Softball and Softball America on Tuesday, is Tennessee’s second consecutive consensus first-team All-American. This is Pickens’ first All-America honor from the NFCA.
Gottshall has also earned her third All-America recognition for the 2024 season, having been named to D1Softball and Softball America’s second teams on Tuesday. This marks the first time Gottshall has been named an NFCA All-American.
Hailing from Weaverville, North Carolina, Pickens was a key part of Tennessee’s dominant pitching duo. She concluded the 2024 season with a 22-7 record and a 1.12 ERA, establishing herself as one of the nation’s top pitchers. The sophomore appeared in 38 games, making 27 starts, with 15 complete games, 12 shutouts, and one save. She pitched 188.1 innings, recording 225 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .156 batting average.
Gottshall, the other half of UT’s formidable pitching team, finished her collegiate career at Rocky Top. The Massillon, Ohio, native posted a 20-5 record with a 1.37 ERA, contributing to the Lady Vols’ second consecutive SEC regular-season title. In 2024, she made 35 appearances, including 20 starts, with eight complete games, three shutouts, and three saves. Over 147.2 innings, Gottshall struck out 164 batters and held opponents to a .180 batting average.
Gottshall and Pickens are Tennessee’s 20th and 21st NFCA All-Americans, respectively, adding to UT’s total of 43 NFCA All-America selections in program history.
