Athletes Unlimited select four from SEC in 2023 draft
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A total of four Southeastern Conference softball athletes were selected during the 2023 Athletes Unlimited College Draft, held Monday night. The four selections, from four different SEC schools, tied for the most of any conference during the 14-pick event.
Alabama's Montana Fouts, Arkansas' Chenise Delce, Florida's Charla Echols, and Kentucky's Kayla Kowalik were among the 14 athletes selected. Each of the four also heard their names called during the 2023 WPF Draft just last month.
AUX Softball begins on June 9 and Softball Championship Season starts July 28, both set to take place at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Ill.
Here are the SEC players who were selected:
KAYLA KOWALIK
The Kentucky star entered her senior season with the Wildcats ranked as the No. 1 catcher in the country by Extra Innings ahead of the 2023 season. She was named a 2021 NFCA First-Team All-American after logging the best batting average in the NCAA with a .495 average and 100 total hits on the season Kowalik holds multiple UK records, including:
- Career runs scored (255
- Career triples (24)
- Career batting percentage (.426)
- Career hits (344)
MONTANA FOUTS
Montana Fouts' career at Alabama has heralded her as one of the greatest pitchers, if not the greatest, in program history She was named the NFCA Pitcher of the Year in 2021 and is a three-time All-American. Within the SEC, she's been recognized as Freshman of the Year (2019), Tournament MVP (2019), and Co-pitcher of the Year (2021). This season, she leads the country in strikeouts with 277 so far. Fouts was also named to the USA Softball Women's National Team for the WBSC World Cup. It is her second appearance on Team USA, helping the squad win gold at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham.
CHENISE DELCE
Chenise Delce is a right-handed hurler who made an immediate impression for the Razorbacks after transferring to Arkansas in 2022. She earned the honor of SEC Pitcher of the Year in 2022 and placed herself in the record books last season. Delce ranks in the top 10 in program history for single-season wins (19), saves (3), and shutouts (5), and is second in strikeouts per seven innings with an 8.70 average. The Second-Team NFCCA All-American is on pace to eclipse her 2022 numbers. Before transferring, Delce started her career at Tulsa where she was named 2019 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.
CHARLA ECHOLS
Charla Echols is an All-American third baseman who commands the hot corner. Echols is in the Gators' program record books for multiple categories including:
- Single-season sacrifice flies: 10 (1st)
- Career slugging percentage : .762 (1st)
- Career batting average: .389 (3rd)
- Career on-base percentage: .478 (3rd)
She represented the United States at last summer's World Games, winning a gold medal. Echols is currently ranked fifth nationally in RBIs with 61 on the season.
| PICK | ATHLETE | POSITION | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Kayla Kowalik | C |  Kentucky |
| 4 | Montana Fouts | P |  Alabama |
| 7 | Chenise Delce | P |  Arkansas |
| 11 | Charla Echols | INF |  Florida |