There’s something magical about hearing your name called on draft night, and for Arizona All-American catcher Sydney Stewart, that moment came Monday evening when the Portland Cascade selected her with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft.

Stewart, a standout behind the plate for the Wildcats, was taken midway through the second round by the expansion franchise, becoming the eighth player who spent at least two years in Tucson to join the upstart league. The Cascade are one of two new teams joining the AUSL this season, alongside the Oklahoma City Spark, as the league expands from four to six teams anchored to their own home cities.

Portland made the most of their draft picks, selecting players in all four rounds—the only franchise to do so. The Cascade kicked things off at No. 4 overall with UCLA’s Megan Grant, then grabbed Stewart at No. 9, followed by Arizona State pitcher Kenzie Brown at No. 15, and finally Florida’s Kenleigh Cahalan at No. 17 in the fourth round.

Stewart was one of just two catchers taken in the entire draft, joining Florida’s Jocelyn Erickson, who went fifth overall to the Chicago Bandits. That’s elite company for a player who has been a rock for the Wildcats both offensively and defensively.

The top pick of the draft was Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens, who went first overall to the Carolina Blaze—a team that’s quickly becoming an Arizona reunion. The Blaze also drafted former Wildcat outfielder Dakota Kennedy, who transferred to Arkansas for her senior season, at No. 16 overall. They already have ex-Arizona pitcher/infielder Devyn Netz on the roster, making Tucson a key pipeline for Carolina.

With Stewart and Kennedy now in the AUSL fold, Arizona has eight former players in the league—a testament to the program’s continued impact on the professional game. Whether you’re a Wildcats fan or just love seeing the next generation of softball stars shine, this draft class has plenty of reasons to tune in when the AUSL’s new season gets underway.