Former Texas Longhorns star Leighann Goode is staying in the Lone Star State to begin her professional softball career. The standout infielder was selected eighth overall in the 2024 AUSL Draft by the Texas Volts on Monday night, ensuring she'll continue to play close to home.

Goode's college resume speaks for itself. Over 215 games in burnt orange, she posted a .316 batting average, drove in 136 runs, and showcased impressive power with 37 doubles and 29 home runs. Her ability to consistently get on base made her a cornerstone of the Longhorns' lineup over the past two seasons.

The Sandra Day O'Connor alumna earned recognition early and often during her time in Austin. She finished in the Top 25 for Freshman of the Year honors, was named an All-American as a freshman, and landed on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Those accolades helped cement her as a fixture in the lineup throughout her college career.

Goode wasn't the only Longhorn to hear her name called on draft night. Reese Atwood was selected seventh overall by the Carolina Blaze, giving fans even more reason to tune into AUSL games to follow familiar faces from Austin.

Perhaps Goode's most memorable moment came last season during the Women's College World Series, when she launched a three-run homer in Game Three to help keep the Longhorns' title hopes alive. It was the kind of clutch performance that defined her time at Texas and made her a top-ten pick.

With the playoffs approaching, Goode now gets to focus on building on that success at the professional level—without ever having to leave Texas.