The University of Tennessee’s softball pitcher Karlyn Pickens made history on Monday, becoming the first ever to throw a 78 mph pitch.
The junior set the record for the fastest ever softball pitch recorded during the sixth inning of Tennessee's 3-2 win over Arkansas on Monday night. Pickens had already tied the previous record of 77 mph set by Monica Abbott.
"There was a lot of emotions," Pickens told the Knoxville News Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. "All the work that we've put in as a pitching staff, everyone that's helped coach me – it was a really surreal moment. It was really special."
According to the News Sentinel, the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year is known for her consistency, with pitches in the 70s mph common in her arsenal.
Who held the previous record?
Before Pickens, the fastest softball pitch ever recorded was thrown by Monica Abott, who threw a 77 mph pitch during a 2012 National Pro Fastpitch game, according to the Guinness World Records.
Interestingly, Abbott was also a pitcher for Tennessee, playing for the Lady Vols between 2004 and 2007, and is a silver medalist for Team USA at the 2008 and 2020 Olympic Games.
What is the softball mound distance?
The distance from the mound to home plate is 43 feet in softball, while baseball's is 60 feet and six inches.
In softball, the basepaths are also much shorter, at 60 feet compared to baseball's 90 feet.
Contributing: Austin Curtright, USA TODAY
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tennessee pitcher throws fastest pitch in college softball history
