Texas Tech softball ace NiJaree Canady refuses to let anyone rush her process — on the pitcher's mound or off the field.
The Red Raiders senior has seen great success since her high-profile 2024 transfer from Stanford, signing seven-figure NIL deals while impressing Athletes Unlimited Softball League's top scouts.
"Having confidence in the circle is one thing," Canady told JWS last month. "The pitcher? The ball starts with us. The game starts with us."
Canady's NCAA journey has become woven into college softball legend. In her breakout 2023 season, she registered just three losses for Stanford as a freshman — with two coming at the hands of eventual NCAA champion Oklahoma. That year she went on to lead the Cardinal to its first Women's College World Series (WCWS) appearance in nearly 20 years. The run solidified her as one of softball's most prominent faces as the sport continues to gain speed at both the college and professional levels.
When she transferred to Texas Tech in 2024, Canady shocked the softball world by signing the sport's first-ever $1 million NIL deal before taking the Red Raiders to their first WCWS finals in 2025.
Now well into her second — and final — college season, Texas Tech has established itself as a national championship contender on a 42-4 overall and 16-2 Big 12 record. On the offensive side, coach Gerry Glasco's lineup ranks second in the nation with a .395 team batting average while Canady anchors the pitching staff. The right-hander is riding a 17 - 3 record and 1.40 ERA, reaching 1,000 career strikeouts this month after becoming the first Texas Tech player to achieve three career no-hitters earlier this season.
With just nine games left and the Big 12 regular-season title nearly secured, Canady's perfect NCAA ending is coming into view. And there's only one way to get there: winning it all at college softball's biggest showcase.
"We belong on that stage," she said. "We've been there before, we made it to the championship series. We know we can get there."
NiJaree Canady Drives Texas Tech with Leadership and Experience
As a senior, NiJaree Canady has gotten her gameday routine down to a science. The two-time NFCA National Pitcher of the Year developed into a complete player over the course of her college career. And as graduation nears, she's focused on tweaking all tiny details that can improve her performance on the mound.
"It's definitely kind of reaching for straws," she admitted, saying her coaches also advised her to prioritize consistency and leadership in 2026. "But I feel like those couple things you can get better at, they can make a big difference."
The 22-year-old has also found a way to direct her expanding NIL footprint into partnerships that fit her goals and lifestyle. Canady recently signed an endorsement deal with energy drink Celsius, a product she and her teammates know very well. As she's gotten older, the Topeka, Kansas native noted that nutrition and supplement management have become increasingly key to her performance.
"I'm a very disciplined person," she explained. "On a daily basis, I try to eat a lot of protein, and I work with our nutritionist."
Canady's known as a calming locker room presence. However, she does like to get amped up via pregame playlists and an early-morning energy boost.
"[It's] Celsius first thing in the morning before I go to early weights," she said. "I just grab one of those and I'm just drinking on my drive over."
Her drive is her strength, especially as she grows into her leadership role as team captain. She's built a mutual respect with the Texas Tech softball coaching staff, helping with clubhouse communication whenever big decisions arise. Through it all, she wants her work ethic to speak for itself.
"I'm definitely honing things, but also making sure I'm setting an example for everyone else too," she said. "The younger girls are going to look to me about things, like my discipline... Everyone's watching that."
Balancing Off-Field Opportunities with Texas Tech Production
While it's easy to let the day-to-day take over, Canady is keenly aware of her growing visibility.
In late March, AUSL commissioner Kim Ng presented the Red Raiders senior with the league's first Golden Ticket draft invitation. And with softball's professional viability skyrocketing in recent years, Canady can look forward to a long career post-college.
But after revolutionizing Texas Tech softball, her impact in Lubbock can't be overstated. She recalled seeing fans at sold-out Red Raiders college football games wearing her softball jerseys. People stop her to pose for selfies as she walks from class to class.
"Just to be able to see what we brought to Lubbock and that community, it's been amazing," she said.
With the pros on the horizon and business opportunities coming her way — not to mention schoolwork — Canady has to apply that athlete's discipline to her very busy life.
"It never really feels too big," she said of her crowded schedule. "And when it does, I just remember these are the moments I've prayed for. These are blessings."
Amid the chaos, the ace also wants to spend time with her teammates before they all go their separate ways. And she and a few friends even found time to take up fishing. "I haven't caught any yet," she laughed. "But I still go out there and try to enjoy it."
Making the most of her senior year belies Canady's confidence in her future — and not just on the pitcher's mound.
"These girls are going to be my best friends for life," she said of her teammates. "I feel like it's easy, especially in season, to have softball be your whole world. And it is a big part of who I am. But it's not the only thing about me."
As the 2026 WCWS approaches, Canady has one more shot to make history with her beloved Texas Tech softball team. And while she's laser-focused on winning, she also knows the squad won't just be remembered for its wins and losses.
"When we're out there, we're playing for each other," she said. "When we're at weights at 7 AM, we're there for each other. We're fighting for each other, and we want to succeed for each other."
No. 21 Oklahoma State stunned No. 1 Oklahoma 6-4 in Wednesday night's Bedlam Classic. The Cowgirls scored in five consecutive innings to hand OU softball its first back-to-back losses of the NCAA softball season.
Ruby Meylan dominated for Oklahoma State, pitching a complete game, striking out nine batters, and improving her record to 18-6 on the year. The performance marked her 11th consecutive decision.
The Cowgirls jumped ahead early and never trailed, subsequently scoring at least one run in every inning after the first. The team combined for 10 hits with Rosie Davis, Lexi McDonald, and Tia Warsop recording two apiece while Karli Godwin added a solo home run in the third.
OU softball fought back with a pair of runs in both the third and sixth innings, as slugger Kendall Wells smashed a two-run homer in the third for her 32nd this season — claiming the fifth-most single-season home runs in NCAA DI history. Abby Dayton later doubled in two more runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4.
However, Oklahoma State answered with an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth before Meylan closed out the seventh with a perfect inning.
OU ace Miali Guachino took the loss for Oklahoma, falling to 12-1 after allowing four earned runs for her first loss of the season.
The upset marked Oklahoma State's eighth win over a No. 1 ranked team in program history. The Cowgirls last beat a top NCAA softball team in 2022, when they defeated OU in the Big 12 championship game.
Oklahoma softball was outhit 10-7 in the loss, as the Sooners move to 0-4 on the season when being outhit.
How to Watch Oklahoma Softball vs Arkansas This Week
Oklahoma won't have much time to dwell, as OU gears up to host No. 6 Arkansas for a three-game series starting Friday, live on ESPN2.
Texas Tech softball ace NiJaree Canady received the first golden ticket for the 2026 AUSL Draft, with commissioner Kim Ng surprising the senior following the Red Raiders' Big 12 matchup against Iowa State.
The golden ticket guarantees Canady a spot in Athletes Unlimited Softball League's 2026 Draft, set for May 4th.
"As one of the most talented players in the game today, it is fitting that NiJaree is the first recipient of a golden ticket this year," Ng said.
"This is also the beginning of what will be a truly special draft class, with many outstanding players across the country."
Canady ranks among college softball's most decorated athletes. The pitcher earned multiple first-team All-American honors, won 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, captured back-to-back National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Pitcher of the Year titles, and claimed the Honda Sport Awards for Softball in 2024 and 2025.
The Stanford transfer made headlines when she signed a record-breaking $1,050,024 one-year contract via The Matador Club, an NIL collective affiliated with Texas Tech softball. She signed another seven-figure deal last year, after leading the Red Raiders to its first WCWS championship appearance.
Canady recently launched her Adidas signature player-edition cleat, the ADIZERO Instinct 2.0 PT "NiJa," becoming the first NCAA softball player to release a signature Adidas shoe.
AUSL representatives and softball celebrities will visit college campuses throughout the next month to award additional golden tickets to this year's draft class.
How to Watch NiJaree Canady at the 2026 AUSL Draft
The 2026 AUSL Draft is set for May 4th, with live coverage starting at 7 PM ET on ESPN2.
No. 3 Oklahoma softball came out swinging Tuesday as freshman Kendall Wells broke the SEC single-season home run record with her 27th homer in a 12-3 victory over Wichita State.
She passed the milestone in just the 37th game of her college career.
Wells launched a three-run blast in the sixth inning to pass previous conference record-holder, 2025 USA Player of the Year Bri Ellis. The Georgia native now leads the nation in home runs, pacing the Sooners with 60 RBIs while batting .383.
"I didn't even know that was the record," Wells said postgame. "My second and third at-bats, I didn't feel like I was making good adjustments. I talked a lot with coach JT [Gasso] in between, and kept it simple in my last at-bat."
Kendall Wells stands just three home runs away from former Sooners slugger Lauren Chamberlain's single-season mark of 30. She also trails NCAA record holder Jocelyn Alo by only seven homers, with Alo's 34 single-season blasts representing the all-time record.
Both Chamberlain and Alo established their records before Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024. Additionally, Alo needed 23 games to reach 10 homers as a freshman, while Wells smashed 27 in just 115 at-bats.
Head coach Patty Gasso admitted she doesn't track individual records.
"Kendall Wells, what did she do? I knew something had happened, but I didn't know exactly what it was," she said. "Kendall came in more ready than any hitter I've ever seen, and that is what we are witnessing right now."
Wells is currently fueling Oklahoma's quest to reclaim its crown after reigning champion No. 1 Texas ended the Sooners' four-year title streak last season.
How to Watch Oklahoma Softball Star Kendall Wells in Action
Oklahoma opens a three-game series against Kentucky on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET, live on SEC Network.
Mexico cartel violence prompted the Mexican Softball League to cancel games on Sunday, as the situation in Jalisco disrupts the LMS among other women's sports ventures.
The pro women's league cancelled Sunday night's matchup between Diablos Rojos Femenil and Bravos de León, announcing the decision as a safety precaution following the Mexico cartel activity.
The violence began after the Mexican military killed the leader of Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, considered the most powerful cartel in Mexico, on Sunday. Cartel members burned cars and blocked roads across nearly a dozen states, with authorities reporting at least 70 related deaths.
Six US athletes currently compete in the third-year Mexican pro league, including NCAA and Athletes Unlimited stars like Rachel Garcia, Jazmyn Jackson, Janae Jefferson, Baylee Klingler, Giulia Koutsoyanopulos, and Erika Piancastelli.
Following the violence, the United States and Canada advised their citizens in Mexico to shelter in place due, with Canadian player Natalie Wideman posting an Instagram update confirming her safety.
Four players subsequently requested releases from Guadalajara-based Jalisco Charros on Wednesday. US athlete Nicola Simpson, Canadians Natalie Wildman and Janet Lung, and Dutch player Eva Voortman all cited personal reasons for leaving.
The ongoing unrest has also impacted other women's sports. World Aquatics cancelled the Diving World Cup, scheduled for March 5th through 8th in Zapopan near Guadalajara, after conducteing a thorough risk assessment and considered travel restrictions from international governments.
The LMS is currently winding down its third season, with playoffs scheduled to begin March 10th.
The 2026 NCAA softball season is officially in full swing, as the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational brings 16 top programs — including 10 ranked teams — to Florida for four days of championship-level matchups this week.
A full seven of the nation's Top 10 teams will feature in this edition of the annual competition, with No. 6 Florida State, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 8 Texas A&M, and No. 10 LSU joining three of last season's Women's College World Series contenders — No. 7 UCLA, No. 3 Tennessee, and 2025 runners-up, No. 1 Texas Tech — in Clearwater.
With so many elite rosters, the invitational's 40-game slate includes 17 ranked matchups — and eight Top 10 showdowns.
Three of those eight games will feature Tennessee, who drew arguably the toughest Clearwater weekend with clashes against the No. 6 Seminoles, No. 7 Bruins, and No. 8 Cornhuskers — a team that stunned defending champion No. 2 Texas with an 8-5 opening-weekend upset loss on Saturday.
Friday's clash between the Huskers and Vols — a rematch of the pair's 2025 Super Regional — will also serve as an early-season litmus test of two of college softball's best pitchers, with a duel in the circle expected between Tennessee standout Karlyn Pickens and Nebraska ace Jordy Frahm (née Bahl).
But first, the top-ranked Red Raiders — led by two-time All-American pitcher and the sport's only multimillion-dollar NIL athlete NiJaree Canady — will headline Thursday's docket in their own Super Regional rematch against the No. 6 Seminoles.
How to watch NCAA softball at the 2026 Clearwater Invitational
The stacked Clearwater Invitational began on Thursday morning, with the day's spotlight clash between No. 1 Texas Tech and No. 6 Florida State taking the field at 1 PM ET, airing live on ESPN2.
All 40 games will air live across ESPN platforms.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) made a historic move this week, signing Tennessee senior pitcher Karlyn Pickens to the first-ever NIL deal with a pro league seen in the NCAA sport.
As part of her contract, Pickens will use social media and participate in other marketing opportunities to promote the newly expanded AUSL as the premier place for NCAA athletes to launch their professional softball careers.
"When I was growing up, I didn't really see [pro] softball… I didn't really think there was an option to go pro," said the Lady Vols star in Wednesday's AUSL announcement. "It's been just a few years, and now everyone's dream is to go to AUSL and continue their softball career."
After kicking off her NCAA tenure as the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, the two-time All-American and reigning Softball American Pitcher of the Year posted a 1.17 ERA across her 44 appearances last season, leading the Lady Vols from the circle all the way to the Women's College World Series semifinals in Oklahoma City.
Pickens also shattered records along the way, becoming the first collegiate ace to top Tennessee legend Monica Abbott's fastest NCAA pitch mark of 77mph from 2012 with a 78.2mph throw last March — before breaking her own record by hurling a blistering 79.4mph pitch at the Super Regionals last May.
Making NIL history this week is likely the 22-year-old's first step with the AUSL, which recently locked its six teams into home cities across the US last month — including assigning the Blaze to Pickens's home state of North Carolina.
"I never would've imagined that the pro softball league is what it is now, but it's also come to my home state," said Pickens.
How to watch new AUSL NIL athlete Karlyn Pickens
Pickens will kick off her senior season with No. 4-ranked Tennessee at this week's 2026 NFCA Leadoff Classic, where the Vols' slate includes clashes against No. 23 Liberty and No. 5 Oregon, among others.
Tennessee will begin the invitational against unranked BYU at 7 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage of the tilt streaming on GameChanger.
Professional softball put down roots coast-to-coast on Tuesday, when the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) unveiled the home cities and stadiums for each of the expanded league's teams for the 2026 season — and beyond.
After adopting a touring model for its four-team inaugural 2025 campaign, AUSL's move into home markets coincides with the league's expansion, as the now-six-team second-year league welcomed the Cascade and Spark in November.
With Tuesday's announcement, the previously independent Spark will continue to play in Oklahoma City at Oklahoma Christian University's Tom Heath Field, with fellow expansion side Cascade making its home at Hillsboro Ballpark, in Portland, Oregon.
Meanwhile, the four original teams will re-debut as the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, Texas Volts, and Utah Talons.
The Blaze will play their home games at Duke University's Smith Family Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, while the Bandits' permanent home will be at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois — a longtime hub for pro softball.
The Volts will play at Dell Diamond, the home of Minor League Baseball's Round Rock Express, the Triple-A team for MLB's Texas Rangers.
Lastly, the University of Utah will house the Talons, with the reigning AUSL champions taking over the Utes' Dumke Family Stadium in Salt Lake City beginning this year.
"This is about creating lasting connections between our athletes, our teams, and the communities they represent, and setting up the sport of softball for long-term success at the professional level," said AUSL commissioner Kim Ng in Tuesday's announcement.
All six teams will kick off their 2026 season on June 9th, when games will be played across multiple cities simultaneously for the first time in AUSL history.
How to purchase 2026 AUSL season tickets
Softball fans can now score 2026 season tickets for their AUSL home teams online.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) stocked up by adding 43 former NCAA and Olympic stars to its ranks on Monday night, with Talons utility player Maya Brady — niece of retired NFL legend Tom Brady — leading the charge as the No. 1 overall pick by the incoming Oklahoma City Spark in the league's expansion draft.
Starting the inaugural 2025 AUSL campaign on injured reserve, the former UCLA standout went on to feature in six games for the championship-winning Talons, registering one double, one home run, and five RBIs on the season.
The now-six -team league absorbed the previously independent Spark as part of an initial expansion plan, acquiring the Oklahoma City-based squad with the intention of finding permanent homes for all AUSL teams in the near future.
Also joining the AUSL next year is new franchise Cascade, which snagged Volts pitcher and former University of Oklahoma ace Sam Landry as the No. 2 overall pick on Monday.
Though the four original teams protected five players each, the Spark and Cascade raided their rosters in the expansion draft, claiming stars like infielders Sydney Romero (Talons) and Jessi Warren (Volts) as well as pitchers Alana Vawter (Blaze) and Payton Gottshall (Volts) for their debut lineups.
Immediately following the expansion draft, all six teams took part in an allocation draft, selecting athletes from either the 2025 AUSL Reserve Pool or those previously competing outside the league.
Former Oklahoma and Oklahoma State pitcher Kelly Maxwell earned the top pick in the allocation draft, with the new Cascade player joined by other recent NCAA softball legends like former Sooners Kinzie Hansen, Jayda Coleman, and Jocelyn Alo, Florida State's Kat Sandercock and Sydney Sherrill, Washington's Sis Bates, and Clemson's Valerie Cagle.
Women's sports stars stepped into the business spotlight this week, as standout athletes like 2025 French Open champ Coco Gauff, current WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and USWNT star Trinity Rodman landed on the 2026 edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30 List.
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, and Olympic rock climber Brooke Raboutou also made the cut for the US, with Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier named as one of the list's All-Star Alumni.
"Even though I love winning, it took me a while to realize that your life is still going to be your life regardless if you win or lose, and at that point you play freer," Gauff told the publication.
Designed to honor rising talents leading transformative change across business, culture, and entrepreneurship, the featured athletes on the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 list are making waves both on and off the field of play.
At 21 years old, Gauff is climbing the WTA's career prize money rankings while also topping Sportico's highest-paid women's sports athletes list, with fellow 30 Under 30s like 23-year-old Boston are investing in NWSL expansion teams.
Elsewhere, 22-year-old Canady signed two consecutive million-dollar NIL deals with Texas Tech, 24-year-old Bueckers has a stake in offseason venture Unrivaled, and 23-year-old Rodman teamed up with Adidas while also negotiating a new playing contract as a free agent.