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BY Dollita Okine, 5:40pm June 02, 2025,

Meet NiJaree Canady, the first million-dollar player in college softball history

by Dollita Okine, 5:40pm June 02, 2025,
Photo credit: Instagram, NiJaree Canady

NiJaree Canady’s transfer from Stanford to Texas Tech landed her  the richest NIL deal in softball history: a one-year, $1,050,024 contract from the institution’s Matador Club, making her the first million-dollar college softball player. Of that, $1 million went directly to Canady, $50,000 covered living expenses, and $24 represented her jersey number.  

Though the move shook college softball, the reigning USA Softball National Player of the Year, who is in her early twenties, is proving she is worth every penny. She was poached by  Coach Gerry Glasco, 66, who had just arrived from Louisiana, hired three days after Canady entered the portal.

According to ESPN, he had help from big names and bold gestures, including, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a fellow Red Raider and Kansas City Chiefs star.

In addition, Glasco stepped into a dramatically improved situation in Lubbock, bolstered by longtime softball supporters Tracy and John Sellers. They had donated $11 million to the athletic department in 2022, including $1 million for softball stadium upgrades. When Glasco learned Canady’s agent was initially asking for $400,000, he believed the number undervalued her worth.

READ ALSO: How the daughter of an Ethiopian immigrant became the first million-dollar player in women’s soccer

But Canady emphasized that money wasn’t her only motivation.

“I feel like people thought I heard the number and just came to Texas Tech, which wasn’t the case at all,” Canady told ESPN. “If I didn’t feel like Coach Glasco was an amazing coach and could lead this program to be where we thought it could be, I wouldn’t have come.”

Canady found the transition from Palo Alto to Lubbock relatively easy. According to her, “Lubbock reminds me more of home.”

She also decided to remain with the team after being promised more hits. Canady spent more time with Glasco on her visit than she did with associate head coach and pitching coach Tara Archibald.

“I think I talked to Coach Tara maybe 20 to 30 minutes about pitching and then the rest of the time was just Coach Glasco, talking about hitting,” Canady recounted. “Afterward, I had to go back and talk to Coach Tara a little more just because Coach Glasco and I spent so much time just talking about hitting, going through different swings, watching videos. And that was definitely different just because other schools were obviously more focused on my pitching.”

For Archibald, who left her head coaching job at Eastern Illinois to join her father’s staff in July, landing Canady felt like a dream. Glasco too, who once coached his three daughters—including the late Geri Ann, a Gatorade National Player of the Year—understood Canady’s desire to be more than a pitcher.

“This is why I think I could identify with her,” Glasco said. “All three of my daughters pitched and played and hit. And when you’re an athlete, the one thing you don’t want to be is a pitcher only. In our sport, the pitcher is so important, so we limit them. And I think that’s what she felt like in her college career. … She wants the opportunity.”

Canady got more than that at Texas Tech. Even a soft-tissue injury could not stop her. She still has a commanding swing.

“I’m definitely trying to hit the ball out,” Canady said. “And that’s Coach Glasco’s motto, too. He loves the long ball.”

However, she revealed that what surprised her most was the sports culture.

“I think that was the biggest shock to me, just about how much sports matter here in Texas,” she remarked. “I remember my first football game here and just seeing how many people were here, that was definitely different.”

READ ALSO: 18-year-old Ugandan gets scouted for American MLB Draft League

Glasco believes the best is still ahead. He expects to take on a national title next season with more time to build around Canady.

“I’ve never coached anybody close to her,” he said. “I’ve never coached this kind of pitcher in college. It has a huge effect. It makes up for a lot of bad coaching mistakes, I’ll tell you that.”

For Canady, the journey has always been about more than money.

“She wants to teach little girls to hit,” Glasco said. “She loves little kids. You can see it when she signs autographs.”

Canady continued her streak of success by leading the Red Raiders to their first conference and regular-season Big 12 championships this year. With a 26-5 record and the nation’s best ERA of 0.86, she dominated the circle and won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. She recently pitched a 2-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts against Ole Miss to help Tech win its first Women’s College World Series game.

Canady, born in Topeka, Kansas, was a multisport athlete who excelled in softball, basketball, and even tackle football. During her high school years, she led Topeka High to the Kansas 6A state championships as she averaged 20.6 points and 12.3 rebounds during her junior year. 

READ ALSO: How this 22-year-old’s love for baseball helped him win one of Apple’s most prestigious scholarships

Last Edited by:Mildred Europa Taylor Updated: June 2, 2025

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