Why did NiJaree Canady enter transfer portal? Postseason aspirations among reasons for Stanford star's departure | Sporting News (2024)

College softball's transfer portal absorbed a celestial object on Monday as news broke that Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady was officially departing the Cardinal for pastures anew.Topeka television station KSNT had previously reported Canady’s plans to enter the portal.

Canady, the reigning USA Softball Player of the Year, just put the finishing touches on a fruitful campaign that saw her take the mantle as college softball's most fearsome flamethrower. With two years left of eligibility, she figures to be the most sought-after player in an already stacked class of transfers.

So, just what compelled Canady to take her talents elsewhere? The Sporting News details the factors that could have played a role in Canady's impending Stanford exit.

MORE:How NiJaree Canady's pitch speed compares to Monica Abbott's NCAA softball record

Who is NiJaree Canady?

ATopeka, Kan. native, Canady is the best pitcher in college softball. A 2022 graduate ofTopeka High School, she earnedtwo Kansas Softball Gatorade Player of the Year awards during her prep years. She also led her beloved Trojans to back-to-back state titles in softball in 2021 and 2022, the former of which was the first ever for the program.

According to herStanford bio, Canady had an astounding 0.26 ERA as a high school junior, adding 232 strikeouts across 107.2 innings pitched. She also excelled at the plate, batting .478 on the season with 13 home runs. As a senior, she enjoyed a 0.82 ERA with 163 strikeouts over 74.2 innings pitched and hit .530 with 42 RBIs.

She was not only ranked the No. 11 recruit according to Extra Innings Softball, but she was also a four-star forward in basketball,per ESPN.

Her impressive play continued at the collegiate level with the Cardinal. In her maiden year in college, Canady captured Freshman of the Year honors and was named to the All-Pac-12 first team. As a sophom*ore, she did one better, taking home first-team All-American honors after striking out 337 in 230.1 innings.

Why did NiJaree Canady enter the transfer portal?

Arguably college softball's greatest talent, Canady has the softball world in the palm of her hand. Although the Cardinal offered her a taste of the high life in the sport — Stanford nabbed back-to-back Women's College World Series appearances during her time with the program — they couldn't quite break that glass ceiling to become true national contenders, a la fellow powerhouses Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida.

Canady certainly wasn't to blame. Last year she pitched 26 innings across four WCWS games. In that span, she surrendered just five earned runs. However, she wasn't given a whole lot of run support. The Cardinal were shut out in two of their four WCWS matchups.

Compare that to the likes of OU and UF, and it's easy to see why Canady might think the grass would be greener elsewhere. She's as quality of an arm as there is in the college game, approaching Monica Abbott's record with a rise ball that touches 75 mph consistently.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen (a rise ball) like hers in my whole life,” said Stanford pitching coach Tori Nyberg, perThe Athletic.“Monica Abbott is in a class of her own, but in terms of the velocity, [Canady] is the only person I can think to compare to hers.”

That rise ball was formative to Canady's pitching excellence in 2024. Armed with an arm touched by the heavens, she'll have plenty of suitors, many of whom have a more tangible history of WCWS success.

There's no doubt that Canady's transfer will have major ramifications on an already retooling Stanford side. That's not the only change the Cardinal are undergoing, either. They'll also have to get ready for a gaudy ACC slate in 2025.

Nevertheless, Canady gave them two memorable campaigns, one of which could be considered among the greatest sophom*ore seasons in college softball history.

NiJaree Canady landing spots

Canady will have the pick of the litter when it comes to determining her future home. However, a few potential suitors stick out more than most:

Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners have to be considered Canady's top option, mostly because of what they can offer her. No team is more adept at winning games than OU. Patty Gasso's side has hoisted four-straight national titles, doing so even as the roster has become a collage of new and old faces.

If it's winning Canady wants, no one is better than OU. With Kelly Maxwell graduating, the Sooners also need a top-notch arm to fill her void in the rotation. Canady certainly has the pedigree to take center stage, even in one of the nation's best rotations.

Texas Longhorns

Much like Oklahoma, Texas fancies itself a perennial title contender.

Can you blame it? It was the Longhorns, not the Sooners, that entered the tournament as the top-ranked program in the nation.

Texas wasn't lacking in pitching dynamism in 2024. It recorded the 12th-best team ERA in the nation (2.06). Still, reinforcements will be needed, especially if the 'Horns want to surpass their Big 12 rivals. Perhaps Canady could help them reach that next level.

Florida Gators

Fresh off the back of an appearance in the WCWS final, it's a time for optimism in Florida softball's camp. Reagan Rothrock is a star in the making, Mia Williams figures to carry a more substantive role in the lineup going forward, and Jocelyn Erickson still has two years of eligibility.

What better way to crystallize this potential than securing the services of the best pitcher in softball?

The prospect of possessing Rothrock and Canady as a 1-2 is more than enticing. These two are artisans capable of logging big innings and coaxing bigger whiffs. The world of college softball would certainly be appreciative if Canady were to join forces with another one of softball's best young talents.

NiJaree Canady stats