In July 2024, Texas Tech—a school with virtually no softball history to speak of—landed Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady in the transfer portal. The Red Raiders lured Canady with a $1 million NIL deal, the largest for a college softball player since the practice's legalization.
Talk about a return on investment. Texas Tech will play Texas Friday in Game 3 of the Women's College World Series finals—with the winner taking home the national championship.
