NiJaree Canady Signs New $1 Million NIL Deal With Texas Tech – Forbes

ByAllison Smith

ByAllison Smith,
Contributor.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – JUNE 05: NiJaree Canady #24 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after … More striking out the final batter of game two of the Women's College World Series championship series against the Texas Longhorns at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium on June 05, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Texas Tech won the game 4-3. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Hours before the national title deciding game three of the Women’s College World Series, ESPN reported that Stanford transfer and now Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady inked a second historic $1 million dollar deal with the Red Raiders NIL collective, the Matador Club.
Canady has thrown every inning of the WCWS for the Red Raiders, all 504 pitches. Canady led her team to a Game two victory at the WCWS on Thursday, June 5 that forced the winner-takes-all showdown. Canady is a superstar two way player as she currently boasts a 0.97 earned run average, 317 strikeouts, .156 opposing batting average, but also hits .280 with 11 home runs.
According to her agent Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management, Texas Tech wanted to reward Canady for her outstanding play and keep her within the Red Raider program another year. He said, “Nija Canady is the most electrifying player in softball. She’s box office and she goes out every day and competes. The decision to stay at Tech was not difficult. This program has taken care of her. They have showed how much she is appreciated. The entire staff, her teammates, the school in general have been great."
ESPN did not report the amount of the deal, but her previous year’s deal was worth $1,050,024, $1 million in NIL money, $50,000 for living expenses, and $24 to represent her collegiate number. However, On3.com reported that they believe the deal is at least $1.2 million.
Again, it is safe to say that Texas Tech, a program that has never even made the NCAA post season would not be in the WCWS, much less the championship series, one win away from a national title without Canady.

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