Last summer, Texas Tech made a dazzling million-dollar move in hopes of making it to its first-ever Women’s College World Series.
It paid off.
On Friday, No. 12 Texas Tech swept No. 5 Florida State in the Tallahassee super regionals behind star ace NiJaree Canady, who threw every pitch for the Red Raiders in the historic back-to-back wins. Florida State’s hitters went 5-of-49 (.102) in the series.
Canady — the 6-foot junior transfer from Stanford who accepted a $1,050,024 name, image and likeness offer to transform the Red Raiders’ program — will now compete in her third straight WCWS after leading Stanford there in 2023 and 2024, and Texas Tech’s first.
The Red Raiders were the first to secure a WCWS bid. Previously, they made just six NCAA tournament appearances and never advanced out of the regional round. Florida State, however, has made the super regionals at minimum 11 straight times, winning it all in 2018.
This year, the Red Raiders won their first Big 12 regular-season and conference titles, thanks in large part to Canady’s nation-leading 0.81 ERA.
NiJaree Canady went OFF 🔥
She put up 4 Ks and 1 homer vs. FSU in @TexasTechSB‘s first Super Regional win.#RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/EKoC7DhNdx
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 23, 2025
