Texas Tech Star NiJaree Canady Signs Another Seven-Figure NIL Deal, Leads Red Raiders to Historic Championship Run
Texas Tech softball phenom NiJaree Canady has signed
her second seven-figure NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) contract with the Matador Club, the Red Raiders’ official collective. The deal was confirmed by her management team and reported by ESPN this week. It marks yet another milestone in Canady’s groundbreaking collegiate career, both on and off the field.
In one of the most well-known transfers in college softball history, Canady, a former Stanford standout, switched to Texas Tech prior to the 2025 season. According to reports, her initial NIL contract with the Matador Club was worth seven figures, which was historic for both the sport and women’s collegiate sports. Now that her second contract has been signed, Canady is setting the standard for female athletes in the NIL era.
Canady has exceeded all expectations on the pitch. Throughout the 2025 season, she was dominant, recording an incredible 34–7 record with a 0.97 ERA that led the country. She led Texas Tech to a record run to the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) with 239 innings pitched and 317 strikeouts.
Her leadership and elite-level pitching helped the Red Raiders reach the WCWS championship series for the first time in program history. The best-of-three series pitted Texas Tech against in-state rival Texas, capturing national attention and drawing record viewership numbers.
But on Friday night, the Red Raiders lost the pivotal Game 3. Texas took the lead early, scoring five runs in the first inning and winning 10–4 to win the national championship. After just one inning, Canady, who had begun the game, was pulled due to his first postseason struggles.
Canady’s postseason performance solidified her place as one of the country’s most dominant pitchers, despite the unfortunate conclusion. Her capacity to change a program and produce outcomes under duress has only increased her national recognition and her worth in the changing NIL market.
Canady’s consecutive seven-figure NIL contracts highlight a new chapter in the history of women’s collegiate athletics. Thanks in part to athletes like Canady who provide both excellence and attention, softball—which has long been underappreciated in terms of income potential—is suddenly becoming a viable platform for branding and sponsorship.
As she looks ahead to her final collegiate season, Canady will return as one of the sport’s most influential figures — a national star with professional potential and an advocate for greater equity and opportunity in women’s athletics.