Texas Tech's NiJaree Canady leads AP's college softball players to watch

Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady leads AP’s college softball players to watch

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FILE- Stanford’s NiJaree Canady (24) pitches against Saint Mary’s during an NCAA softball game, Friday, May 17, 2024 in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Lachlan Cunningham, File)

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Florida pitcher Keagan Rothrock (7) warms up before an NCAA softball regional game against Florida Gulf Coast, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)

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Duke’s Aminah Vega (17) makes a throw during an NCAA regional softball game on Friday, May 17, 2024, in Durham, N.C. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown, File)

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Oklahoma’s Ella Parker bats against Texas during the first inning of Game 1 of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

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Tennessee starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens (23) in action during an NCAA regional softball game against Dayton on Friday, May 17, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher, File)

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Florida State infielder Jaysoni Beachum (42) warms up before an NCAA softball regional game against Central Florida, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)

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Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl pitches against Florida State during the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, FIle)

By CLIFF BRUNT

Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady leads The Associated Press’ list of college softball players to watch this season.

Last year’s USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year sent shockwaves through the sport when she transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech for an NIL deal reportedly worth more than $1 million. She led the nation with 337 strikeouts and a 0.73 ERA last season and led the Cardinal to the Women’s College World Series semifinals. The Big 12’s coaches have picked Texas Tech to finish second in the conference behind Oklahoma State.

Here are other players to watch, in alphabetical order:

Reese Atwood, Texas

Atwood was a Top 3 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. The junior catcher set school records last season for home runs (23), runs batted in (90), total bases (163) and slugging percentage (.862) and led the team with a .423 batting average. Last season, she helped the Longhorns earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and finish as national runners-up.

Jordyn Bahl, Nebraska

Bahl transferred from Oklahoma to Nebraska before last season and suffered a season-ending ACL injury in her first game for the Huskers. She won two national titles at Oklahoma. As a sophomore, she had a 22-1 record and an 0.90 ERA. She threw 24 2/3 scoreless innings at the 2023 Women’s College World Series and was named its Most Outstanding Player. She will hit and possibly play some first base after almost exclusively being a pitcher at Oklahoma.

Not PARSE.LY: Texas Tech Red Raiders

Oklahoma Softball head coach Patty Gasso during the first half of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Nov. 11, 2023, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso seeks 5th straight national title with new-look squad

Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian (0) shoots a 3-pointer during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)

Chance McMillian has quick trio of 3s for No. 13 Texas Tech in 73-59 win over Baylor

Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland, right, reacts after being ejected by officials during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Houston in Houston, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Texas Tech coach McCasland, JT Toppin ejected early in 82-81 OT win over Houston

Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State

Beachum was the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Freshman of the Year and a top 10 finalist for USA Softball National Player of the Year. She also was an NFCA second-team All-American at third base. She hit .417 last season — the third-highest average in school history. She set Florida State’s freshman record with 66 RBIs and led the team in hits (78), home runs (16) and on-base percentage (.509).

Jocelyn Erickson, Florida

Erickson was the NFCA National Player of the Year last season after leading Florida to the World Series semifinals. The catcher ranked second nationally with a school-record 86 RBIs. She hit .382 and had a .994 fielding percentage. She finished in the top 10 in the Southeastern Conference in 15 categories in a dominant first year for the Gators after transferring from Oklahoma.

Jenna Golembiewski, Miami (Ohio)

Golembiewski was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2023, then she got better. She finished second in the nation with 28 home runs last season behind teammate Karli Spaid. She was a third-team NFCA All-American after hitting .394 with 78 RBIs in 57 games. She had a .474 on-base percentage and a .944 slugging percentage.

Ella Parker, Oklahoma

Parker is one of the few big-name holdovers from last year’s championship run. The utility player was a third-team NFCA All-American and a top-three finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year. She hit .415 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles and 17 stolen bases. She was the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Tournament and was on the World Series all-tournament team.

Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee

Pickens was a top 10 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. She posted a 22-7 record with a 1.12 ERA. The 2024 SEC Pitcher of the Year had 225 strikeouts in 188 1/3 innings, had 12 shutouts and threw 15 complete games. She held opponents to a .156 batting average.

Keagan Rothrock, Florida

Rothrock led the nation with 33 wins, 262 innings pitched and 28 complete games as a freshman. She got a win against Oklahoma in the World Series semifinals. Though Oklahoma bounced back and beat the Gators in the double-elimination tournament on the way to its fourth consecutive title, Rothrock made the all-tournament team.

Aminah Vega, Duke

Vega was a first-team NFCA All-American at second base and helped Duke make its first-ever World Series appearance. She hit .369 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs as a sophomore last season. She had a .433 on-base percentage and a .668 slugging percentage, spurring a program that just started playing softball in 2018 to its highest heights yet. In 2023, she hit 12 home runs to set the school’s freshman record.

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