Red Raiders could be in for historic year with preseason ranking, individual accolades
The Texas Tech softball program continues to make program history, and the 2026 squad hasn't even played a game together yet.
On Tuesday, Softball America revealed its Preseason Top 25 and the Red Raiders sat atop the chart.
It's the first No.1 ranking in program history.
First No. 1️⃣ ranking in program history! pic.twitter.com/1XU7dKSf8y
— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) January 13, 2026
Texas Tech is fresh off a historic run to the Women's College World Series, which was their first trip to the equivalent of basketball's Elite Eight. After losing in the Championship Series to the Texas Longhorns, the Red Raiders peaked at No. 2 in the postseason Top 25.
Before seeing its name ranked No. 1, Texas Tech saw eight of its players land on the publication's Preseason Top 100 Players of the Year rankings.
1. NiJaree Canady, Sr., P/UTL
12. Taylor Pannell, R-Jr., INF
16. Mia Williams, Jr., INF
24. Mihyia Davis, Sr., OF
44. Kaitlyn Terry, Jr., LHP/OF
46. Jazzy Burns, Jr., C
79. Hailey Toney, So., INF
85. Desirae Spearman, Jr., P/UTL
In addition to that, four Red Raiders earned Softball America Preseason All-American honors on Tuesday.
Four Red Raiders Named Preseason All-Americans
Canady, Williams, and Pannell were all named to the publication's First Team, and Davis was named to the Second Team.
Canady and Ohio State transfer Jazzy Burns were the only two Red Raiders to earn First Team All-American honors last year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Williams, a transfer from Florida, and Pannell, who transferred from Tennessee, were Second Team All-Americans.
Chat? pic.twitter.com/C2HwZexI5C
— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) January 13, 2026
Canady finished the season with a 34-7 record and a 1.11 ERA and 319 strikeouts. She was a top-three finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year, and was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-American.
Pannell is a two-time All-SEC First Team honoree and finished last season ranked in the top-15 in the SEC in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs, hits, and RBIs.
Williams was an All-SEC Second Team selection last year after hitting .335 with 52 runs scored, 44 RBI, 19 home runs, and 10 doubles.
Davis was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, NFCA All-Central Region First Team, All-Big 12 Defensive, All-Big 12 Tournament, and the WCWS Tournament Team. She led the team with 93 hits, setting a new program record for hits in a single season, and her 239 at-bats also set a new single-season mark.
Texas Tech opens the 2026 season on Feb. 5 against McNeese State in Lake Charles, La.
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Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 and spent the 2023 season covering Husker Softball for Hail Varsity. In addition to All Huskers, she is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Sports Report.