Texas Tech Ranks Atop USA Softball Collegiate 25 Following First Ranked Win of Season

Lady Raiders surge to No. 1 in rankings after dominant showing to open season

Jun 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders pitcher NiJaree Canady (24) slaps utility Bailey Lindemuth (55) hand and infielder Lauren Allred (11) looks on after Canady made a diving catch for an out in the second inning against the Texas Longhorns during game two of the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series finals at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Texas Tech softball is off to a 5-0 start after a three-game sweep in College Station, including a huge victory over No. 11 Texas A&M. Following the Red Raiders' strong performance over the weekend, the team ranks atop the USA Softball Collegiate 25 rankings.

Texas, who was originally ranked No.1, suffered a loss in the first week of the season, which put the Red Raiders alone at the top of this week's latest college softball rankings.

Texas Tech Softball vs Texas A&M Recap

Texas Tech earned its first ranked win of the season over the Aggies in College Station Saturday. The Red Raiders' 3-2 win began with two solo home runs from Mihyia Davis and Mia Williams.

The squad had an early 2-0 lead, but Texas A&M was quick to respond with a two-run homer from Micaela Wark.

Right-handed pitcher NiJaree Canady shutdown the Aggies lineup for the remainder of the game, striking out five across seven innings of work. Her 77-pitch performance helped the Red Raiders earn the victory over Texas A&M Saturday.

The team proceeded to secure two commanding wins over Providence and Bryant, scoring a combined 25 runs to complete the three-game sweep Saturday.

NiJaree Canady Named Player to Watch

ESPN's NCAA Week 1 rankings included a player to watch as the 2026 season gets into full swing. That player was Texas Tech's Canady.

Here's what ESPN had to say about Canady: "Softball's most expensive player opened her season with just seven hits allowed across 11 innings in the first week of games for the Red Raiders. Away from the mound, she notched a home run against North Texas."

Canady is coming off an incredible 2025 campaign where she sported a 1.11 ERA with 319 strikeouts across 240 innings. She helped lead the Red Raiders to their first Women's College World Series and was a 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year top three finalist.

Before transferring to Texas Tech, Canady was the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2024 at Stanford.

The 2026 season is bound to be another remarkable performance from Canady as the Red Raiders look to return to the Women's College World Series after falling just one win short of the title last year.

What's Next For Texas Tech Softball?

The Red Raiders are headed to the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational, where they will face No. 6/7 Florida State, Northwestern, and No. 23 Florida Atlantic University on Thursday.

Texas Tech's matchup with Florida State will be available to watch on ESPN2.