Gerry Glasco Shares How Texas Tech Softball Is Helping NiJaree Canady ‘Reinvent Herself’ This Fall

The Texas Tech Red Raiders certainly shocked the nation when they pulled some of the biggest names in the game out of the transfer portal this offseason, including several All-Americans.

On top of that, nine new freshmen join this talent-filled roster, which has been assembled around ace NiJaree Canady, who heads into her senior year.

Undoubtedly, the runners-up in the 2025 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) are stopping at nothing to grab their first national title in program history in 2026, but superstar Canady needs to make some changes first.

A major concern during the WCWS was how much strain Canady’s arm went through, as she threw nearly 900 pitches through the NCAA Tournament, while still being a force offensively.

Her 34-7 overall record, 1.11 ERA, and .161 batting average came with 240 innings pitched, and the gas was seemingly running out in the winner-take-all game against the Texas Longhorns.

In a chaotic first inning for the Red Raiders, the Longhorns scored five, including a three-run homer from Leighann Goode. The five runs allowed are the most given up by Canady in a single inning in her career, and her streak of consecutive pitches ended at 520, going back to the Super Regionals.

If the Red Raiders want to take it all this season, it’s clear that Canady cannot be overused, and she needs to be fresh come postseason. In Softball America’s 2026 preview of the Red Raiders, head coach Gerry Glasco revealed he has a master plan for this situation.

The transfer additions of Kaitlyn Terry, the former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and Desirae Spearman, plus returners Samantha Lincoln and Chloe Riassetto, are being built this offseason to see many more innings and withstand the reliever role.

This especially applies to Terry, who is coming off an outstanding sophomore season at UCLA, where she led the team with 148.1 innings and had a 2.64 ERA.

“(Terry) has been great all fall,” Glasco told Brady Vernon of Softball America. “We’ve allowed (Canady) to do a lot of resting this fall and get ready for the spring season. We have to keep everyone healthy, especially (Canady). We’ve given her the time off to reinvent herself athletically; she’s been doing a lot of things to be more elastic and more athletic. (Terry) has pitched a lot this fall. She’s thrown really hard. She has a tremendous amount of control and spin. Our staff is really deep this year.”

As for the offense, Canady led Texas Tech with 11 home runs last season, despite only hitting part-time. With sluggers like Taylor Pannell, Mia Williams, Jasmyn Burns, Lagi Quiorga, Jackie Lis, and Spearman stepping into the roster, Canady may not be expected to carry the team on her shoulders.

“I think all of the transfers are different than what I would’ve pictured coming into the fall,” Glasco told Softball America. “You’re just shocked at how much power a kid like Mia Williams has. She hits the ball so far. Taylor Pannell has a very consistent swing and never has a good day of hitting at practice. I could go through every one of them because they’ve shown me things I didn’t think I was going to see.”

Softball America took a stab at a projected lineup for Texas Tech, and it’s certainly a threat.

Texas Tech Red Raiders Projected Lineup

C Jasmyn Burns/Lagi Quiroga/Victoria Valdes
1B Lauren Allred
2B Mia Williams
SS Haley Toney
3B Taylor Pannell
LF Desirae Spearman
CF Mihyia Davis
RF Alana Johnson/Lagi Quiroga
DP NiJaree Canady/Kaitlyn Terry

It’s Canady’s last shot to make even more history in Lubbock and close out her collegiate career with a bang. Fans have seen what she has done before, but imagine what some rest and rejuvenation can have on her game.

Texas Tech Red Raiders Projected Lineup

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