The Biggest Name in Softball Is Absent as AUSL Season Opens
When the Athletes Unlimited Softball League opens the 2026 season on Tuesday evening, the No. 2 overall pick will be absent.
NiJaree Canady, who was drafted by the Texas Volts, has not yet agreed to a contract with AUSL, according to a report from USA Today's Mitchell Northam.
“While Nija has not yet signed, we are hopeful she will officially join the league in the near future,” an AUSL spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports.
The AUSL opperates differently than other professional leagues as players sign contracts with the league rather than the individual teams. Northam reports that the Canady, along with her representation at THE·TEAM have been in communication with the AUSL this week.
GAMEDAY!
— TEXAS VOLTS | AUSL (@AUSL_Volts) June 9, 2026
Volts at Spark
⏰ 6pm CT
📍 Edmond, OK
🏟️ Tom Heath Field
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When it comes to contracts, the AUSL is broken down into five tiers, with general managers ranking each player. Each tier is worth a specific amount of money, and it is not negotiable. Softball On SI confirmed this information with multiple AUSL officials.
For Canady, the standoff is alarming after she signed an NIL deal with the league in late-May.
As part of the agreement, Canady was required to collaborate with the AUSL on marketing and promotional initiatives leading into the 2026 season, including social content and brand campaigns. Her NIL deal also included a grant of profit participation units, allowing her to share in the league’s profits as it grows.
According to the league's press release on May 21, the NIL agreement was separate from any professional playing opportunity and was part of AUSL’s broader strategy to engage elite college athletes and connect with fans during the NCAA season.
Canady just finished her collegiate career less than a week ago after leading Texas Tech to its second consecutive appearance in the Women’s College World Series championship series, losing to Texas for a second straight year.
The Kansas native spent her final two seasons in Lubbock after starting her career with Stanford. She was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year as a sophomore and again as a junior.
GET READY! Season 2 begins today 🥎🏆
— AUSL (@theAUSLofficial) June 9, 2026
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Across four seasons, Canady recorded 104 wins (63 at Texas Tech), 1,127 strikeouts and 13 saves with an earned run average below 1.90. She was the only active pitcher in college softball during the 2026 season with more than 1,000 strikeouts and 90 wins.
Canady also secured her legacy as a big-game pitcher when she set a new career record for WCWS appearances with 21.
The most significant detail of Canady's collegiate career was her $1 million NIL deal that brought her to Texas Tech. She signed another million-dollar deal ahead of the 2026 season. She was the highest-paid player in the sport.
The Volts open the season with a three-game series in Oklahoma against the OKC Spark. Former UCLA standout Rachel Garcia is projected to get the start in the circle on Tuesday and Thursday, while former Arizona arm Alyssa Denham starts on Wednesday.
The only other pitchers on the roster are Aaliyah Binford, who starred at Ole Miss and Texas State alumna Jessica Mullins.
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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 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.