2024 USA softball player & Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady enters transfer portal: REPORTS

Standout Stanford Cardinal softball pitcher NiJaree Canady entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to Pete Nakos of On3, on Monday. The 2024 USA Softball Player of the Year led Stanford to the Women´s College World Series semifinals the past two seasons.

Canady, the Softball America Freshman of the Year in 2023, has two years of eligibility remaining.

NiJaree Canady: Impressive numbers

NiJaree Canady, the 2024 NFCA Pitcher of the Year and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, led the nation in ERA (0.73) and strikeouts (337), going 24-7 with five saves in 41 appearances (29 starts) and 230.2 innings. Additionally, she had 14 shutouts and 24 complete games and held her opponents to a .147 batting average.

Canady led the nation in ERA in both of her seasons at Stanford.

Where is NiJaree Canady from?

NiJaree Canady was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. She is the daughter of Bruce and Katherine Canady and has a younger brother, Bruce Canady Jr.

BJ Canady is a freshman defensive lineman with the Cal Golden Bears, enrolling at the school in January.

Canady was the two-time Kansas Softball Gatorade Player of the Year after leading Topeka High to state championships in 2021 and 2022.

The impact of NiJaree Canady's departure

NiJaree Canady's decision comes at a significant juncture for the program as Stanford will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Regan Krause (20-7, 2.94 ERA, 26 starts) was Stanford's second-best pitcher, but she just completed her senior season.

After Krause and Canady were freshman Alyssa Houston (3-0, 2.64, eight starts) and junior Kylie Chung (2-3, 4.62, six starts).