NCAA Softball Women's College World Series set to start, 11 international players to take the field
Eleven members of the USA Women’s National Softball Team programme will take the field this week at the 2024 NCAA Softball Women's College World Series set to take place from 30 May to 6 June at the Softball Capital of the World® in Oklahoma City. Two athletes from the previously announced WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals roster will represent Team USA on the OG&E Energy Field, while nine members of the U.S. Women’s Elite Team - set to compete in the 2024 Japan All-Star Series - will be in contention for the national championship title.
Representing five collegiate programmes and three athletic conferences, the U.S. athletes participating in the 2024 NCAA Softball Women's College World Series include:
- Florida: Jocelyn Erickson, Skylar Wallace and Tim Walton (WNT Assistant Coach)
- Oklahoma: Tiare Jennings (WNT), Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen and Kelly Maxwell
- Oklahoma State: Lexi Kilfoyl
- Stanford: NiJaree Canady and Taryn Kern
- UCLA: Maya Brady (WNT) and Megan Grant
Following the conclusion of the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series, Brady and Jennings will represent the Red, White and Blue at the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals in Castions de Strada, Italy, while the nine remaining athletes will join the U.S. Women’s Elite Team in the 2024 Japan All-Star Series.
NiJaree Canady named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
Stanford University’s standout pitcher, NiJaree Canady, has made history by becoming the programme’s second USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award winner, following in the footsteps of Ashley Hansen who won the award in 2011. Canady received the prestigious honour at the 2024 NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series banquet in Oklahoma City.
The award has recognised outstanding athletic achievement by Division I softball players across the US over the past 22 seasons. Canady is the 16th pitcher to receive the award since its inception in 2002.
Canady, a five-time Pitcher of the Week and All-Pac-12 First Team selection, has had an outstanding season in the circle, making her way onto the national leaderboard with a 0.50 ERA (No. 1), 256 strikeouts (No. 1), 12 earned runs (No. 1), and a .133 opposing batting average (No. 2) at the conclusion of the regular season.
Along with Canady, the Top 3 Finalists for the 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year included Texas’ 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year Reese Atwood and Oklahoma State’s Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Lexi Kilfoyl.