Stanford softball ace NiJaree Canady enters transfer portal

Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady has entered the transfer portal after leading the Cardinal to back-to-back Women’s College World Series appearances.

Topeka NBC affiliate KSNT first reported over the weekend that Canady was expected to put her name into the portal.

Canady has two years of eligibility remaining.

The USA Softball Player of the Year led Stanford to the College World Series where the Cardinal were knocked out by Texas in the semifinals.

A Stanford spokesperson declined to comment to the Bay Area News Group.

Canady finished the season with a 0.73 ERA and had 337 strikeouts. The sophomore totaled nine shutouts and held opponents to a .147 batting average.

In Stanford’s two College World Series wins against Oklahoma State and UCLA, Canady allowed just one earned run and recorded 15 strikeouts.

The right-handed pitcher grew up in Topeka where she was the back-to-back Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year.

Canady left her mark at Stanford as soon as she stepped on the field as a freshman last season. In 2023, Canady was named the D1Softball Freshman of the Year and the Softball America NCAA Freshman of the Year.

She led Stanford to a 50-17 record this season and was 24-7 in games she started. The Cardinal made back-to-back College World Series appearances for the first time in school history.

Stanford, along with Cal, will be moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.