Softball icon Danielle Lawrie, renowned for her achievements including two USA Softball Player of the Year titles and two Olympic appearances, discussed potential landing spots for Stanford standout NiJaree Canady as she considers transferring. Lawrie highlighted the perennial powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners as an obvious choice, but also shared her personal preference for joining a rising team rather than one rebuilding after losing many seniors. Texas was also considered, but Lawrie pointed out the challenge of fitting into an already established pitching rotation there, which might not align with Canady’s preferences.
Lawrie highlighted Florida State as a strong option for Canady, emphasizing the coaching expertise of Lonni Alameda, who had coached Lawrie during her Olympic career. While Lawrie mentioned a few other schools, she concluded by emphasizing the importance of winning, indicating that Oklahoma, given its track record and Canady’s status as National Collegiate Player of the Year, appears highly likely as her destination.
Canady’s performance in the 2023 season left a lasting impression, recording 337 strikeouts across 230.2 innings with an impressive 0.73 ERA. Lawrie, acknowledging her dominance, described Canady as one of the top five pitchers she has ever witnessed firsthand, praising her exceptional power which Lawrie considers unparalleled in the history of softball.
Wherever she decides to go next, Canady’s time at Stanford will be recognized as one of the program’s finest, despite falling short of ultimate success. Her contributions will be sorely missed, and replacing her productivity will be a top concern for the coaching staff in the upcoming offseason.
