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USA Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WCWS 2025: Texas Tech coach says focus on NiJaree Canady NIL deal is 'insulting'
Shortly after his Texas Tech softball team lost to Texas 10-4 in game three of the championship series of the 2025 Women's College World Series, Gerry Glasco was asked about a familiar subject. Throughout the Red Raiders' run in the NCAA tournament and WCWS, there was a significant amount of attention paid to NiJaree Canady, the Stanford transfer whose pitching excellence helped Texas Tech improve from an eighth-place finish in the Big 12 in 2024 to the precipice of a national title the following year. Most any conversation around Canady inevitably turned to her name, image and likeness deal with the school's collective, which reportedly paid her more than $1 million. When Canady and her NIL payments were mentioned in a question during Glasco's post-game news conference, the first-year Texas Tech coach pushed back. 'Why is it different for a female athlete to be paid a million dollars than a male football player getting three million or four million for a male basketball player?' Glasco asked rhetorically. 'I think that's an interesting question because the value of NiJa Canady to our program is, I think, unbelievable. I'm not an expert. Somebody could really do an in-depth study. But I have no doubt it would exceed a million dollars of value. I think it was of great value for our school.' Canady sent shockwaves through the sport after the 2024 season, when the reigning national player of the year left Stanford and got a seven-figure deal from the Red Raiders, who had never even made the super regional round of the NCAA tournament and were coming off a season in which they went 8-16 in Big 12 play. Along with Glasco and a handful of players he brought with him from Louisiana, Canady immediately improved the program's fortunes, leading it to Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, a school-record 54 wins and its first-ever WCWS appearance. This season, Canady went 34-7 with a 1.11 ERA and was one of three finalists for USA Softball player of the year honors. She was also one of the Red Raiders' best power hitters, with a team-high 11 home runs. Until she was pulled early in Friday's loss, she had thrown every pitch for Texas Tech since the beginning of the super regional round, a run of seven consecutive games. While her NIL deal was the largest ever for a college softball player, Glasco said he believed the rate at which it was brought up during broadcasts of Texas Tech games was 'almost insulting' to Canady. Canady's NIL arrangement with the school was cited constantly by television crews throughout the WCWS. It highlights what Glasco believes is a double standard between how highly-paid female college athletes are treated versus their male counterparts. 'I think it's interesting, you watch Ohio State in the men's football game, national championship game, you don't hear any announcers talking about NIL,' he said. 'They just don't talk about it. And yet, you know Ohio State had one of the highest two or three NIL payrolls last year in college football. I wonder why we talk about it for a female athlete.' Glasco added that the exposure she brought to a previously overlooked program was invaluable. When Canady transferred to the Red Raiders, he was told there were 700,000 stories that mentioned Canady, Texas Tech and Stanford. He estimated that after Friday, the team had played 10 or 11 games on national television. Though Canady struggled in her final game of an otherwise stellar season, giving up five earned runs in one inning while pitching her third game in as many days, she has one more season of eligibility remaining and is well-positioned to keep the Red Raiders in national title contention. In the hours before the first pitch of the final WCWS game, ESPN reported that Canady had signed another seven-figure deal to stay at Texas Tech. If her coach has his way, it might not be the same kind of talking point next season that it was throughout this one. 'Personally, I'm thrilled for NiJa,' Glasco said. 'I found it almost insulting to her at times when I listened to broadcasts, how much they talked about it because, like I said, I don't hear it when we watch a men's basketball game or a men's football game. And to me that's not right. That shouldn't be that way.'
USA Today
04-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
UT softball's White on coaching late daughter of TTU's Glasco: 'A special person'
UT softball's White on coaching late daughter of TTU's Glasco: 'A special person' Show Caption Hide Caption Why Texas Tech, Texas will win 2025 WCWS It's a Lone Star State Women's College World Series this year, and reporter Jenni Carlson breaks down one reason Texas Tech will win and one reason Texas will win the WCWS. Texas Tech and Texas softball will begin their best-of-three championship series at the 2025 Women's College World Series Wednesday from Devon Park in Oklahoma City, with the winner of the first matchup getting a crucial leg up in their quest for an NCAA title. The Red Raiders and Longhorns are inextricably linked in a number of ways. They're large public universities in the same state. For nearly 70 years, they were members of the same conference, first in the Southwest Conference and later the Big 12. These two particular teams have already faced off this season, with Texas winning two games in mid-February. Between their coaches, though, there's an even deeper, more meaningful bond. REQUIRED READING: Texas-Texas Tech softball history: Series record ahead of WCWS championship series While at Oregon, Longhorns coach Mike White coached Geri Ann Glasco, the late daughter of Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco. A utility player and pitcher, Geri Ann Glasco helped lead the Ducks to the WCWS in 2015 and was a second-team All-Pac-12 honoree as a senior in 2016. In 2019, while working as a volunteer assistant under her father at Louisiana, Glasco was killed in a car wreck on Interstate 10 involving several vehicles, including an 18-wheeler. She was 24 years old. When asked about her Tuesday, White had fond memories. 'I just had so much fun with her,' White said. 'What a special person she was, not only as a player, but as a person. She was a proponent of softball and promoted it everywhere she went. Kids loved her. She had that great smile and demeanor about her. I always had a fun time with her in the bullpen, as well, joking to her about the trenches she used to leave with the drag foot. Some great times. She was also a special hitter, as well. I just loved coaching her. It was certainly a very sad day when that tragic thing happened.' While at Oregon, Mike White coached Gerry Glasco's late daughter Geri Ann Glasco... During today's press conference, coach White shared some memories from their time together in Eugene "What a special person she was. Not only as a player but as a person. She was a proponent of… — Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) June 3, 2025 Gerry Glasco, who White described as a 'softball stalwart' Tuesday, is in his first season at Texas Tech following a decorated seven-year run at Louisiana. This season, he has led the Red Raiders to a program-record 53 wins and their first-ever WCWS appearance. Now, they're just two victories from a national championship. Even if they don't win, Glasco believes his daughter would be satisfied with the result, with her former coach leading Texas to its first title. 'If Geri Ann could talk to you, she'd be just as happy if coach White wins the national championship as her dad,' Glasco said Monday. 'She loved Coach White.'
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Texas Tech ends OU's 4-year run as Women's College World Series champ after walk-off 3-2 win
Oklahoma's run of four straight Women's College World Series titles ended when Lauren Allred's walk-off sacrifice fly gave Texas Tech a 3-2 victory in the semifinals on Monday night. Coach Patty Gasso's Sooners (52-9) were down to their last strike in the top of the seventh inning when Abigale Dayton summoned a bit of magic, hitting a tying two-run homer off Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady. It was just her third longball of the season. But the Red Raiders (53-12) responded quickly in the bottom half. Mihyia Davis singled with one out and Hailey Toney followed with a double. Allred hit a fly ball to right field and Sydney Barker's throw to the plate was wide, allowing Davis to score easily. "Congratulations to Texas Tech," Gasso said. "They earned that. They played well. They hit well. They pitched well. So well deserved." Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco recounted how he told his team to refocus after giving up the lead. "We don't want it to be easy," he said. "It's Oklahoma. You knew it wasn't going to be easy. Let's go to work right here, win this right here in the bottom of the seventh." Texas Tech, in its first trip to the WCWS, will play Texas in the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday. The Longhorns reached the finals for the third time in the past four years. They lost to Oklahoma in 2022 and 2024. Sam Landry, the No. 1 overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft, took the complete-game loss. Glasco was Landry's coach at Louisiana last season, and Allred and Davis followed Glasco from Louisiana to Texas Tech. Glasco and Landry embraced after the game. "It's bittersweet," Landry said. "I wished him luck going forward. Neither one of us wanted to be where we met in the postseason. Super happy for them. That's a lot of my old teammates. I'm glad they're getting to experience it." Canady lost the shutout but got the win. She is the two-time reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year and was the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. Formerly with Stanford, she signed a name, image and likeness deal worth more than $1 million to go to Texas Tech. Canady reached her first finals after leading Stanford to the semifinals the previous two years. "I think people doubted us, didn't think we'd get to this point," she said. "I think we just didn't have any pressure on us, just wanted to go play softball." Oklahoma had won nine straight elimination games, but the Sooners had lost the core of the team that won the previous championships. Their roster featured nine freshmen and just three seniors. Gasso said the future looks bright for the Sooners. "We're standing at the World Series as one of the top three teams left, with a team of 14 newcomers," Gasso said, "and I just shared with them in the locker room how much fun I had with them coaching them, watching them grow, watching them be hungry, watching them never quit."
Chicago Tribune
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Texas Tech ends Oklahoma's 4-year run as Women's College World Series champ — now faces Texas for the title
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma's run of four straight Women's College World Series titles ended when Lauren Allred's walk-off sacrifice fly gave Texas Tech a 3-2 victory in the semifinals on Monday night. Coach Patty Gasso's Sooners (52-9) were down to their last strike in the top of the seventh inning when Abigale Dayton summoned a bit of magic, hitting a tying two-run home run off Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady. It was just her third longball of the season. But the Red Raiders (53-12) responded quickly in the bottom half. Mihyia Davis singled with one out and Hailey Toney followed with a double. Allred hit a fly ball to right field and Sydney Barker's throw to the plate was wide, allowing Davis to score easily. 'Congratulations to Texas Tech,' Gasso said. 'They earned that. They played well. They hit well. They pitched well. So well deserved.' Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco recounted how he told his team to refocus after giving up the lead. 'We don't want it to be easy,' he said. 'It's Oklahoma. You knew it wasn't going to be easy. Let's go to work right here, win this right here in the bottom of the seventh.' Texas Tech, in its first trip to the WCWS, will play Texas in the best-of-three championship series starting Wednesday. The Longhorns reached the finals for the third time in the past four years. They lost to Oklahoma in 2022 and 2024. Sam Landry, the No. 1 overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft, took the complete-game loss. Glasco was Landry's coach at Louisiana last season, and Allred and Davis followed Glasco from Louisiana to Texas Tech. Glasco and Landry embraced after the game. 'It's bittersweet,' Landry said. 'I wished him luck going forward. Neither one of us wanted to be where we met in the postseason. Super happy for them. That's a lot of my old teammates. I'm glad they're getting to experience it.' Canady lost the shutout but got the win. She is the two-time reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year and was the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. Formerly with Stanford, she signed a name, image and likeness deal worth more than $1 million to go to Texas Tech. Canady reached her first finals after leading Stanford to the semifinals the previous two years. 'I think people doubted us, didn't think we'd get to this point,' she said. 'I think we just didn't have any pressure on us, just wanted to go play softball.' Oklahoma had won nine straight elimination games, but the Sooners had lost the core of the team that won the previous championships. Their roster featured nine freshmen and just three seniors. Gasso said the future looks bright for the Sooners. 'We're standing at the World Series as one of the top three teams left, with a team of 14 newcomers,' Gasso said, 'and I just shared with them in the locker room how much fun I had with them coaching them, watching them grow, watching them be hungry, watching them never quit.' Katie Stewart hit a home run, Mac Morgan and Teagan Kavan combined on a 3-hitter and Texas defeated Tennessee 2-0 on Monday to reach the Women's College World Series championship series for the third time in four years. Kavan, who threw a complete game with eight strikeouts in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Oklahoma, came on in relief of Morgan in the fifth inning and didn't allow a hit the rest of the way. She struck out the Volunteers' Emma Clarke to end the game. Texas (54-11) will play either Texas Tech in the best-of-three series, which starts Wednesday. Karlyn Pickens, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-American, allowed just one earned run on five hits and struck out nine for Tennessee (47-17). 'My heart is full because of the young ladies to my right and the young ladies in that locker room,' Vols coach Karen Weekly said. 'They're sad for all the right reasons. It's not about wins and losses; it's about the joy they've experienced being together every single day. And I think people saw that in the way we played. They saw them bounce back. They saw how resilient, how gritty and tough they were.' Texas loaded the bases against Pickens in the third with one out but couldn't score. Reese Atwood struck out swinging and Joley Mitchell popped out to the catcher to end the inning. Things got heated in the top of the fourth when Tennessee hitting coach Craig Snider, the former Texas Tech head coach, appeared to have words with the Texas dugout and was ejected. 'I don't know what transpired,' Texas coach Mike White said. 'I think he was upset about the call by the umpire at home plate … . The rule says any time an assistant coach hits the field and questions something it's an automatic ejection. So I think that's what he was upset about, so I think he decided to maybe just to take some stuff out on us.' Weekly said Snider was frustrated with the strike zone. 'You would hope that you get a little bit of leeway because of the stage you're on right here; you certainly don't want to lose a coach when you're playing for the biggest game of the season,' she said. Stewart homered off Pickens in the bottom of the fourth, a high drive to left that drifted beyond the outstretched glove of Alannah Leach. Pickens recovered quickly, striking out the next three batters she faced. 'We had just enough wind to help that home run go over,' White said. 'That was fortunate there. Looking down on us, maybe, Teagan's grandma, so she puffed one out there.' Kavan pitched Saturday while mourning the death of her 97-year-old grandmother. Morgan got the win, striking out four and walking one. The Longhorns added an insurance run in the sixth on a throwing error by Vols third baseman Taylor Pannell.
01-06-2025
- Sport
Texas Tech tops UCLA 3-1 behind Canady's pitching to reach Women's College World Series semifinals
OKLAHOMA CITY -- NiJaree Canady gave up just four hits and struck out seven, and Texas Tech defeated UCLA 3-1 on Saturday to reach the Women's College World Series semifinals for the first time. The Red Raiders (52-12) need one win against Oregon or Oklahoma on Monday to reach the best-of-three championship series. UCLA (55-12) is still alive in the double-elimination format. The Bruins will play Tennessee in an elimination game on Sunday. Saturday's contest matched programs with very different histories. UCLA has a record 12 World Series championships while Texas Tech just won its first World Series game on Thursday in its first ever trip. 'It feels amazing, just this being our first time here as a team and just being able to get to the semifinals," Canady said. "I feel like, it's a huge accomplishment by itself, but obviously we're not finished. We're going for the whole thing like every other team here. But it's definitely something to be proud of.' Canady has plenty of World Series experience. She led Stanford to the semifinals the past two years and eliminated UCLA from the World Series last year before transferring to Tech. Canady ran into trouble against UCLA a few times on Saturday before coming through, like she did so many times before in a Cardinal uniform. 'I guess you've got to start everything with NiJa in the circle," Tech coach Gerry Glasco said. "She's just so fantastic, and I thought she pitched a gem of a game.' UCLA loaded the bases with one out in the second, yet Canady, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Pitcher of the Year, escaped without allowing a run. Texas Tech's Makayla Garcia stole home in the fifth to open the scoring. She slid between UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez's legs to score the run. 'Coach Glasco told me, 'Hey, we're gonna go and we're going to take a chance,'' Garcia said. "And I had to trust him in that moment, and I trust him -- he's a great coach. And so I was like, 'You know what? We're gonna do it.' And it had to work in our favor. And luckily it did.' UCLA's Kaniya Bragg answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning. Hailey Toney's solo blast in the sixth put Tech ahead 2-1 and Raegan Jennings' RBI single in the seventh made it 3-1. UCLA got two on with no outs in the seventh, and Canady again avoided damage. 'We just found a way to win," Glasco said. "And that's kind of what we've become. We pride ourselves on being a mentally tough team, a resilient team that can go out under pressure and play defense when we have to play defense in tight moments.' Taylor Tinsley took the loss. She went the distance and gave up three runs on four hits. Tinsley said the Bruins are ready to move on. 'I feel like the big thing with this team is we have a really short-term memory,' she said. 'Each play is kind of like in the past. This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we're just ready to get back out there.'
