Pitching superstar NiJaree Canady, known for dominating the mound for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, has officially been named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. This 20-something Texas softball superstar is the only college athlete who made the list this year.
And if you’ve seen her play, you’re not even a little surprised.
Her 2025 season was straight-up unreal. Canady helped lead Tech to a Big 12 Championship, then turned around and powered the Red Raiders all the way to the Women’s College World Series Finals.
That’s the kind of dominance we’re talking about.
Seeing a Texas college athlete, especially a softball player, get national recognition feels extra sweet for us down here in Texas. Softball is basically a rite of passage in Victoria, and Canady being spotlighted on a global stage is the kind of thing that gets every travel-ball player fired up and every little pitcher practicing in the backyard tonight.
A softball player, regardless of where they are from, is proving that women’s sports are on the rise. Things are changing, and the gap between male and female sports is beginning to shift (a little overdue, but we’ll take it).
But, don’t just take my word for it, even MLB made a big move for women’s sports. Earlier this year, while the Women’s College World Series was taking place, investments were being made.
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Gallery Credit: Danny Vivian Photography