NiJaree Canady’s Michael Jordan-like mentality showed against Ole Miss

• Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady led her team to a 1-0 shutout victory over Ole Miss in their Women’s College World Series debut.
• Canady’s dominant performance included 10 strikeouts, including one against Ole Miss’ star pitcher Aliyah Binford.
• Canady’s focused demeanor in the circle contrasts sharply with her off-field personality.
• Both Texas Tech’s pitching coach and catcher noted Canady’s readiness to dominate before the game.
• This win marks the first WCWS victory for Texas Tech and the first shutout debut win since 2005.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sitting in front of microphones and reporters, it would be hard to decipher how NiJaree Canady becomes a completely different person when she’s pitching.

Get Canady in the circle of a softball diamond like she was Thursday night at Devon Park, her demeanor changes. The emotions come out, coupled with screams and elation after strikeouts. Some outbursts are louder than others, usually reserved for special occasions.

Canady saved her biggest “NiJa Stomps”for the seventh inning of Texas Tech softball’s Women’s College World Series game against Ole Miss. The first came for Ole Miss’ two-way star Aliyah Binford, who also pitched a solid game in the 1-0 Texas Tech victory. During Wednesday’s press conferences, Binford took offense to a question about facing Canady, saying she wasn’t intimidated by her.

Binford allowed just four hits and one walk in the circle but struck out for a second time against Canady at the plate to lead off the seventh inning.

The last “NiJa Stomp” came when Canady earned her 10th strikeout to preserve the win. Canady has won plenty in the WCWS, but Thursday marked the first time in her career her team has started the WCWS with a victory. Stanford lost its first games in its two appearances with Canady.

“Lauren (Allred) was just saying it’s my first time too,” Canady said. “It was definitely a goal of mine just to come back and have a day off tomorrow. Definitely huge, so just to be able to give this team a rest is gonna be really good.”

Canady said she and battery mate Victoria Valdez have similar personalities, where the fun comes off the field and it’s business between the lines. Valdez and Tech pitching coach Tara Archibald have spent enough time around Canady to know when she’s locked in.

Each gave head coach Gerry Glasco the same message before first pitch — which came 75 minutes later than scheduled due to a weather delay — that Canady was ready to dominate.

Archibald told Glasco he thought Canady was going to hit 75 miles per hour against the Rebels. Valdez reported that Canady was not someone the head coach needed to worry about, saying “She’s on.”

“When both Tara and Vic give me that report,” Glasco said, “I knew she must have been special in the bullpen.”

Elite players have an innate ability to flip an internal switch when the time is right. ESPN broadcaster Kevin Brown noted the same thing about Canady, how different she is between interviews and pitching against the best teams in the country.

“No matter what sport you just run across people that can turn it up at game time,” Glasco said, “and she’s that player.”

Glasco continued by saying he grew up in Illinois, and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was known for the same mentality.

“That’s what you see with NiJa,” Glasco said. “It’s amazing her tendencies.”

Players of Jordan’s caliber also have the memory of an elephant. His Airness was famous for even fabricating stories about opponents to give himself a mental edge in the game. Canady’s brain functions similarly.

“She’s remember things, “Glasco said, “and say it out loud and motivate herself. She’s an amazing competitor.”

Those tactics paid off for Texas Tech’s first Women’s College World Series win in program history. It also marked the first time since 2005 that a team making its WCWS won its debut via shutout. That came when Monica Abbot pitched Tennessee to a win in the Vols’ first trip to Oklahoma City.

“NiJa was able to bow her neck,” Glasco said, “and just do what she’s done all year.”