The ties that bind Texas Tech softball, Ole Miss for WCWS showdown

OKLAHOMA CITY — NiJaree Canady knows every nook and cranny of Devon Park by now. The dominant Texas Tech softball pitcher has been to the park plenty of times before, including her two Women’s College World Series appearances while playing for Stanford.

Now, sporting a different shade of red, Canady gets to bestow some of her previous knowledge with a host of teammates who are making their first WCWS appearance.

For the five Louisiana transfers, who followed Gerry Glasco to Lubbock, this is a bit of a redemption arc. Lauren Allred and Mihyia Davis were freshmen on the 2023 Louisiana team that made it to the Super Regionals, only to be foiled by Washington in their pursuit of a trip to Oklahoma City.

“It’s huge being here right now,” Allred said, “because we got really close our freshman year and being able to get over that hump this year was just amazing.”

It shouldn’t come as a huge shock, though, that Allred (.365 batting, nine home runs) and Davis (.386 batting, 85 hits) are getting their time in the WCWS spotlight with one of the players who knocked them out of the 2023 tournament. Alana Johnson (nine home runs, 45 RBIs) was a member of the Washington Huskies team that bested the Ragin’ Cajuns in the Super Regional sweep.

“We actually talk to Alana quite about that Super Regional,” Davis said. “We are on Alana all the time about that Super Regional.”

Johnson’s had plenty of experience facing her current teammates. In addition to facing Louisiana in the Super Regionals two years ago, Johnson saw plenty of Canady while Washington and Stanford were still in the Pac-12 together. The Cardinal also ousted Washington from the 2023 Women’s College World Series.

Canady (30-5 with 0.89 ERA pitching, 11 home runs and 34 RBI batting) is the seasoned veteran of the WCWS, having made it each of her three years in college. The thrills haven’t dissipated in her latest trip to softball’s mecca.

“I feel like every time, just getting to Oklahoma City is really, obviously, really hard,” Canady said. “There’s so many amazing teams who haven’t made it to this point. I just feel grateful to be here again.”

The Red Raiders (50-12) are pitted against an Ole Miss team that has some history with the current group of Texas Tech players. Louisiana knocked Ole Miss out of the tournament least year while hosting the Lafayette Regional. Davis and the Ragin’ Cajuns weren’t able to advance beyond that, though, falling to Baylor in the regional championship.

That Baylor team featured two-way player Aliyah Binford (.328 batting, 12 home runs, 11-3 pitching record) who is now one of Ole Miss’ top players. Allred didn’t get a chance to help her team against the Bears, having missed almost all of the 2024 season after tearing her oblique. That aspect, more than anything, sticks with the redshirt sophomore, who leads the team with 53 RBIs on the year.

“The goal last year was to host a regional,” Allred said, “and it was tough watching my team do something so well without me. Coming to this year, I knew I wanted to try to make a mark and have an impact on the team, and being able to do that and work throughout the season, I think that’s the biggest reward to the injury itself.”

Ole Miss (42-19) also features former Louisiana player Taylor Roman, who, like Allred, sat out the 2024 season but was teammates with a bulk of Texas Tech’s starting lineup.

There are familiarities across the board for the Red Raiders and Rebels, who are each making their first WCWS appearance in program history.

“They’re playing with a lot of fire,” Tech head coach Gerry Glasco said, “and they’re playing with a lot of freedom and they’re playing with a lot of emotion. They’re a dangerous ball club right now.”