NiJaree Canady left Stanford for Texas Tech and record-setting NIL money, but the Longhorns were happy with a pitching staff led by Teagan Kavan.

NiJaree Canady knows everyone is going to assume she joined the Texas Tech softball team because of her NIL deal. The move goes much deeper than dollars.

Texas Tech's NiJaree Canady leads The Associated Press' list of college softball players to watch this season.

They did see Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady again in Sunday's matinee two days after edging the $1 million star transfer 2-1 in nine innings on Friday. But she didn't pitch in Texas' 11-0 win; she went 0-for-2 as a designated player.

Texas jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning highlighted by a 2-run triple by Joley Mitchell. Katie Stewart drove in a pair with a single, and then really got it going in the third inning by blasting a 3-run home over the center-field wall.

Texas sophomore pitcher Teagan Kavan has been making headlines since shutting out No. 8 Texas Tech on Sunday. In two starting performances against Texas' first ranked opponent of the season, Kavan limited the Red Raiders to a single run on Friday.

The No. 1 Texas softball team improved to 11-0 by run-ruling Texas Tech after the Red Raiders declined a rematch of NiJaree Canady vs. Teagan Kavan.