After a 54-win season last year, the Texas Tech Raiders received the No. 1 spot above former Big 12 foes Texas and Oklahoma, sitting next in line at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in The Athletic’s preseason college softball poll on Thursday.
Topeka, Kansas, native Nijaree Canady, jumped to Gerry Glasco and Texas Tech from Stanford to become the program’s marquee name in the circle last season with a 1.11 ERA and 319 total strikeouts. It’s brought some big names to Lubbock, too, including big-swinging transfers Taylor Pannell (3B, Tennessee) and Jasmyn Burns (C, Ohio State).
Texas Tech returns three total arms, two freshmen newcomers and two new transfers: Kaitlyn Terry (UCLA) and Desirae Spearman (New Mexico State). The returning staff boasts a 1.81 combined ERA.
Missing from Texas Tech’s returning pitching staff is Brenlee Gonzales (2.84 ERA), who opted for the portal and signed with Texas for her sophomore season. The Aledo, Texas, allowed just five earned runs across 12 appearances and a perfect 2-0 record in her college debut.
A busy offseason in the portal helped Texas Tech land as the unanimous favorite to win the Big 12 in the conference’s preseason poll last week. Oklahoma State, cracking the top 20 in The Athletic’s poll, received 87 points; the Cowgirls missed the Women’s College World Series last year for the first time in five seasons.
