Preseason Accolades
Stanford was ranked in the top four in four different preseason polls, including a top-3 selection in the NFCA/USA Today poll for just the second time in program history. Additionally, pitcher NiJaree Canady and infielder Taryn Kern were named preseason First Team All-Americans by Softball America.
• NFCA/USA Today - 3
• ESPN.com/USA Softball - 3
• D1 Softball - 2
• Softball America - 4
A Pac-12 First
The Card has been picked to win the Pac-12 in the conference's preseason coaching poll, garnering 63 of a possible 64 points, receiving seven of eight first-place votes. The selection marks the first time the Cardinal has been picked to win the conference, and comes along with NiJaree Canady, Taryn Kern and River Mahler all being named to the preseason All-Pac-12 Team:
Canady's Dominant Debut
• NiJaree Canady was named the TUCCI/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year, highlighting one of the most dominant first-year campaigns in recent seasons of collegiate softball.
• Also named Freshman of the Year by D1Softball and Softball America, Canady is the second player in school history to receive a major national honor, joining Ashley Hansen, who in 2011 was named the USA Softball National Player of the Year.
• Arguably the nation's most elite pitcher, Canady (17-3, 33 appearances, 24 starts) led the country in ERA (0.57) and strikeouts per seven innings (11.3). Canady also ranked second in hits allowed per seven innings (3.32).
• Canady, who in 135.0 innings led the Cardinal with 218 strikeouts while walking only 21, threw two no-hitters while accounting for eight of Stanford's 21 shutouts, a total that ranked seventh in the country. Canady tossed 10 complete games and limited opponents to a .137 batting average.
• In NCAA play, Canady allowed five total runs on 16 hits in 36.0 innings with 50 strikeouts.
• An All-Pac-12 First Team honoree, Canady's 18 strikeouts versus Villanova on March 3 were the most since Missy Penna's school record of 19 back on March 23, 2009 against Cal Poly.
New Faces on the Farm
• Taryn Kern: So. | INF | L/R | San Jose, Calif.
Transfers to The Farm after a dominant freshman season at Indiana ... Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year ... TUCCI/NFCA Top 3 Freshman of the Year finalist ... Top 25 Collegiate Player of the Year finalist ... NFCA All-America second team ... D1Softball All-America first team and freshman team ... NFCA All-Region first team ... All-Big Ten first team ... All-Big Ten Freshman Team ... Three-time Big Ten Player of the Week ... Six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week ... IU May Scholar-Athlete of the Month ... Started all 62 games for the Hoosiers ... Broke three single-season program records: home runs (23), RBI (65) and runs scored (68) ... Led the team in batting average (.404), on base percentage (.578) and slugging percentage (.942) ... Tied the Big Ten record for most home runs by a freshman in a single season
• Jade Berry: Fr. | INF | L/R | Queen Creek, Ariz.
MaxPreps All-American (2022) ... Arizona All-Conference first team (2022) ... Arizona Regional Defensive Player of the Year (2021) ... Arizona Regional Offensive Player of the Year (2022) ... Ranked No. 45 on Extra Inning Softball's 2023 Extra Elite 100 Players ... Three-sport varsity athlete at Queen Creek High School (softball, basketball, track)
• Ava Gall: Fr. | C | L/R | Lakeside, Calif.
Two-time All-CIF San Diego Section (2021-22) ... Two-time All-East County (2021-22) ... All-Grossmont Valley League (2021) ... All-Grossmont Hills League (2022) ... Ranked No. 23 on Extra Inning Softball's 2023 Extra Elite 100 Players
• Alyssa Houston: Fr. | P/UTL | R/R | Benton, Ark.
National-Dickel Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series 16U Tier 1 All-Tournament Team (2022) ... MaxPreps All-American (2022) ... Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2022) ... Arkansas All Preps Softball Player of the Year (2022) ... 5A Arkansas State Tournament MVP (2022) ... 5A Arkansas All-Conference, All-State, All-State Tournament Team, and All-Star Team (2022) ... Ranked No. 20 on Extra Inning Softball's 2023 Extra Elite 100 Players ... 5A Arkansas All-Conference, All-State, and All-State Tournament Team (2021) ... Guided her team to a pair of state championships (2021-22).
• Kiley Buckley: Fr. | INF | R/R | Methuen, Mass.
2023 Big East champion with Phillips Academy Andover ... Club team Polar Crush was ranked 39th in the country ... Phillips Academy Phillipian Athlete of the Year (2023) ... Set school records for home runs in a season (12) and in a game (3) ... Named a Boston Globe All-Scholastic selection in high school ... Top three in career points, rebounds, assists and steals for her high school’s basketball team