NEW YORK - Cardinal ace NiJaree Canady has collected another national honor, this time earning the Honda Sport Award for Softball. The honor, presented by the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards, is given to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.
Canady was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools, after a dominant sophomore season on The Farm that saw her named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. The nation's leader in ERA (0.73) and strikeouts (337), Canady was named an NFCA First Team All-American and CSC First Team Academic All-American.
“There have been so many amazing athletes in the sport of softball across the nation so to be honored for this award is everything,” said Canady. “I want to thank my coaches and my teammates. Without them, this would not be possible. They push me every day to be better. And I also want to thank my parents for sacrificing so much and allowing me to live out my dream.”
“NiJa is the whole package,” said Paul A. Violich Director of Softball Jessica Allister. “She is a generational softball player and competitor. She is a true student-athlete. She is an outstanding teammate and citizen. What an honor for NiJa to receive this award. We are incredibly proud of her.”