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Following three days of a contract holdout, former Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady has signed with Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
Canady, who was drafted second overall in this year’s AUSL draft by the Texas Volts, was the only player out of 17 draftees to have not signed with the league when the season kicked off on Tuesday. She missed the Volts’ first two games, but will be eligible to play during their Saturday contest.
In Lubbock, Canady made over $1 million annually in NIL money.
A source familiar with the situation told Front Office Sports her contract terms are consistent with that of the other AUSL rookies. Players can make up to $75,000 annually.
Lindsay Colas, Canady’s agent at The Team (formerly known as Wasserman), initially told Front Office Sports on Wednesday night that the pitcher sought out a “fair and equitable contract” in a lengthy statement. That statement prompted widespread discourse throughout the softball community, with many criticizing Canady’s decision to stall.
“If I (and everyone that paved the way for me) waited for what I believed was “a fair and equitable contract”….there wouldn’t be pro softball,” wrote Victoria Hayward, the head coach for Nevada softball who played for AUSL’s Utah Talons in 2025, in an X post that garnered over 1,400 likes.
However, several prominent softball voices also defended Canady, such as former LSU and pro softball player A.J. Andrews, Howard coach Tori Tyson, and UCLA alum-turned catchers’ coach Jen Schroeder, who believed Canady’s negotiations could open the door for all pro softball players to be paid more.
Colas sent reporters a revised statement Thursday afternoon, which stated that Canady looked forward to joining her team upon finalizing a contract, rather than “a fair and equitable” contract. It also read “it’s about what you owe the sport and everyone coming after you” instead of “it’s about setting a standard and advocating for their value.”
The Team has not responded to a request for comment following Canady’s signing.
“We’re pleased to welcome NiJa Canady to the AUSL and look forward to seeing her compete with the Texas Volts this season,” an AUSL spokesperson told FOS.
A source familiar with the situation told FOS that an average AUSL salary was between $40,000 to $45,000 with bonuses that bring that total to $75,000, alongside several subsidized living amenities. According to Softball on SI, AUSL general managers rank their players by different tiers, with each tier being worth a certain amount of money and the tiers being non-negotiable.
Because AUSL—which received MLB investment ahead of its second season—is a single-entity league where all six teams are owned by Athletes Unlimited, players sign contracts with the league rather than individual teams.
While at Texas Tech, Canady had an NIL deal with AUSL that allowed her to promote the league on social media.
Canady’s first game as a Volt will be on Saturday at noon, when Texas plays the Caroline Blaze in Durham.
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