Marist heaps praise on NiJaree Canady, Lubbock Regional opponent Texas Tech softball

Marist's Peyton Pusey goes through a drill during practice ahead of the Lubbock Regional of the 2026 NCAA Division I softball tournament, Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Tracy Sellers Field.

"It's awesome. I think it's a good representation of women in sports and I think she's killing it."

Ausiano said he knows Canady's decision to leave Stanford couldn't have been an easy one to make, noting how she's also made an impression on growing the sport.

"She's done amazing for this game," Ausiano said, "and a lot of little girls want to become softball players when they watch her play."

When Ahr was asked by the Marist student reporter about Canady, the question didn't get to finish before she chimed in, "She's awesome."

"She's someone that we all look up to," Ahr said. "She's getting the kind of exposure that is boosting women's sports. It's, like, amazing. If you think about it. ... I'm playing in her stadium. That's so awesome. She's doing great things for women's sports and she's doing great things for women's sports in the future.

"It's kind of cool to be a part of, playing and having our careers at the same time."

Marist doesn't know who it'll face in Friday's opener — Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco coyly declined to reveal such information — but the Red Foxes have great reverence for whomever will be in the circle against them.

"We get to play, in my opinion, one of the best teams in the country," Ausiano said. "There's no question. They should never in a million years be an 11-seed or 10-seed, whatever they are. It's mind-boggling to me. But you know what? We had to go somewhere, and we had to play a tough team no matter where we went.

"And why not play one of the best teams in the country?"

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Marist has reverence for NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech softball in Lubbock Regional