NiJaree Canady pitch speed: How Stanford ace compares to Monica Abbott's NCAA softball record

Speed kills in the world of college softball, and few are as ruthless with the ball in their hands as NiJaree Canady.

The Stanford ace is one of college softball's finest. She just dusted off a legendary sophomore campaign that saw her capture USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year after leading the nation in earned run average (0.65) and strikeouts (310). 

Canady's resume extends far beyond her college career. She's already cemented her status as one of the sport's greatest hurlers, posting back-to-back sub-1.00 ERA campaigns in Cardinal red. With two seasons left to add to her collection, don't be surprised if you see Canady's name scrawled across the record books sooner rather than later.

When discussing Canady's success, it's hard not to focus on her golden arm. Not only is it incredibly durable — Canady's tossed 204.2 innings in 37 appearances this season, the 10th-best total in softball — but it's also furnished with gold, ice, and everything nice.

MORE: Who is NiJaree Canady?

You see, Canady possesses one of the most ferocious rise ball's in softball history. It slips through the zone undetected, mystifying even the most trained eye with its venom. If looks could kill, Canady's heater would be a femme fatale. Too bad no one watching from afar can actually see the pitch.

So, just how fast is Canady's No. 1 option in her tool kit, the rise ball? And how does it compare to others' efforts, including that of former Tennessee standout Monica Abbott? The Sporting News has you covered on all things Canady.

NiJaree Canady pitch speed

Canady has the sort of velocity that spawns songs and soliloquies. Her rise ball tops off around 75 mph, just two ticks slower than famed Tennessee picture Monica Abbott's record mark.

She's not the only player to dabble in high heat in recent years. Just last season, Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens reached the 76-mph plateau during the Women's College World Series.

Nevertheless, the list of players to cultivate such fervor on their rise balls is rather short. Canady's placement reflects her present and future skill, a factor that lead many to believe she could snap Abbott's record-mark and move it to new heights.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen (a rise ball) like hers in my whole life,” said Stanford pitching coach Tori Nyberg, per The Athletic. “Monica Abbott is in a class of her own, but in terms of the velocity, she’s the only person I can think to compare to hers.”

Abbott agreed, earmarking the Topeka, Kan., native as a real threat for her spot atop the record books.

“NiJa is already throwing as fast as I was as a pro,” Abbott said, per The Athletic. “Her limit does not exist. I think she could potentially reach 80 (mph)."

NiJaree Canady Stanford stats