Texas Tech added former LSU pitcher Jayden Heavener to its roster through the transfer portal on Saturday, June 13, aiming to sustain its contender status after back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Women’s College World Series.
By Saturday, June 13, Texas Tech had made its next big move—one that carries immediate weight for a program already living on the edge of national title talk.
The Red Raiders announced they were adding former LSU pitcher Jayden Heavener through the transfer portal. Heavener, a 5-foot-6 sophomore, is ranked as the No. 1 pitcher in the transfer portal and the No. 7 player overall, based on On3’s rankings.
Heavener’s track record is the kind teams build their postseason plans around. She finished the 2026 season with a 2.81 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 139 1/3 innings pitched, tossing 16 complete games in her 22 starts. Her 2026 highlights included a complete game against Oklahoma in March in which she allowed only two hits. recorded four strikeouts. and gave up no earned runs.
Texas Tech is making the move as it absorbs a major loss. Heavener is expected to help offset the departure of NiJaree Canady. a two-time national player of the year and the No. 2 overall pick of the 2026 AUSL Draft. On the mound. Heavener will be paired with returning All-American Kaitlyn Terry. a two-way star who has another year of eligibility left.
The new arrival also connects to what has been happening across LSU’s program this offseason. Heavener is one of two LSU standouts to enter the transfer portal already. along with 2025 All-American Tori Edwards. who batted .284 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in 2026. Jada Phillips, Destiny Harris and Maddox McKee have also entered the portal for LSU.
Texas Tech’s willingness to stay aggressive in the transfer market isn’t happening in a vacuum. The Red Raiders have made their mark in the portal in their two seasons under coach Gerry Glasco. In both 2025 and 2026. Texas Tech reached its first super regional appearance in program history. advanced all the way to the national championship in both seasons. and finished as runner-up at the Women’s College World Series for the second consecutive year.
With a pitcher like Heavener—paired with Terry—Texas Tech is aiming to keep that same championship-level momentum moving forward.
Texas Tech softball Jayden Heavener transfer portal Kaitlyn Terry NiJaree Canady LSU NFCA All-Americans Women’s College World Series
Portal?? so she like moved through a video game or something lol
No. 1 pitcher in the portal and they just snatched her like that? Texas Tech about to steamroll. Also 5’6 isn’t even tall, wild
Wait I thought the LSU pitcher already got drafted or committed or whatever. If she’s ranked No. 7 overall on On3 then she must’ve had like perfect stats or it’s clickbait. 2.81 ERA still sounds kinda high to me though…
So Texas Tech lost that Canady girl and replaced her with someone from LSU’s program offseason portal stuff. I can’t keep up with all these names like NiJaree, Kaitlyn, Jayden… feels like they just keep reloading. But if she only gave up 2 hits to Oklahoma then that’s terrifying, makes the rest of the league look slow.