2012 TEXAS TECH BASEBALL average. Spencer’s squad became the first team to lead the conference in batting during Big 12 play in back-to-back seasons since 2003-04 (Baylor). In addition, Texas Tech led the league with 83 doubles during Big 12 games, which is the fourth highest total in Big 12 history and the most since Missouri set the record of 129 in 1997 - the first year of the Big 12 Conference. Prior to his taking over the reins, Texas Tech had missed out on the Big 12 Tournament in consecutive campaigns and posted last place finishes in the conference both of those seasons. Spencer’s first squad defied all the preseason prognostications and he led the Red Raiders to a seventh-place finish in 2009 and a return to Oklahoma City for the conference tournament. In their return to Oklahoma City, the Red Raiders posted an upset win over Missouri and found themselves just one win away from the championship game. When stepping into his current position, he became just the eighth head coach in school history joining E.Y. Freeland (1925-27), R. Higginbotham (1928-29), Bettie Feathers (195460), Berl Huffman (1961-67), Kal Segrist (1968-83), Gary Ashby (1984-86) and Larry Hays (1987-2008). He joined Gary Ashby as the only two head coaches in school history that spent their college playing careers at Texas Tech as he lettered in 1985-87. Spencer, 46, rejoined the Texas Tech Baseball family on July 2, 2007 when he was named associate head coach on the staff of former head coach Larry Hays. He spent the 2008 season in that role where he coached the pitchers and catchers and headed Tech’s recruiting front. His 2008 pitching staff produced two top-10 round MLB draft picks in juniors Zach Stewart and James Leverton, both of which had never been drafted prior to that season. Stewart was taken in the third round by the Cincinnati Reds while Leverton was taken in the eighth round by the Chicago Cubs. In 2011, Stewart made his MLB debut as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to his arrival at Texas Tech, he spent 11 seasons at Oregon State, the last three as associate head coach, where he served as pitching/catching coach and recruiting coordinator. His pitching staffs during the last two seasons of his Oregon State tenure were instrumental in helping the Beavers become the first back-to-back College World Series Champions since LSU in the late 1990s. In those two seasons, his staffs compiled 3.41 and 3.48 cumulative ERAs while leading the team to 50-16 and 49-18 respective records. His group led the Pac-10 in ERA in both 2005 and 2006 while his bullpen helped pave the way to consecutive national titles by contributing 20-plus saves in both 2006 and 2007. Under his leadership, the Beavers had three pitchers and one catcher named All-America. Eddie Kunz, the ace of the 2007 staff, and catcher Mitch Canham, the squad’s leading hitter, were both first round draft selections in the 2007 MLB Draft. His collegiate coaching career began at the junior college level six years before arriving at Oregon State, as he landed his first job as an assistant coach at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Wash., in 1991. After just one season in Tacoma, he picked up his first head coaching position as he took over the program at Green River Community College in 1992. While at Green River, he compiled a record of 131-67 between 1992 and 1996. Dan and his wife, Susie, have three children: Wade, Logan and Elizabeth.
DID YOU KNOW? Dan Spencer has led Texas Tech to 24 victories over nationally-ranked opponents during the past three seasons.
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