Red Raider Sports Magazine-May/June 2022

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RED RAIDER

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RedRaiderSports.com is a publication of TRI Productions Volume 27 Issue 5 Managing Editor Aaron Dickens

Cover Photo Elise Bressler

Photographers Elise Bressler

Brandon Brieger Elizabeth Hertel Artie Limmer

Michaela Schumacher Katie Perkins

Writers Ben Golan

Brandon Soliz

Terry Greenberg

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OPPORTU

b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

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UNITY

NIL. Transfer portal. Alston v. NCAA. The future of the NCAA and Division 1 college athletics.

“I’ve never seen more disruption and uncertainty in college athletics,” said Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech’s Director of Athletics.

What hasn’t changed is the mission of the Red Raider Club – providing almost a quarter of the Athletics Department’s budget – funding scholarships, nutrition, sports psychology, training, academic support and more.

Enter the Matador Club – led by generous Red Raiders – designed to give NIL (Name Image Likeness) funds to every football, men’s basketball and baseball player. It plans to expand to every Tech student athlete.

The Matador Club’s goal is to keep Texas Tech competitive amid these rapid changes as recruits and transfers want to go to schools where they can make some money through NIL. But the Matador Club’s leaders make it clear it doesn’t replace the Red Raider Club.

“Any giving to the Matador Club has to be over and above your normal giving to the Red Raider Club,” said Tim Culp, one of the Matador Club’s board members.

“We can’t rob Peter to pay Paul. We have to fund the Red Raider Club as we’ve always done in the past.”

It’s also separate from the Red Raider Club – by law.

When NIL was approved by the Texas Legislature for colleges in the Lone Star State, it said schools cannot be involved between the source of NIL money and student athletes.

(Texas was one of 13 states to first pass NIL laws last July 1. Others have followed, but not all states have passed legislation. And rules can be different in each state.)

Primary focus.

Success for both the Red Raider Club and Matador Club help Tech Athletics win.

“That remains our top priority when you compete at this level,” said Hocutt.

Also important is educating Tech’s 400-plus student athletes.

“That education is life changing. That’s why the Red Raider Club continues to be our primary focus. It’s through the Red Raider Nation’s generosity to the Red Raider Club that we can provide these life-changing experiences and ultimately a degree to our student athletes,” he said.

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Another opportunity that comes with a price tag follows the Alston v. NCAA Supreme Court decision allowing student athletes to get as much as $5,990 a year for academic achievement.

“We’re calling that the Strive Academic Achievement Program. That’s a $1.8 million increase to our revenue budget we’ve got to raise through the Red Raider Club,” said Hocutt.

Raising that money on top of all the other fundraising the Red Raider Club falls to Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Development.

“A Greek philosopher said, ‘change is the only constant in life’ and we’re seeing lots of change,” said Tirey.

“But the generosity of our donors has been – and will continue to be – a constant. “What we’ve seen through the Campaign for Fearless Champions facility program has been stunning. The ongoing support to cover the daily needs of our student athletes has been wonderful. I’m confident we’ll get the support to cover the expenses tied to the Strive Academic Achievement Program,” she said.

“It’s not a full-roster arrangement and they didn’t have large groups of people chipping in,” he said.

Joey McGuire, Tech’s Head Football Coach, agreed.

“The Matador Club is focused on helping a lot of student athletes versus some collectives focused on one sport or recruiting one or two people,” he said.

“If you’re going to have a healthy culture, you better have a healthy locker room. To have a healthy locker room, then everybody’s got to feel they’re a part of everything,” McGuire said.

NIL cannot be used for recruiting inducement and there must be an exchange of value. Campbell has concerns not all schools have – or will – follow those rules.

“This NIL thing could be a corrupting force. Texas Tech has always run a very clean ship. We don’t cheat, we have never done dirty things in recruiting,” he said.

“We wanted something sustainable that will run by the rules,” he said.

They took the idea to Tech Athletics to discuss it with Hocutt; Jennifer Brashear, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Internal Affairs & Compliance; Amy Heard, Senior The Matador Club.

Associate Athletics Director/Strategic Engagement.

Cody Campbell and John Sellers, successful busiEven though Tech cannot be involved in creating an ness partners and Red Raider football players about 20 NIL deal or payments, Brashear makes sure the NIL deals years ago, started kicking NIL ideas around after the are not violating NCAA rules and Heard’s been in charge state law passed. of educating student athletes on what they must know Their company, Double Eagle Development, spon- about NIL deals. sored the Red Raider offensive line in exchange for proTech set up the program Beyond Verified to help moting their energy firm on social media. with that education going back to last summer.

Campbell was an offensive guard and Sellers a de“Amy does such a great job educating our athletes,” fensive end. said McGuire.

“Then collectives started popping up across the Student athletes need to know about taxes and country. Several other schools started forming them. We more. felt we needed to do something to keep us competitive,” “The government’s going to get their money, players said Campbell, who recently gave the $25 million lead gift are going to have to understand they’re going have to pay to his alma mater for the South End Zone project and now taxes. I think Amy is as good as anybody in the country has the field at Jones AT&T Stadium named for him. with the programs she’s putting in place,” said McGuire.

Campbell saw potential problems with some NIL The Matador Club set up a not-for-profit company and worked with attorneys who specialize in NCAA comcollectives: pliance and accountants. The Matador Club leaders have • Disorganization. covered the administration costs so 100 percent of dona• Not strategic or well thought out. tions go to the student athletes, Campbell said.

• Not structured legally.

“I can’t say enough about Cody and John. They’re • “One-off” situations between a business making sure we do everything by the book,” said Culp. and a player.

Joining Campbell, Sellers and Culp on the Matador The Matador Club wanted to avoid those mistakes. Club board are Marc McDougal, Gary Petersen and Terry “One-offs” concerned Campbell because they created Fuller. not sustainable situations.

“To have a group of Red Raiders who are former stu8

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dent athletes and longtime contributors put together the Matador Club is a tremendous benefit for Texas Tech, our student athletes and our community,” said Hocutt.

“I’m very confident the board members of the Matador Club are taking every measure and precaution to protect Texas Tech athletics. They’re not going to do anything to jeopardize the integrity of the Double T brand, this athletics program, or our reputation across this country,” he added.

The Matador Club started with football, men’s basketball and baseball, Campbell said, because that’s where there’s the most competitive pressure for recruits.

The idea is to give each athlete on these first three teams funds in exchange for community service in the Lubbock area.

“It helps to get money in their pockets, but it also helps the community and increases engagement between the athletes and community,” he said.

Campbell is not excited about some of the changes in college athletics, including NIL. “But the cows have left the barn. We have to face reality and deal with it,” he said.

It can also be an opportunity.

“Anytime there’s a major disruption in business, it’s also an opportunity. If we can do a good job with the Matador Club, we can get ahead of the competition,” he said.

Culp agreed.

“Sometimes we’ve felt like second fiddle to some of the other teams in the conference. This is going to allow us to recruit the best athletes to Texas Tech,” he said.

Hocutt likes that Tech student athletes can benefit from NIL, because other Tech students have had that opportunity.

“That’s why we developed Beyond Verified to help student athletes develop their brand,” he said.

Campbell believes what he called the “donor culture” Tech Athletics has successfully created over the years will help the Matador Club succeed while still supporting the Red Raider Club.

“The Matador Club is extra. The stakes have been raised in college athletics financially. If we’re going to be successful, Red Raiders have to step up. Fortunately, we live in a state that’s doing well, we have a large alumni base and they’re very passionate,” said Campbell.

“So far, we’ve seen people are willing to meet that call and give extra money to the Matador Club while continuing their normal Red Raider Club donations as well.

They’re both very important organizations,” he added.

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The wait has been worth it for Texas Tech softball outfielder Payton Jackson. After two years of sitting behind upperclassmen, pinch running and limited playing time on the softball field, Jackson finally earned a spot in the starting lineup, and she has taken full advantage of the opportunity. The junior went from just three at bats her freshman year to leading the Red Raiders in batting average, hits, total bases, slugging percentage and on base percentage.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to play every game or have at bats every game my freshman year,” Jackson said. “I wanted it and I worked very hard for it, but I didn’t expect it. I just watched the people who had been there so long like Karli Hamilton and how they played. I really learned and grew through them, so that helped. I took it as more of a learning experience than as something that would bring me down.”

Despite a limited role in her freshman season, Jackson’s talent on the softball diamond was recognized early on. She started playing in her local YMCA tee ball league when she was three or four years old. Softball was the only sport she played aside from a few years of running track and volleyball in middle school. Before she was even a teenager Jackson was getting attention from college coaches. It was then she realized she had a real shot at playing in college.

“I think other people realized I could play in college before I did,” she said. “I was about 12 when I started getting recruited and I was like ‘whoa, I guess this is real, I am actually going to play at the college level.’ Other people helped me realize that by recruiting me so young.”

Texas Tech came into the picture a few years later, going into her freshman year of high school. Jackson’s father, Forrest, is a Tech alum from the class of 1991. While her dad tries to take credit for her choosing Texas Tech, Jackson says his bias had nothing to do with the decision.

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“Honestly, it sounds cliché, but they say you know when it feels like home and that is exactly what I felt when I came here. I knew I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself and bigger than softball and Tech gave me that feeling. My dad says he was a little part of it, but he was not the reason I chose it. I also loved the city difference between Houston and Lubbock, it just felt like the best place for me.”

Fast forward to the spring of 2020, Jackson’s freshman season. Softball is in full swing, and the team is in Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Classic. The Red Raiders win their game against the host school, but the remainder of the tournament is abruptly canceled as the COVID-19 pandemic begins shutting down the country.

“That year was crazy, we were in Hawaii for a tournament, and everything happened so fast. For a little bit we were happy because we basically got a free vacation for a few days in Hawaii but then we expected to just have a two week break and come back.”

The rest of the 2020 season was cut short, ending Jackson’s freshman season before the Red Raiders even reached Big 12 play. Jackson returned home to Missouri City to finish the semester online and prepare for whatever was to come next. As nation-wide shutdowns closed schools, gyms and other public spaces Jackson found solace at the softball fields in her neighborhood.

Hitting, throwing the ball and working out became part of her daily routine as she tried her best to navigate the absence of her teammates and competition.

“I think sometimes when you’re at home over break you don’t feel like hitting every day but during COVID that was all we had to do so it became enjoyable, and we did that pretty much every day.”

Though she could not complete in person workouts with her strength and condition staff, Jackson said softball strength and conditioning coach Tyler Cook was

able to send sandbags, bands and other gear to use while at home.

“We are lucky to have some amazing strength and conditioning coaches here and the resources at Texas Tech to put us in the position to have those things available for us while we were home.”

Not only did Tech provide Jackson with the tools to succeed at home athletically, but academically as well, as classes shifted to completely online.

“Our academic advisor, Brooklyn [Moore], really helped during that time. I won’t lie, the online stuff was not bad for me, I loved it, but we still did online tutoring and made sure we got those sessions in. They made the switch from in person to Zoom really fast so if I ever needed Brooklyn, I could always call her and she would be by her phone to help. Our academic staff did a really great job giving us the resources and making sure we were on top of our stuff with meetings and tutoring whenever we needed it.”

By the time she returned to campus in the fall, Jackson was ready to take on a bigger role. The fall season was limited, normally full of scrimmages and full weeks of practice the Red Raiders were unable to compete against other teams in the offseason. Come February, the Red Raiders were just excited to be able to play someone other than their own team. Jackson had found her way into the starting lineup on opening day, serving as the designated player for Tech’s game against Colorado State. While she spent most of the season in and out of the lineup as a designated player and pinch hitter, Jackson kept a positive demeanor and capitalized on the chances she was given.

“I just wanted to take advantage of my opportunities as much as possible and do anything I could to help my team win games. I wanted to prove myself, that I am someone that needs to be out there and kept out there. It

was my goal to take advantage of every opportunity I got to the fullest extent.”

“I think the biggest difference between my actual freshman year and my ‘second’ freshman year was being able to play conference games. That was a really big change, and it was really cool to experience, I wanted to experience it my freshman year but my second year really felt like college softball in that sense.”

No bigger opportunity came than at the end of the season, when Jackson found her way into the starting lineup during the Big 12 Tournament, helping the Red Raiders to a third-place finish despite entering the tournament as the sixth seed. Jackson played a crucial part of Tech’s upset of No. 10 Texas in the third-place game, recording three RBI as the Red Raiders went on to win 5-1. Although it was the last game of the season for the Red Raiders, Jackson’s performance, specifically in one at bat, would make a lasting impact on the coaches.

With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, with runners on first and second, Jackson hit a ball down the left field line and ended up on third base, but the ball was called foul and with no replay review available she had to make her way back to the batter’s box.

“I saw it go down the line and I knew it was fair, so I was just running, I had no idea anyone had called it foul.

I dove headfirst into third and everyone was yelling to go back and I was confused but honestly I could hardly breathe from running. I think that helped me not think about the result and refocus on seeing the ball. My teammates were saying ‘ball doesn’t lie’ and encouraging me when I stepped back into the box. In that situation I was just thinking ‘foul off balls until you get a pitch you can hit’ because I had two strikes on me. My whole mindset was to go back up there and find my pitch but protect because it was an 0-2 count.”

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the outfield. From March 6 to March 20 Jackson held a 10game hit streak, the longest on the team this season. She has made several impressive catches in the outfield, even robbing a home run against No. 6 UCLA. Her .359 batting average paces all Red Raiders, and she is tied for the team lead in hits with 33. She is second on the team in doubles (9), first in triples (3) and second in home runs (4) with a team-best 16 extra base hits, slugging .652 on the season.

She hit her first collegiate home run in the season opener against UTSA, helping the Red Raiders tie a program record with five home runs in the game.

As proud as she is of her success on the field, she is Jackson fouled off a few more pitches before equally as proud of the growth she has made off it and eventually driving a ball over the head of the left fielder she praises the Red Raider Club for providing her with the into the left center gap for a two RBI double. It was the resources to flourish over the last three years. last hit of her sophomore season, but it stood out to head “The biggest change from high school to freshman coach Sami Ward, who sighted it as a breakout moment for year was how packed my days were and my newfound Jackson heading into her junior season. independence. Mostly in school, it was hectic going from “We saw what Payton was capable of in the conference high school straight into 20-hour weeks in the fall. The tournament last year, she was playing free and showed us time management piece was the biggest change and her determination in that at bat against Texas.” said Ward. being able to be responsible for myself, my school, softball Jackson has put in the work and is seeing the fruits and eating. I have the time management thing down now. of her labor pay off in 2022, starting all but three games Overall, I’ve grown most in my maturity. I am just trying to this season, which she missed due to injury. Three months prepare myself for life after softball because I only have into the season, Jackson has proven her consistency at two years left so I am trying to line up my opportunities for the plate and her ability to make big plays on defense in after college.”

“The Red Raider Club has given us pretty much everything we have from our softball facility to Sports Performance Center to the Marsha Sharp Center and the Cash. Those have been amazing for student-athletes.

Everyone talks about the Cash all the time and loves it, even my friends who aren’t in athletics are always talking about it. All the resources within academics have been huge. The Leadership Academy is always there to help us prepare for life outside of college. Suited for Success is a program I am in that helps us prepare for our future. All the resources they have provided for us is unmatched in my opinion.”

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Jackson is studying advertising with a minor in public relations. She hopes to go into commercial real estate..

While she is soaking in her last few years in Lubbock as much as possible, Jackson reflects on how Texas Tech has taken her in and embraced her during her time here.

“The praise and respect we get as student-athletes and the way we are valued from faculty to staff to alumni to students to athletic staff is my favorite thing about Tech.

There are a lot of places that do not value their studentathletes as well as they do here both academically and athletically and that is something I am so grateful for.”

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Sharon Moultrie Bruner, Texas Tech

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PIONEER

by TERRY GREENBERG

When Sharon Moultrie Bruner came to Texas Tech in 1978, she was thinking of playing softball, like she played growing up in the Texas Panhandle town of Pampa.

But softball was a club sport 44 years ago and a woman she competed against in high school also now at Tech suggested she walk-on to the women’s track team.

“You should come work out with us,” she told Bruner, who had also competed in track and field at Pampa High School.

Bruner did and became a Red Raider pioneer.

Title IX was opening doors for female athletes and in her second season at Tech, Bruner had the “honor” of being coached by a former Olympian.

It all led to:

“I wanted to get my own identity,” she said. Texas Tech felt like the right choice.

After her first year on the track team, Bruner had the best long jump in Texas and was put on full scholarship.

At the time, Tech’s women’s sports were under the AIAW – Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

“We were not NCAA yet,” she said.

And facilities were nothing compared to what Tech student athletes have today.

“We didn’t have dressing rooms. We had a little area that was basically a restroom area,” Bruner said, where they changed before going to the track.

“We didn’t have a place where we could meet. When I first got to Tech, we had a little barn we called the girls gym. It was in the area where the new track is. It was • Bruner being Tech’s first female All-American very old. That was kind of our meeting place. We didn’t – twice – as a long jumper. have an indoor facility,” she said.

“As far as lifting weights, we had a smaller area in • Qualifying nationally many times in sprint that gym to lift weights. We couldn’t lift where the foot and jumping events. ball players lifted. Back then that was unheard of. We just didn’t do it,” she said.

• Enshrinement into the Texas Tech Athletics Four years ago, Bruner attended the first Corky Clas Hall of Honor in 1998, Texas Black Sports sic indoor track meet – named after the late Tech track Hall of Fame in 2001 and Panhandle Sports coach Corky Oglesby – at the then-new Sports Perfor Hall of Fame last year. mance Center.

When asked about the SPC back then, “I’m a little bit She was also active in a sorority, as a High Rider and became Tech’s first African American Homecoming jealous,” she replied.

Queen in 1981.

After not being able to chase Olympic dreams be- A new coach.

At the end of her freshman year, Bruner’s team was cause of the United States boycott of the Soviet Union, Bruner went on to teach and coach at Grand Prairie High at a national meet. Some of the team went to a convenience store for snacks around 10 p.m.

School.

A woman approached, asking if they were in town She’s still there.

Looking back, Bruner considers herself a pioneer, for the meet. They said yes. She asked where they were from. Texas, they replied. but during her years at Tech, “I was just having fun.”

“It’s 10 o’clock and you probably shouldn’t be out at Bruner credits her single-parent mom.

“My mom worked hard, she wanted us to do the ten o’clock,” the woman told them.

Weeks later, Tech’s women’s track team found out best we could. We were going to go to college, that was a they were getting a new coach – Olympian Jarvis Scott, given,” she said. who competed in the women’s 400 meters in the 1968 After college, Bruner’s mom set the expectation.

“You’re going to do something. You’re not going to Olympics in Mexico City. She was a four-time national champion in the 400. be lazy,” Bruner remembers her mom saying.

Jarvis Scott was also the woman who lectured BrunWorking hard, getting along with people were drilled into er and her teammates at the convenience store. her. The rest was up to God. Scott told the team via a video she was looking for“It was just His plan,” she said. ward to coming to Texas and mentioned she’d already met some of the team, referring to the convenience We had a little barn.

Bruner didn’t follow her sisters to then-West Texas store. Then Scott hinted she was going to straighten State University in Canyon, wanting to go further from home. things out.

“We were shaking on our boots,” said Bruner.

After Scott got to Lubbock, she told some team members to go to a store and buy her some Geritol – a supplement for older people. The team members were confused. Scott was still in her 30s. Some of them were in a bathroom, talking about their new coach’s request.

“We said that lady’s crazy. Geritol? That’s what old people take,” said Bruner.

Then Scott came out of one of the bathroom stalls and said, “Yes, Geritol.”

Those early interactions with Scott – even though they scared Bruner – are her favorite memories of her time at Tech.

“We laugh about it quite often,” she said.

The fight for improvements.

Jarvis Scott brought changes.

“She gave us an opportunity to do a lot of things we weren’t able to do as freshmen,” said Bruner.

Scott started asking questions. Soon her team could lift where the boys lifted.

They didn’t get letter jackets, like some teams. They got certificates. They never got the jackets but upgraded from certificates to a ring. continued on page 16 15 RedRaiderSports.com

get that reaction in a state that had not of changes – but not in all ways. fully desegregated its public schools until “I cannot imagine I watched the national meet this a little more than a decade before. weekend on TV. It’s come a long way as far as facilities, travel and exposure,” she said. “I was telling my sons A missed chance. some of the times in the 400 or 800 are crazy fast comScott had things set up for Bruner pared to when I was running.” to train in California for the 1980 Olympic But the distances in the jumps have not changed as Games in Moscow, but the U.S.-led boycott much. And back then, women didn’t even compete in the protesting the Soviet invasion of Afghani- triple jump.

The impact of Title IX – which banned sex discrimistan killed her chances. America was one nation in federally funded education programs and of 65 nations refusing to send teams.

“I was going to eat, sleep and do celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – has been track, track, track. Everything was set up dramatic.

By 2012, the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the numfor me in California,” she said.

Bruner still had a couple of years left ber of girls in high school sports had risen tenfold and at Tech and graduated in 1983 with a de- six times as many women were competing in college sports. gree in physical education.

She got the job teaching and coachHonoring Jarvis Scott. ing in the Metroplex.

Bruner and some of her teammates have used the There were no women’s track clubs in the area, so there were no thoughts of Corky Classic meet for reunions.

The team started traveling further to meets. Before, It her got thinking about asking Wes Kittley, Tech’s training for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. they traveled around West Texas.

It was time to coach. Bruner’s track and cross-coun- successful track and field coach, if another indoor meet “We got a lot more exposure,” said Bruner, led by a try teams have finished second in Texas twice, along could be named for Scott, who died in 2017, weeks before coach who’d run all over the world.

Scott told Bruner her performance ranked with fe- with several regional and district titles. She also got a Oglesby passed way.

The first Jarvis Scott Open took place in February. male athletes from the biggest track programs in the na- master’s degree and raised a family.

Unfortunately, the date conflicted with one of Bruner’s Bruner doesn’t talk about her pioneering journey tion so she ended up on the “Nike list” and would get Nike team meets and she couldn’t attend. often to her students. products.

She’s ready for next year.

A parent from her booster club asked her if the team The track team became an NCAA program during her “We’re trying to plan a reunion for everybody who senior year – which brought a longer schedule, drug test- knew what she did as an athlete and young black woman. competed under Jarvis,” she said.

“I don’t talk about it a lot. But every once in a while, I get ing at national meets and some TV coverage.

“I’ve talked to a lot of athletes who ran for her. It the opportunity to bring it up. I tell them a little bit of my story. I grew up in a little small town. Single parent. I was unheard of to have an Olympian come to a univerHistoric homecoming.

The team had traveled to a meet and Scott was in- just worked hard and developed a relationship with God. sity like Tech back then. The knowledge she brought with her, running in the Olympics and competing all over the It was just a blessing,” she said. sistent they hurry back to Lubbock.

Bruner tells them she wasn’t the best athlete or place,” she said.

“Jarvis kept saying ‘we’ve got to get back. We have Scott told Bruner part of the reason she came to scholar.

But she worked hard with the work ethic her to be back by a certain time,’” said Bruner, who said it Tech was that she had relatives in Lubbock wanted to get mom instilled in all her children. was unusual. to know better.

“You work hard.

You never know where sports or When they got back to Lubbock, Bruner went to a pep Scott coached women’s track and field and cross rally bonfire and found out she was one of the finalists for academics will take you,” she said. country from 1979-91 and lived in Lubbock until her She also tells her students her own attitude wasn’t homecoming queen – the reason Scott was in a hurry.

Bruner was an Omega Pearl and was sponsored by perfect every day but learned about mental toughness death.

Bruner’s also still in touch with Beta Little, her coach from Scott. the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. before Scott, who called Bruner “her secret weapon.”

“Every team is physically prepared, but you have Then she was announced as homecoming queen.

When Bruner was inducted into the Panhandle to learn how to mentally prepare yourself,” Bruner said, “I just couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Sports Hall of Fame last year, she asked 83-year-old Little It was a historic moment, but not everyone was adding she didn’t know those concepts until college. if she could attend and she did. thrilled.

“That was really, really an honor for me to have her During the homecoming parade on Broadway, she A long way. there last summer,” said Bruner.

Four decades after Bruner was part of women’s colsaw people look at her with open mouths. She heard the “N” word. She knew a white homecoming queen wouldn’t lege athletics moving past its stone age, she’s seen a lot 16

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Donor Spotlight b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

Mike Wallace

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M

ike Wallace wanted to fly and dreamed of going to the Air Force Academy.

It didn’t work out and he found a different path – which became very successful and he still became a pilot.

Wallace recently donated $5 million toward the Dustin R. Womble Football Center and the South End Zone project for Jones AT&T Stadium.

He’s watched Texas Tech in the College World Series and the Final Four in the past few years and is excited to see football reach similar heights under new Head Coach Joey McGuire.

“We’ve been close. We’ve had some high rankings.

We’ve won a lot of bowl games,” said Wallace.

Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt constantly talks about having an elite athletics program and Tech is there with many teams, he said.

“Now I’m ready for football to get there,” he said.

Wallace met McGuire the day he was hired.

“I walked away saying, Lord, this guy’s got some energy,” he said.

McGuire appreciates Wallace’s success in the energy business allowing his generosity.

“Our entire football program can’t thank Mike Wallace and his family enough for investing in the future of our program,” said McGuire said.

The Womble Football Center and South End Zone are in the design stage. The Athletics Department is working with Populous, a global design firm that worked on the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center.

“I couldn’t believe how well this guy could shoot,” he said.

Learning to fly.

Wallace got a summer job during his time at Tech working on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

A helicopter would fly him 80 miles offshore where he’d work seven days and then be off seven days.

Wallace did his ground training reading during his down time on the platform.

On his seven days off he went back to Weatherford, where he took flying lessons in a Cessna 150.

“We were able to fly every day. I got my pilot’s license in three weeks,” said Wallace.

Starting his career.

Wallace graduated in 1986 when oil had plummeted to $10 a barrel. Only six out of 70 petroleum engineering grads in his class got jobs, said Wallace, who was grateful to get two offers.

Many of his classmates went on to get a master’s degree or took jobs in other industries.

Wallace started as a reservoir engineer with a company seeking younger staff. He also teamed up with another engineer to buy a plane.

Wallace later did production engineering, followed by joint interest engineering. He eventually joined the company’s corporate office working in strategic planning.

All this varied experience was teaching Wallace how to run an energy company.

Eventually he teamed up with Ted Collins, a legend in Coming to Texas Tech.

While wrapping up high school in Weatherford, Wal- the energy industry.

“I told him I have some acquisition ideas and he said lace found out petroleum engineers had a high starting salary. He liked math and sciences. At a career day, he he’d love to look at whatever I had,” said Wallace.

They had a successful partnership, involved in sevgot a lead on a summer job that gave him a glimpse at the energy business. He enrolled in Texas Tech’s petroleum eral companies.

Collins passed away in 2018. engineering program. It also helped he had friends going The Midland airport looked like the city was hosting to Tech, so he’d already know some people almost 300 the Super Bowl with all the private jets that flew in for miles away from his hometown.

Wallace played recreational sports and had a job Collins’ services, Wallace said.

“It was a huge loss for the industry,” he said. backing up computers for the university, which helped him pay for school and gave him time to study while com- Wallace now calls himself an investor – still heavily involved with oil and gas. puter tapes were running.

He remembers going to Tech men’s basketball Getting Involved games in the Coliseum.

Wallace was proud to see his alma mater’s baseball “Gerald Myers was the coach back then. The seats were always good and it was a higher level of basketball team go to the College World Series four times since 2014.

He’s always liked baseball and played catcher growing up. than I’d ever seen,” said Wallace.

He was only planning to go to the first game of the He loved watching Bubba Jennings shoot.

Final Four in Minneapolis, but when the Red Raiders beat Michigan State, he decided to spend more time in the Twin Cities.

“It was a wonderful experience,” he said.

The Midland resident is a longtime supporter of the Red Raider Club as a football suite holder and men’s basketball season ticket holder.

Over the past few years, Wallace has gotten to know Hocutt and Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Development.

He was invited on a trip to visit other college football training facilities – Texas A&M, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma.

“They were fairly new. We wanted to see from a recruiting standpoint, what are these kids drawn to?” he said.

That got him involved in the project and he eventually agreed to the $5 million donation. A big part of that commitment is because of his relationships with Athletics and his passion for Texas Tech.

“We knew they needed some pretty larger donations to make it work,” he said. “I’m happy to be part of it.”

A couple of years ago – not tied to his eventual gift – as he got to know Hocutt and Tirey, Wallace asked him for a favor.

By now Wallace also owned a helicopter and asked Hocutt if he could land it on the Jones AT&T Stadium field.

“He kind of turned his head and didn’t say much. Then he said, ‘nobody’s ever asked me for that,’” said Wallace.

Wallace got the green light, but on the day he was supposed to fly up from Midland the weather in Lubbock was very windy.

Wallace figured he’d fly up to Lubbock and if the winds were too strong, he’d land at the airport.

As he got close to the stadium, the sky was brown with 40-knot winds.

“So I circled a couple of times, got a good feel where the wind was coming from and came through between the scoreboard and the lights on the northeast side. I felt a gust, but the further I got down there was no wind,” he said.

Photos and videos were taken of Wallace and Hocutt.

Then Wallace gave Hocutt a quick flight to the airport before they came back to campus for an event.

“I love Kirby. He’s genuine, kind and knowledgeable.

Any question I ask him he’s on top of with an answer. He’s also free flowing with information. I have a good bond and trust with Athletics, and I hope that lasts a long time,” he said.

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New b y B R AN D O N S O LI Z

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The Joey McGuire-era got off to a fast start last November and that momentum has carried over into the spring. Texas Tech finished spring football on April 23 following the program’s annual spring game. Those in attendance got a glimpse of what the new staff is going to bring to the table when offensive coordinator Zach Kittley and defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter showcased their groups at Jones Stadium.

There is still a lot to be decided for the Red Raiders, most importantly the question of who will be leading the offense at quarterback. Tyler Shough, Donovan Smith and Behren Morton all had flashes of brilliance during the spring, and McGuire said the decision will be a tough one.

“It’s one of those deals - it’s a race,” McGuire said. “Whenever we started, if you look at it, it was kind of the oldest to the next oldest to the next oldest. So Shough got the first group, Donovan got that second group, then Behren got in there. Then they just started rotating through.”

McGuire said he was hoping to have a leader in the clubhouse by the end of spring, but the competition has been even throughout.

A key departure leaving big shoes to fill will be kicker Jonathan Garibay, who sent Texas Tech to the postseason with a 62-yard field goal as time expired against Iowa State.

McGuire said Trey Wolff and Gino Garcia are both competing for the job. Meanwhile, Texas Tech’s punting situation is solid with Austin McNamara returning. Wolff, according to McGuire, drilled a 56-yard field goal during the spring.

Garcia, on the other hand, has been consistent although his range is shorter than Wolff’s.

“I think we had a great kicker leave and it kind of sent a lot of people into a panic,” McGuire said

after the spring game. “I think you saw today that we have guys that are going to go out and kick field goals and help us win football games.”

Concerns remain about Texas Tech’s offensive line with some key losses up front including center Dawson Deaton, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

McGuire said Dennis Wilburn originally started playing guard but he’s moved into the center position. Wilburn was the spring game’s starting center. Following the spring game, Wilburn was supposed to be competing for the starting job with Clayton Franks, but, four days after the final practice session of the spring, Franks announced his move into the transfer portal. Wilburn looks to have more of a clear shot at filling that position.

Defensively, defensive back Malik Dunlap has made a turn in terms of his mindset. McGuire mentioned Dunlap’s size as a huge boost for his NFL stock; he just has to show that he can play on tape.

McGuire added that he believes they really have three NFL-type corners in Dunlap, Adrian Frye and Rayshad Williams. Dunlap and Williams both measure out at 6 feet 3 inches while Frye is a flat 6 feet.

Some key names missed portions of the spring season due to injury, including running back SaRodorick Thompson, defensive lineman/ hybrid linebacker Tyree Wilson and linebacker Jesiah Pierre.

McGuire said all three were held out of the spring game, but if the season had started in April, all three would have played.

Wilson and Pierre did see some early action in the spring campaign. McGuire and DeRuyter decided to sit them out late to avoid any further

strain on their injuries. Pierre was dealing with a sprained foot while Wilson had a back issue.

“We were at a point to where we didn’t want it to get worse. Nothing but rest,” McGuire said about Wilson’s back injury and recovery. “Then, if you don’t know what Tyree can do then you don’t know a lot about football. They did not want to be out. But it was like, ‘hey, we’ve got bigger things in front of us for you guys and you’ve played a lot of snaps.’ You have to think, those guys have played a lot of football so we want to protect them.”

From the start, McGuire and the coaching staff have emphasized their ability to go out and recruit. When he was initially hired the expectations to have success in the Texas high school recruiting world were already high.

McGuire has hit the ground running. At the end of spring football, he has the No. 1-ranked recruiting class of 2023 in the country, according to Rivals.com. While the Red Raiders aren’t expected to hold on to that top ranking – their class is largely full while programs like Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State are just getting started – McGuire’s first full class is still on track to be one of the highest-ranked in program history.

There are still some spots they need to fill but overall McGuire wants to bring in guys that are bigger, stronger, faster and that want to be in Lubbock.

“Well, the biggest thing we’re looking for we’re looking for guys that want to be Red Raiders and understand how important that is,” he said. “We’re really fast right now in that class.

That’s what we’ll recruit. We’re going to recruit really big guys and we’re going to recruit really fast guys and that’s what we’re going to do.”

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Texas Tech starter Brandon Birdsell (left) was selected as the 2022 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year while catcher/first baseman Hudson White (right) was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, helping to lead the Red Raiders to post season play for the sixth straight year (not counting the Covid-shortened season). Birdsell was a stalwart Saturday starter throughout the year, posting eight wins in the regular season. White hit .337 in Big 12 play and became the first Red Raider catcher since Josh Bard (1997) to be named Freshman of the Year. Birdsell and Jace Jung were both named to the All Big 12 First Team. The Red Raiders entered post season as the three seed in the Statesboro, GA Regional.

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Texas Tech junior Ludvig Aberg was named the 2022 recipient of the Ben Hogan Award; the annual award honors the top men’s college golfer based on collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months. The announcement came on the heels of Aberg’s Big 12 championship (pictured). Aberg and the Red Raiders advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship before falling to top seeded Vanderblit.

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RECRUITING

NOTEBOOK The Texas Tech football program added several impact players between the early signing period in December and the late signing period in February. High-end high school talent and immediately eligible transfer additions were the goal, and the staff accomplished that, specifically on the offensive and defensive lines.

Still, there were a few spots left to round out the roster heading into spring ball and the summer offseason. With the transfer portal, recruiting is a 24/7/365 job, and Texas Tech was on the hunt for more roster additions.

An All-Conference performer, Western Kentucky transfer offensive lineman Cole Spencer had every program in the country after him but he chose to stay loyal to his coaches and committed to Texas Tech. Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley and offensive line coach Stephen Hamby were both previously at WKU with Spencer, and will now get to coach him for his final year of eligibility.

A former Red Raider target out of Calallen High School, USC transfer Ty Buchanan will head to Lubbock after one season in Los Angeles. Buchanan held over 30 offers coming out of high school and will return to his home state with four years of eligibility remaining.

Tight end Baylor Cupp was one of the best prospects in the country when he signed with Texas A&M out of Brock High School in the 2019 class, but injuries limited him dur-

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ing his time in Aggieland. Now he takes his talents to Texas Tech, where he will look to make an impact in Kittley’s offense. Cupp checks in at 6-foot-7, 245 pounds.

On the defensive side of the ball, the staff was looking for more length on the line, and they got just that in ULM defensive end Myles Cole. Cole checks in at 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, and it was his relationship with defensive line coach Zarnell Fitch made a big impact on his decision.

“He just keeps it real and keeps it real honest. Outside of that, there’s an actual need for me at Texas Tech. He’s also a great coach. We’ve been watching some of the installs, I’ve been in a few of the meetings and it’s pretty easy to pick up the defense.

“The coaches also want to see you succeed, they put your best interest ahead of theirs sometimes. That’s what I really like about coach Fitch.”

Houston Baptist kicker Gino Garcia, who went 9-of10 on field goals and 21-of-21 on PATs last season, entered the transfer portal following the 2021 season and ended up choosing a preferred walk-on opportunity at Texas Tech over options at McNeese State, Campbell and LSU among others. Look for Garcia to be in the mix to replace the departed Jonathan Garibay.

In addition to recruiting to the immediate, the staff also had an eye on the future with the 2023 recruiting class.

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Lubbock Trinity Christian’s Marcus Ramon-Edwards committed to Texas Tech a few weeks after visiting for a Junior Day event. Ramon-Edwards checks in at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and projects to play linebacker at the next level.

Another local product to pledge to the scarlet and black was Clarendon athlete Jmaury Davis. Davis, a four-star prospect by Rivals.com, projects to play as a safety in college. He chose Texas Tech over offers from Kentucky, Purdue, UTSA and Western Kentucky.

Little Cypress-Mauriceville defensive end Amier Washington is a 6-foot-4, 260-pound prospect who chose Texas Tech over offers from Baylor and Central Michigan.

Mansfield safety Brenden Jordan plays on the same 7-on-7 team, Texas Flex, as a couple of other Texas Tech commits in Kaleb Smith and Jake Strong. Jordan is a four-star prospect and the No. 14-ranked safety in the country. He chose Texas Tech over Arkansas, Arizona and several others.

All Saints Episcopal speedster Chris Palfreeman was a bit of a surprise commitment to Texas Tech, announcing after an unofficial visit in early April. Palfreeman had previously released a top five of Arkansas, Texas A&M, Texas, SMU and Baylor, but Texas Tech’s new staff was able to make a late move and land the promising athlete. Palfreeman reportedly runs a 4.40 40-yard dash and will play receiver at Texas Tech.

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AM WASHI

Manor defensive tackle Jayden Cofield is a massive body in the middle at 6-foot-3, 325 pounds. He chose Texas Tech over offers from Arizona State, Houston, Kansas, SMU and TCU among others.

Flour Bluff offensive lineman Dylan Shaw committed to Texas Tech while on campus for the spring game. The 6-foot4, 300 pound three-star prospect also earned offers from Sam Houston State and UTSA. El Paso Parkland wide receiver DJ Crest checks in at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds and can go get the ball on the outside.

He officially announced his commitment to Texas Tech a couple of days after the spring game. He also held an offer from New Mexico State.

El Paso Canutillo running back LJ Martin was one of the most productive players in the nation last season, putting up 2,737 rushing yards, 31 passing yards, 376 receiving yards, 178 kick return yards, 57 punt return yards, 20 interception return yards and 36 touchdowns. Martin is a four-star prospect who is ranked comfortably inside the Rivals250.

Natchitoches (La.) Central defensive tackle Tre’Darius Brown is another big body in the middle at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds. The only commit from outside the state of Texas, Brown has added offers from Missouri, Tulane and Northwestern State following his pledge.

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D’MAURIAN WILLIAMS

DE’VION HARMON

Impact Transfers Mark Adams knew he would have to hit the portal hard this offseason due to the departure of several key players to graduation or transfer.

The first addition of the offseason came via Gardner Webb guard D’Maurian Williams. Williams is coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting 41 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from behind the 3-point line. Williams arrives in Lubbock with three seasons of eligibility.

De’Vion Harmon is a name who should be familiar to Texas Tech fans. Harmon played the first two season of his career at Oklahoma before spending his junior year at Oregon. After going back into the portal he chose Texas Tech this time around, and will bring

JAYDEN COFIELD

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much-needed veteran experience to the point guard position.

Harmon had his best season in 2020-21 in Norman, averaging 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3 and 73.2 percent from the line. Harmon will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

With Tech losing two big men from their rotation, there was a big need for a plug-and-play starter. Enter Utah Valley transfer Fardaws Aimaq. Aimaq checks in at 6-foot-11, 245 pounds and is coming off a monster season where he averaged 18.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per game.

Aimaq was the 2020-21 WAC Player of the Year and won back-to-back WAC Defensive Player of the Year awards.

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