Red Raider Sports Magazine - June/July 2019

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RED RAIDER

sports.com

RedRaiderSports.com is a publication º TRI Productions Volume 24 Issue 6 Managing Editor Aaron Dickens

Cover Photo TTU Athletics

Photographers Norvelle Kennedy Justin Rex

Michael Strong TTU Athletics

Writers Terry Greenberg Al Pickett

Jeremy O’Brien Brandon Soliz

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Red Raider Club

Update

Andrea Tirey Senior Associate Athletic Director — Development —

What a historic year we’ve had here at Texas Tech Athletics!

From a National Championship for our men’s track and field team, an appearance in the National Championship NCAA basketball game, and another trip to the College World Series in Omaha where we made it to the final four teams, the success from this past spring and summer is likely one we will all remember for years to come.

Success isn’t just achieved overnight. It begins with the leadership and culture Kirby Hocutt has established throughout our department where success isn’t just a goal, it’s an expectation. We couldn’t be prouder of the coaches and fellow staff members we work beside daily, but most importantly, our student-athletes each of whom demonstrates the true definition of a Fearless Champion. We talk a lot at Texas Tech about having elite programs — programs that regularly compete for championships. Getting to this level has taken investments — in facilities, in scholarships and in development for our student-athletes. Gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions and the Red Raider Club annual fund are a critical part to the success we are experiencing.

If you listened to Coach Wells speak on any of our Red Raider Club Tour stops this past spring, you clearly saw the passion he has for building a championship-level program that resembles the success Coach Kittley, Coach Beard, Coach Tadlock and so many others have established. As a Red Raider Club member, we encourage you to show your support for our football program each and every home game Saturday this fall. History has shown a sold-out Jones AT&T Stadium creates an unbelievable home field advantage for our Red Raiders.

When Coach Wells says it takes all of us to be successful, he means it. Plus, he has seen it work at Utah State where his teams boasted an unbelievable record at home during his tenure.

If you haven’t already, please tell your friends, family and co-workers to purchase season tickets or mini-plans for the upcoming football season. Tickets can be easily purchased online at TexasTech.com or by calling the Tech Ticket Office at 806-742-TECH. If you or any of your friends or family have questions regarding football tickets, a sales representative or a member of our Red Raider Club staff would be more than happy to assist you.

Thank you for all you do for Texas Tech Athletics. Every single gift makes a difference in the lives of our student-athletes. The success we’ve seen in so many areas is setting Texas Tech Athletics up for even greater things ahead. During these times of great success it is important to remember that now is the time to invest — so we can capitalize and build on these successes for continued growth. That’s why The Campaign for Fearless Champions continues to be so important and why your investment in the Red Raider Club is critical.

Wreck ‘em!

806.834.3270 andrea.tirey@ttu.edu Andrea 6

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b y J E R E MY O ‘ B R I E N

“This team is deep. When one person struggles, the others pick them up.”

That was the message head track and field coach Wes Kittley echoed to this year’s Red Raider team – which he believes is the most talented squad he has ever coached – all season long. Justin Hall took that message to heart at this month’s NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Hall, a long jumper from Blue Springs, Mo., has been looking forward to this opportunity since his freshman season. The junior got a taste of the national scene in 2017, when he qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a then-personal best jump of 25-feet 7½ inches at the NCAA West Preliminary. His men’s team ranked outside the top-20 then, so it was much more disheartening when he missed the cut in 2018 with the Tech squad entering as the nation’s second-ranked team and looking for the school’s first-ever men’s national title in any sport.

“Missing out on nationals was tough for me because I knew that I was more than capable of competing there,” he said.

Determined to make sure he was there to compete for points this year with his squad entering as the national favorite, Hall put together the best season of his career. For the first time, he jumped over 25-feet in six straight meets, including the incredible performance he turned in at nationals with a load of pressure on his shoulders. The pressure came from tough performances from fellow long jumpers Odaine Lewis and Charles Brown, who, despite having solid seasons and entering as top-four long jumpers, failed to place in the top-eight and score.

Hall, however, was ready to prove Kittley right and pick them up when they had an off-meet.

The junior began on a strong note, jumping 26feet even on his second attempt. With one jump left to solidify a spot in the finals, he made sure he’d have a place with a lifetime-best leap of 26-feet 5 inches. It is the first time he had ever jumped over eight meters (8.05m) without the assistance of wind.

It tied the fifth-farthest jump in school history, and

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was good enough to place him fourth, score Tech five big points, and make him a First Team All-American for the first time in his career.

With 10 competitors recording jumps of over 25 ½ feet, the finals of the this year’s long jump make it one of the most competitive ever at an NCAA Championship.

“Becoming a First Team All-American was a big goal of mine,” Hall said. “I was blessed enough to place top-four at one of the greatest NCAA long jump competitions in history. However, contributing points to my team was the best feeling of the whole meet.”

With his work done on Wednesday, Hall had a front row to seat to witness his teammates do their parts Friday to seal the first men’s National Championship in school history.

“I was sitting in the stands watching Duke [Kicinski] throw the discus,” he said as he recalled the meet’s winding moments. “We knew all he had to do was score and we would win, and he ended up winning the event. Coach [James] Thomas called my name from the stands behind me and said, ‘We did it, it’s over!’ I felt overwhelming joy. That was one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt in my life.”

A national title meet comes not only at the end of a long season in the weight room and the track, but the classroom as well. Hall, a sports management major, is one of so many student-athletes in Tech’s track and field program who successfully manages his schoolwork alongside his hard work at practices, workouts, and meets.

“Balancing school and athletics during the season is tough,” Hall said. “But with the help of our academics staff – and making sure I get ahead in my work at the start of the week – it is a lot more manageable.

“It’s a great feeling to be a student-athlete here at Texas Tech. Academics is always the first responsibility, and graduating with a degree will always be the goal that goes along with having a great athletic career here at Tech.”

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We are What We Eat b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

In the past few months:

• A national championship for men’s track and field.

• An overtime loss for men’s basketball on one of the

biggest college sports stages in the national title game.

• Baseball’s fourth trip in six years to the College World Series

where, this time, they made it to the final four.

“Raider Power is no longer just a school chant,” Kirk Bohls of the

Austin American-Statesmen recently wrote.

Think about that for a moment – an Austin-based writer showering

praise on the Red Raiders.

Is it the coaching?

Better recruiting?

Growing a culture of winning the right way and developing Fearless

Champions on the field and off?

It’s all the above and more – with Tech Texas Athletics on the brink

of improving its nutrition program even more when the standalone Cash Family Sports Nutrition Center opens next year to serve all athletes.

continued on page 12

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Norman Grimes chatted about nutrition and how much it contributes to his performance, a few days after his second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Championships inched the Red Raiders closer to what had been an elusive national title.

“It makes up a majority – we are what we eat.

Nutrition is an important part of my performance – but I didn’t know how important,” said the sophomore from Amarillo.

Dayna McCutchin, director of sports nutrition said the new center – under construction just west of the Frazier Alumni Pavilion – will have its own kitchen, which makes a massive difference.

“Food will be prepared on site,” said McCutchin, no longer catered into the alumni pavilion. “We’ll have fresher food, much better quality and explode the options.”

This will help athletes even more fit their performance needs through fueling their bodies if their specific need is weight management, weight gain or weight control.

“It’s going to allow us to provide a much greater service to our student athletes compared to what we’re currently doing,” said Kirby Hocutt, director of athletics.

And it’s happening because the Cashes – once again – have stepped up through the DonKay-Clay Cash Family Foundation.

“They have done so much for Texas Tech University, Texas Tech Athletics and have invested in so many ways,” said Hocutt.

“I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the family members over the past eight years and nutrition is a big part of what they believe in. We’ve had long discussions about the importance of nutrition in our daily lives – especially the younger generations and how that impacts student athletes,” said Hocutt.

Andrea Tirey, senior associate athletics director for development, said the Cash family investment is part of the bigger picture driving sports success.

“We talk a lot at Texas Tech about having elite programs — programs that regularly compete for championships. The momentum we’ve seen has come because of investments — in facilities, in scholarships and in development for our studentathletes. Gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions and the Red Raider Club annual fund have made these kinds of strategic investments possible,” she said.

“We are grateful for all of our donors and fans at every level whose support are getting us to this elite level,” she said. continued on page 14

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A Center Designed for Athletes

Wes Kittley, who just guided his track team to the first men’s team title in school history, calls the new center a “game changer.”

“We’ve been sharing a facility. This will be bigger and all teams can be there at the same time,” he said.

The coach mentioned how foods will be labeled with different colors so athletes will easier know what’s good and bad for them.

“Nutritionists will be there every day,” he said.

“And it’s going to help us in recruiting – for all our teams.”

McCutchin agreed.

“I love for our staff to look a parent in the eye and say we’ll be able to give their student the best nutrition and take care of them,” she said.

She gave more details about the center.

“Athletes can custom order and have their food freshly prepared to meet their specific needs and requests,” said McCutchin. “Athletes can better follow our recommendations for their nutrition plan based on their body composition,” she said.

There will be a hot grill line, they’ll be able to rotate more items and partner with different vendors, she said.

Hocutt added: “We’ll be able to control how much food is prepared each day. If there’s a popular item and now we run out, we can’t replenish it.”

Once the center opens, they could make more of a popular item.

There will also be a demo kitchen equipped with what the athletes would have in a normal student apartment, said McCutchin.

They’ll be able to watch how food is prepared, cook alongside a chef and learn a life skill beyond what they need during their athletic career.

McCutchin said her team has discussed bringing in local chefs and doing cooking competitions, too.

The facility will have a sports bar theme with a sound system.

“It will be theirs,” said McCutchin, a place where athletes can feel at home.

Nutrition Buy-In

Since she joined Texas Tech Athletics in

2013, McCutchin said nutrition “buy in” has been huge from athletes, coaches and staff.

“Good coaches and good recruiting are going to win ballgames, but anything we can do to help – sports nutrition is playing a big role,” she said.

“Coach (Chris) Beard is constantly stressing recovery and eating right at practices,” she said about the men’s basketball coach. “He was making sure athletes were trying asparagus and asking about their weight. Women’s basketball is the same way.”

Her team’s work with softball shows how they help athletes during road trips.

“Coach (Adrian) Gregory is huge on nutrition – feeding the girls the right things at the right times

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and packing for trips to eat healthy things,” she said.

McCutchin said her staff helps softball players on what to choose on road trips they’ll like and makes sense nutritionally.

Another Red Raider who has seen nutrition make a difference in his performance, said McCutchin, is baseball’s Josh Jung, who was recently taken eighth by the Texas Rangers in the Major League Baseball draft.

Earlier this year when McCutchin was on maternity leave, jumper Charles Brown came by before the Texas Relays to discuss the challenges of eating on the road and in between events.

“He met my baby and then went on to set a PR,” she said.

McCutchin pitched Hocutt on creating a nutrition program at her alma mater and the timing was right, he said as the NCAA was changing what a school could do to help athletes.

“Dayna was following the national discussion and anticipating this was an area about to be deregulated by the NCAA and an area that could make a difference. She was very aggressive and persistent proposing enhancements we could do nutritionally.

“Dayna’s a Red Raider, she’s a West Texan and she wants this program to be successful as much as anything,” he said.

Hocutt said Athletics needs to look at every incremental advantage because there is such a thin separation and margin for difference for athletic programs and athletes at the major college level.

“Nutrition, strength and conditioning, sleep – those are so important to find that incremental advantage. So we’ve strategically invested into the nutritional program to the maximum levels the NCAA has allowed,” he said,

“And when you talk to the student athletes – it’s a cliche – but the proof’s in the pudding when you hear the impact it’s made in their performance and lives. It’s important not only for their competitive lives here, but it’s a lifelong habit and education for them,” Hocutt said.

“You think about (basketball senior) Norense Odiase and he transformed his physique during his time here and it’s a critical element for us and an area we’ll continue to invest in,” he said.

McCutchin credits Hocutt and Texas Tech administration with providing “enough people on the ground to do it the right way.”

And others are noticing.

“New programs call and say ‘we don’t have what you have, please give us examples of what you’re doing,” said McCutchin. “It says a lot to what Kirby and the administration have done.”

Grimes is a big believer, pointing out the fueling station in the Sports Performance Center as an example of the investment the university has made.

“And it definitely paid off last week,” he said of the national title captured in early June.

“The convenience of the fueling station really

benefits us. It separates us from other programs.

And Dayna’s always available to answer questions we have,” he said.

Grimes explained he’s a “weight-gain” athlete and his nutrition plan replenishes what his body loses after a hard workout and helps him get stronger.

Kittley said so much has changed since he arrived in Lubbock 20 years ago.

“We didn’t have anything. But the last five years it’s been full force. People around the country are putting money into nutrition programs and Texas Tech is second to none,” he said.

“Kids are raised in a McDonald’s society where food is quick and microwaved. We eat terrible – all of us,” Kittley said.

“It’s made kids stop, get educated and learn what good fuel does for your body. They realize their performance gets better, their skin gets better – they feel the difference and know how it scientifically helps with performances,” he said.

Kittley then mentioned Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru – who won both the 100 and 200 meter races to help the Red Raiders capture the recent track title.

“He comes from a country where there is malnutrition. He’s gotten great coaching from Coach (Calvin) Robinson, but the nutrition to fuel his body in a consistent way has been invaluable,” said Kittley.

Continued Investment in Texas Tech

Clay Cash, said his family loves that the center impacts every single athlete.

“We love Texas Tech and Athletics because of the visibility sports success brings the entire university,” said Cash.

Hocutt outlined other investments they’ve made.

“They’ve invested in the future of this athletic department and continue to give impactful gifts each year. They have given to facilities at the Rawls Course, ticket office, Sports Performance Center as well as invested in the Leadership Academy … and it seems like nutrition has always been a part of our conversations,” said Hocutt.

“Like how important it is for golfers who walk 18 or 36 holes of golf a day, or leadership development and preparing these young people for success after college. So when we decided we wanted to build a standalone dining facility for our student athletes, it was in alignment with so many of our conversations with Don, Kay, Ashley and Clay and something they passionately believed in,” he said.

Kittley echoed his director of athletics.

“We are so fortunate to be at a university where so many people – especially the Cashes on this projects and others – invest in us and believe in us. And they know they had a part in our success,” he said.

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For the first time in the history of Texas Tech, a men's

athletic team returned to campus as national champions. The Red Raider track and field team claimed the NCAA Outdoor

Championship after receiving point contributions from every single student-athlete that suited up.

"I'm just so incredibly proud of these guys," said Direc-

tor of Track & Field and Cross Country Wes Kittley (pictured, right), whose Red Raiders were ranked No. 1 all season.

"They just wanted to bring a championship home to Texas Tech, and I'm just so glad they have now done that."

Divine Oduduru led the charge, turning on the jets in the

100m, going 9.86 for his third sub-10 race of the season.

Later, he went sub-20 in the 200m within an hour of going

sub-10 in the 100m. In the history of track and field, this has been done 12 times, three of them by Oduduru.

Ododoru managed to do all of this after leading the

4x100 relay to yet another school record. His squad, which

was comprised of Keion Sutton, Andrew Hudson and Jacolby Shelton, went for 38.45 in one of the fastest finals in cham-

pionship history. Hudson also ran in the 200m with Oduduru.

The senior, running in his first career outdoor nationals final, ran a 20.25 to place seventh and score two points for Tech.

Norman Grimes Jr. ran a 48.71 in the 400m hurdles

for the silver and the fifth-fastest time in the world. It was a career-best for the sophomore and counted as the new

school record – one of four set on Friday. The eight points he grabbed took two from the Cougars, whose hurdler, Amere Lattin, finished just behind Grimes in third place.

With so many points in hand from the work done on the

track, Duke Kicinski was in a position to put the meet out of reach for good. He launched a throw of 205'-2" (62.53m)

for the golden 10 points that clinched the first national title in school history. Kicinski is now a national champion in the discus at both the Division I and Division II level, taking the

D-II crown in 2016 while at West Texas A&M. The only other

thrower to be named a champion at both levels is Cliff Felkins, his throws coach at Texas Tech.

Prior to Duke's clinching discus, Jonah Koech and Vin-

cent Crisp secured three points in the final 800m of their ca-

reers. Koech placed seventh with a 1:47.28. Crisp earned a

point with his 1:47.48. The 800m final was one of the fastest in championship history.

Odaine Lewis scored in the triple jump with a season-

best mark 54'-9.5" (16.70m). The senior grabbed the three points in his final collegiate meet in one of the critical events in which Tech had an athlete and Houston did not.

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shinin MOM

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A loss to Michigan ended a historic season for the Red Raiders, who won their third Big 12 regular-season title in the past four years to advance to Omaha for the fourth time in six seasons. Tech’s stay in Omaha featured two wins, placing Red Raiders among the final four teams for the first time in program history.

Coach Tim Tadlock was named the 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Diamond Midwest Regional Coach of the year – marking back-to-back years that Tadlock has earned the accolade and the third time in his seven seasons at Tech. Tadlock guided the Red Raiders to a 46-20 overall record in 2019.

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In a season that saw the Red Raiders finish as the NCAA National RunnerUp, Coach Chris Beard led Texas Tech to a 31-7 overall record (record wins for the program) and to it’s first Final Four – reaching the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. The Red Raiders were Big 12 Conference Regular Season Co-Champions with Coach Beard being named both the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year (second consecutive season) and the Associated Press National Coach of the Year.

The Red Raiders also led the nation in defensive efficiency in the Pomeroy Ratings and limited 20 opponents to less than 60 points. It was also a record-breaking year in terms of game attendance with the fans in attendance at the United Supermarkets Arena averaging just over 12,000 which was second in the Big 12 and 24th nationally.

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The Texas Tech softball team’s historic run came to a close after they fought tooth and nail on Championship Sunday at the 2019 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.

Needing to win two games to advance to the Super Regional round, the Red Raiders stunned the LSU Tigers and ground out a 5-4 win in game one before they dropped a 5-1 decision in the final game of the tournament.

The 42-16 Red Raiders finished their 2019 campaign tied with its second-highest win total in program history. They finished head coach Adrian Gregory’s best season with a .724 winning percentage.

“We are really proud of this team,” Gregory said.

“We couldn’t have fought any harder than we did.

We did everything we came here to do except walk away with the last win. Our team gave everything they could. We are very proud and they should be very proud of themselves. Of course they are gutted and heartbroken, but when you lay it all on the line, all you can do is walk out with pride.”

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Texas Tech ushered in a new era of Red Raider Football when Matt Wells, a two-time Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year recipient, became the 16th head coach in program history.

Wells led Utah State to a 10-2 record and a top-25 ranking last season. Wells compiled a 44-34 overall record at his alma mater, leading Utah State to five bowl appearances during his six seasons.

Wells is the only head coach in Utah State history to lead the Aggies to at least three bowl games as well as multiple bowl victories.

“My family and I are excited to join the Red Raider family,” Wells said. “I can’t thank Kirby Hocutt, Tony Hernandez and Dr. Schovanec enough for this opportunity. I am excited to get to work on building an elite program that Red Raider fans will enjoy every Saturday.”

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Divine Intervention

Divine Oduduru's rounded out his collegiate career at the NCAA Championships with dominant wins in the 100m and 200m and 21.5 points contributed to Texas Tech's first-ever men's athletics national title.

He established himself as one of the greatest collegiate sprinters ever.

Ododoru has been a name of global prominence since finishing second behind Usain Bolt at the Rio Olympics in 2016, but burst onto the American track scene when he won the 200m title last year NCAA Outdoor Championships. That was just the beginning.

This year, Ododoru ran a program top-10 time in both the 60m and 200m every time he ran them during the indoor season, which culminated with a national title in the 200m running a 20.08 for the fastest time in the world this year. He also turned in a 6.52 at the Big 12 Championships, which stood as the third-fastest 60m time. He finished his indoor career as the owner of four of the program top-10 60m times and seven of the top-10 200m times.

If the indoor tracks were on fire, Oduduru absolutely scorched the outdoor ones.

Opening his spring season at the Texas Relays, Ododoru ran as a member of four Tech relay teams, most notably leading the 4x100 squad to a school-record 38.87 – the first sub-39 time in program history.

The junior sped through the Big 12 Championships, where he picked up a second-consecutive title in the 100m after becoming the first to ever dip below 10 seconds at the conference meet with his 9.99. He also led the 4x100 to a conference meet and school record of 38.83.

Oduduru will end his outdoor career as the owner of seven of the program top-10 100m times and seven of the top-10 200m times. He owns the school records in the wind-legal and wind-aided 100m and 200m.

Assistant coach Calvin Robinson, who oversees Tech's sprints group, would narrow Oduduru's collegiate career down to one word: legendary.

"I think if you look at the times he has run and what he has done in his time in college, I would have to agree with [head coach] Wes [Kittley] that he's the greatest 100m/200m doubler in NCAA history," he said.

"What makes him different is his passion," said Robinson. "Whether it be in practice or at a meet, he doesn't place limits on himself. I think that's what makes him so great. You've seen that in his time here, and you're going to see that wherever he goes in the future."

A week after announcing his plans to turn professional, Ododuru learned he is one of three finalists for the prestigious Bowerman award, collegiate track & field’s highest honor. The Bowerman will be presented on Dec. 19 in Orlando, Fla.

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Track & Field • Duke Kicinski

At the NCAA Outdoor Championship in Austin, Kicinski was left in a position to put the meet out of reach for good. He launched a throw of 205’-2” (62.53m) for the golden 10 points that clinched the first national title in school history. Kicinski is now a national champion in the discus at both the Division I and Division II levels, taking the D-II crown in 2016 while at West Texas A&M. The only other thrower to be named a champion at both levels is Kicinski’s throws coach at Texas Tech, Cliff Felkins.

This season, Kicinski has thrown combinations of the discus, shot put and hammer. He successfully defended his outdoor Big 12 Championship in the discus and placed fifth in the shot put.

Basketball • Jarrett Culver

Culver was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a Consensus All-America in a season where he led the Red Raiders with 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Culver scored in double figures in 37 of 38 games and went for 20 or more in 13.

Culver led the Red Raiders with five double-doubles and had a career-high 16 rebounds this season. Culver finished his second season with the Red Raiders shooting 46.1 percent from the field and made 49 3-pointers.

In conference play, Culver averaged 17.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game where he shot 44.6 percent from the field and led the team with 68 made free throws.

Culver led Tech with five assists in the national championship game where he also had 15 points and nine rebounds against Virginia. During the NCAA tournament, he averaged 18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and led the Red Raiders with 25 assists in the six games.

During his career at Texas Tech, Culver scored 1,119 points and has 327 rebounds, 209 assists, 98 steals and 48 blocked shots through 75 games played. He is the first Red Raider in program history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone in just two seasons and is currently 27th on the all-time scoring list.

After declaring 2019 NBA Draft, Culver was the sixth pick in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, and was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Baseball • Josh Jung

Jung racked up 250 career hits over his Red Raider career, starting 184 of a possible 186 games.

The Big 12 Co-Player of the Year has tallied 34 extra base hits, including 11 home runs and 22 doubles, while recording 53 RBI and 59 runs scored.

Jung is one of the most decorated student-athletes ever to don the scarlet & black. He earned the 10th All-America award of his career, receiving second team honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. He was named a Golden Spikes Award and a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist each of the last two seasons.

Defensively, Jung made the transition from third base to shortstop look effortless. Over the last 26 games, he has helped solidify the middle infield with just two errors in 128 chances.

Jung’s sophomore season was one for the books, as he led the Big 12 in batting (.392), hits (103) and RBI (80). His hit total ranked third nationally, his RBI total was fourth and his .392 average was 12th. He also completed the sixth cycle in Texas Tech history on April 21, 2018 at New Mexico.

For his career, Jung is hitting .347 with 91 extra-base hits. His 53 doubles currently ranks seventh in school history, while his 250 hits ranks fourth and his 176 RBI ranks fifth. He has also flashed discipline at the plate, with 126 career walks, which is just 14 behind the school record.

Just the second first-round pick in program history, Jung was taken by the Texas Rangers with the No. 8 pick of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft

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Baseball • Cam Warren

Warren completed his best season as a Red Raider, hitting a team-leasing .354 at the plate to go along with 17 home runs and 76 RBI. He has added 16 doubles and reached base at a .448 percentage while also slugging a team-leading .664 overall.

Warren has also been a vacuum defensively with a .996 fielding percentage and only two errors at first base.

Basketball • Davide Moretti

Moretti earned Big 12 Conference Third-Team and NCAA Elite 90 honors in a sophomore season where he led the nation with a 92.4 free-throw percentage and averaged 11.5 points and 2.4 assists per game. He led Tech for the season with 73 3-pointers.

Moretti shot 49.8 percent from the field for the season and scored in double figures in 25 games, helping lead the Red Raiders to the program’s first-ever Big 12 Conference regular-season championship.

At home, Moretti averaged 11.8 points per game and went 47-for-49 at the free-throw line, helping the Red Raiders earn a 17-1 record on their home court at the United Supermarkets Arena.

Moretti made three 3-pointers in the national championship game and finished with 15 points against Virginia. He scored in double figures in five of six NCAA Tournament games including a 15-point performance in the Sweet 16 win over Michigan where he was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and finished the season with 23 games with at least two 3-pointers. Throughout the NCAA Tournament, Moretti averaged 11.3 points per game with nine 3-pointers and was 13-for-15 at the free-throw line. In just two seasons and 75 games, he scored 566 points, made 99 career 3-pointers and was 121-for-133 (91.0 %) from the free-throw line.

On July 1, Moretti was named to Italy’s expanded list of 24 players for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China along with NBA players Marco Belinelli and Danilo Gallinari.

Football • Antoine Wesley

The nation’s leader in receiving yards per game in 2018, Wesley was named a semifinalist for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award.

Wesley torched opposing defenses through the air as he recorded 1,347 receiving yards through 10 games, which ranked second nationally. Wesley also ranked ninth nationally in receiving touchdowns (9) and 15th in all-purpose yards per game (134.5).

The Las Vegas native notched at least 100 receiving yards in each four games of the season, all but one of which came against an opponent ranked in the College Football Playoff poll (No. 22 Iowa State, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 19 Texas). He reached the 100-yard mark in six games altogether, which was one shy of the national lead.

His top performance of the season came early in the season when he snapped the Tech single-game record with 255 yards against Houston. He broke the previous mark of 255 yards set by Joel Filani against Kansas State in 2005.

In May, Wesley signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted agent.

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Tennis • Parker Wynn

Wynn impressed in his first season as a Red Raider, leading the team with a 16-8 mark in dual match action, including three wins over ranked opponents.

In February, Wynn put together an imposing stretch, defeating 12 of 13 opponents, all at the secondary singles position. He was integral in the Red Raider’s upset bid of No.14 Texas A&M when he defeated Valentine Vacherot in straight sets.

Wynn was consistently ranked in the top-100 national individual rankings while earning All-Big 12 Second Team nods for his singles play. He also made his mark in doubles play with redshirt junior Bjorn Thomson, as the pair notched 29 wins, including 15 in dual match play and six against ranked opponents. Wynn and Thomson ranked in the top-10 in the final eight national polls, while earning All-Big 12 First Team honors for their efforts on the court.

Golf • Sandy Scott

Scott’s season of accomplishments include being named All-Big 12, PING All-Region team, Academic All-Big 12, Haskins Award Watch List and a selection to the Arnold Palmer Cup International Team. His season was highlighted by the win at the El Macero Classic where he shot 75-66-72 – 213 (3-under) for his first collegiate victory. The win came after a second-place showing in Louisiana where he shot 64-65-74 – 203 for the 13-under scorecard. At the Big 12 Championship, Scott finished at 5-under (69-70-66 – 205) at The Greenbrier. In late June, Scott was also named to the PING All-America Second Team.

With a 70.2 scoring average, Scott tops the previous TTU record held by Clement Sordet who finished with a 70.9 average in the 2014-15 season for the Red Raiders. Following the season, Scott competed at the Arnold Palmer Cup where he helped the International Team to a win and is also playing in The Amateur in Ireland.

Football • Dakota Allen

Allen turned in another strong season to wrap up his career as a Red Raider. For the second straight year, he was named a team captain starting 11 games in the season (only missing the Kansas State game due to injury). Allen closed the year with 73 tackles (33 solo) which ranked second on the team.

He led the team with two fumble recoveries and reached the 10-tackle mark twice in the season. Allen was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week following the win against Kansas. He also broke his career high for tackles at Iowa despite missing part of the first quarter with an injury.

Named to the All-Big 12 first team by the conference coaches, Associated Press and ESPN and was a preseason candidate for the Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award. Allen was also named to the Academic All-Big 12 second team.

Allen was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams near the end of the seventh round.

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MakingHistory

The Texas Tech track and field program’s unforgettable run concluded with yet another remarkable feat, as Zarriea Willis completed her 2019 sweep of the NCAA indoor and outdoor national titles in the high jump.

The Phoenix, Ariz., native was clean on all of her jumps leading up to the eventual title bar of 6’-2.75” (1.90m). It was this bar that left Willis and North Carolina junior Nicole Greene without a clearance after three attempts. Sudden death was declared, and, when neither could clear 1.90m on a fourth try, it was lowered to 6’-2” (1.88m). Willis kept Tech undefeated this season in jump-offs by clearing for the national title. The championship – the first outdoor high

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jump title for a woman in program history – came just three months after marking the same accomplishment for the indoor event.

“The NCAA meet is a meet that tends to bring the best out of everyone,” said Associate Head Coach James Thomas. “It doesn’t matter your PR or what you did to get here – it’s about what you do in the moment. Her staying clean all the way through to the championship bar is what gave her the opportunity to be a national champion.”

One look at the record books confirms Willis’ standing as the greatest female high jumper in school history. The senior will round out

her career with seven of the top-10 program heights, including Saturday’s 1.88m leap which counts as the new school record.

“There’s been nobody that I’ve ever coached that has shown the level of growth she has,” said Thomas. “In her four years here, she’s gone from a competitor to All-Big 12 to All-American to national champion. She’s always been growing because she’s always been battling to get better. When she’s on and she’s competing, she’s a monster out there.”

Tennis • Felicity Maltby

Senior Felicity Maltby’s incredible season and collegiate career came to an end in the NCAA Singles Championship Quarterfinals where Maltby fell to No. 46 Cameron Morra of North Carolina in a tough three-set match.

Maltby ended her senior season with a 22-9 overall record. She closes out her collegiate career with a 92-32 overall record, the 10th most career wins in school history.

Her 74.2 percent winning percentage ranks fifth in school history.

An impressive 18 of her 22 wins came in straight sets and she won three straight matches over Top-25 challengers during conference action – lifting her to a No. 18 ranking in the Oracle/ITA Rankings.

Maltby became the first Lady Raider to advance to the NCAA Singles Championship quarterfinals. The Sunnyvale, Calif., native became just the second player in program history to advance to the Round of 16 and earn ITA All-America honors.

Maltby was also the second Lady Raider in program history to be named Big 12 Player of the Year and the ITA Texas Region Senior of the Year following an outstanding spring season. Maltby was also a unanimous All-Big 12 first-teamer.

Basketball • Chrislyn Carr

Chrislyn Carr started her collegiate basketball career with a bang, playing in all 31 games (she started in 30 of them). She was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year as well as All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week five times and USBWA Freshman of the Week one time.

She averaged 18.0 games per game, the most by any freshman in the country and tallied a whopping 558 points this season, ranking 17th in school history and 3rd by any Lady Raider freshman before her. As if that weren’t enough, she was the top ranking freshman in the NCAA in five statistical categories and was the only freshman in the league to be named to the Big 12 Honorable Mention team.

Carr also broke a 24-year-old school record for the most three-point attempts in a single game when she recorded 21 attempts and tied a 14-year-old school record for most three pointers made in a single game when she made nine three-pointers both at Nevada.

Softball • Karli Hamilton

Karli Hamilton was awarded Third Team All-America honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Starting all 58 games as Tech’s center fielder, Hamilton saw a tremendous boost in the batter’s box in her third season with the Red Raiders. The NFCA Central All-Region and All-Big 12 First-Team honoree led the Big 12 Conference with 73 hits and seven triples during the regular season while she sat second with a .427 batting average.

Hamilton set the school career and single-season record with eight triples during the Red Raiders’ 2019 campaign and now holds the school record with 13 triples in her career.

The junior was awarded three Big 12 Player of the Week nods and through 58 games, Hamilton led the Red Raider lineup in batting average (.398), runs scored (58), total bases (128), hits (78) and triples (8).

A marketing major, Hamilton also earned Academic All-Big 12 First-Team honors thanks to her 3.61 GPA in the classroom.

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Basketball • Brittany Brewer

Brewer started and played in all 31 games this season where she averaged 16.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks and 31 minutes per game. For the first time in her career, Brewer shot the three ball and made 34 three-pointers. She also posted a season best 71 blocks, ranking in the Top 25 in the country and leading the Big 12.

Brewer racked up 13 double doubles this season, ranking in the Top 25 nationally and leading the Big 12. Thus far, Brewer has 609 career rebounds and 983 career points. She also broke two Big 12 records during the conference tournament and was named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention team for the first time in her career.

Working just as hard in the classroom as on the court, Brewer was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team for the second straight year — just the third Lady Raider in school history to earn the award and the first to earn it in back-to-back seasons. In addition, she was one of only five in the country selected to the Co-SIDA Academic All-America First team, becoming the first Lady Raider in school history to be awarded a first team selection and the third in school history to be named an AllAmerican. Brewer was also awarded a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for the second straight season.

Softball • Erin Edmoundson

Edmoundson was named to the NFCA All-Region Second Team and a member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. She posted the highest winning percentage in single-season history with an .800 mark after going 20-5 and finished the season with six shutouts – the most by a Red Raider in a single season since 2001.

Edmoundson’s 20 wins marked the fifth-highest win total in single-season history. She also became just the seventh Red Raider in program history to toss a no-hitter, doing so in a 10-strikeout, complete-game shutout against Drake.

This season she produced the first home run of her career, as well as one of Tech’s five grand slams, when she blasted a shot over the left-center field wall against UTEP.

Edmoundson tossed a three-hitter to help Tech clinch a first-round win over Kansas at the Big 12 Conference Championship. She then posted a one-hit shutout with four strikeouts over Louisiana Tech in Tech’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 and threw a career-high 9.2 innings with five strikeouts in Tech’s narrow loss to No. 10 LSU in the 2019 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional. She then helped Tech to an upset win over the No. 10 ranked Tigers after she fanned five hitters in 5.2 innings.

Edmoundson finished the regular season ranked second in the Big 12 with 18 wins, fourth overall with 142 strikeouts, five shutouts and 152.1 innings pitched and was ranked sixth in the league with 40 strikeouts and seventh with a .242 opponent batting average in Big 12 games.

Volleyball • Missy Owens A senior, Owens was named 2018 Big 12 Co-Setter of the Year and First Team All-Big 12 A California native and Long Beach State transfer, Owens is the fourth Red Raider to take home an ‘Of the Year’ award by the Big 12 and the first since 2005. She is Texas Tech’s first Big 12 Setter of the Year since the league began handing out the award in 2012.

After earning All-Big 12 Second Team her first year at Texas Tech, Owens received a first-team nod her senior year with a stellar Big 12 season that saw her finish with 10.48 assists per set while increasing the team’s hitting percentage from .179 in 2017 to .204 in 2018. Known for her aggressive style, Owens also tallied 121 kills this season, including 68 in Big 12 play. With eight double-doubles on the year, she also compiled 207 digs and 61 blocks for the year.

The middle blocker from Argyle, Texas, has been the face of the turnaround for the Red Raider volleyball program over the last four seasons. She ranked ninth in the Big 12 with a .298 hitting percentage and seventh in blocks per set.

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Softball • Jessica Hartwell

One of the most decorated student-athletes in program history, Hartwell served as a driving force behind Tech’s most successful season since 2012.

Hartwell’s career exploded her junior year as she became the third NFCA All-American in Texas Tech history. She earned NFCA All-Region and All-Big 12 First-Team honors after she rewrote the school record book in single-season marks. She set the bar with 20 home runs, a .897 slugging percentage and 63 runs scored and became the third Red Raider to ever hit .400 in a season. Hartwell was named to the NISC All-Regional Team, as well as the Academic All-Big 12 Team, and became the first Red Raider to earn a national player of the week – doing so twice.

After being named to the USA Softball Top-50 Watch List, the standout has made even more waves as a senior. Hartwell became Tech’s all-time career leader with 48 home runs and 171 RBI in her four years in scarlet and black. The Galt, Calif., native ranked among the league’s leaders in runs scored and triples, while ranking fourth in the regular season with 46 RBI and third with 15 steals. She claimed sole possession of Tech’s career home run record and topped the RBI leaderboard during the season.

Hartwell picked up one Big 12 Player of the Week award during the regular season, was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and Academic All-Big 12 Second-Team. She capped her career with an NFCA Central All-Region Third-Team nod and an impressive run in the 2019 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.

Soccer • Kirsten Davis In 2018, Davis made her mark in the Texas Tech record books, landing as #7 in single-season assists with seven and becoming one of only two players in program history (Janine Beckie, twice) to have four points in an NCAA Tournament game. She led the team in points with 21 and was voted 2018 Offensive MVP by her teammates. Davis started in all 22 matches and was one of three Red Raiders to have a four point game in 2018. Davis was also named to the First Team Academic All-Big 12 and to the Big 12 Tournament All Big 12 Team.

Golf • Sofia Garcia

On the heels of a historic season where she led all Big 12 golfers with a 71.6 stroke average, the nation’s fifth-best mark, Garcia was named to the 2019 All-Big 12 team.

She was also named as a second team All-American by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and earned Big 12 Golfer of the Month in November and April .

This season, Garcia’s adjusted scoring average (+0.727) and scoring average versus par (-0.44) led the conference, while her 124 birdies on the year and average of 3.71 subpar strokes per round were also Big-12 bests.

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2019 Head Coach Honors Wes Kittley Kittley was named the USTFCCCA’s National Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year after securing his first NCAA Championship at the Division I level in Austin last weekend. Kittley’s Red Raiders racked up 60 points at what is being referred to as the toughest national meet in the history of the NCAA. His men’s team picked up three individual titles in the effort.

Chris Beard Chris Beard has led Texas Tech to a 76-31 record in three seasons where the Red Raiders advanced to the 2019 National Final after reaching the Elite Eight in 2018 for the first time in program history. Beard was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season after guiding the team to the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and then earned Associated Press National Coach of the Year honors.

Tim Tadlock Tim Tadlock was named 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Diamond Midwest Regional Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and the third time in his seven seasons at Tech. Tadlock led the Red Raiders to a 46-20 overall record in 2019 and captured the program’s third Big 12 Championship in four years. Tech made its deepest CWS run in program history as one of the final four remaining teams.

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