2014 TEXAS TECH SOFTBALL (2001-04) by eight games as well. He will pass Reeves on Feb. 15 against Weber State and then Gillespie on March 15 when the Red Raiders face Cal State Fullerton in the Titan Classic. TEXAS TECH LONGEST TENURED COACHES ALL-TIME Coach Tenure Games Coached Renee Luers-Gillespie 1996-2000 (4.5) 255 Shanon Hays 2010-Present (4) 237 Bobby Reeves 2001-04 (4) 235 Teresa Wilson 2005-08 (4) 212 Amy Suiter 2009 (1) 57 Carla Marchetti 2000 (1) 43 EVANS ONE OF TWO NEW FACES IN THE TECH DUGOUT THIS SEASON Greg Evans isn’t the only new face in the Texas Tech dugout this season as former Mississippi Valley State assistant coach Brooke Reed joined the program this fall as the new director of operations. Evans and Reed complete a staff that includes head coach Shanon Hays, associate head coach Aly Sartini and volunteer assistant Holley Gentsch, who was promoted from a graduate assistant position into a coaching role this season. Sandy Wellman, formerly James, will replace Gentsch as the program’s graduate assistant after completing her eligibility a year ago. POWELL & TALLEY DESTINED FOR SUCCESS OUTSIDE SOFTBALL One thing is certain after the 2014 season - Texas Tech will have a pair of seniors destined for success. The only two four-year seniors on the Tech roster, Brittany Talley and Taylor Powell are scheduled to receive their degrees this spring with Talley earning hers in chemical engineering while Powell will graduate as an animal sciences major. While highly successful on the diamond, the pair also sport two of the highest grade-point averages on the team. Talley, a native of Little Elm, Texas, enters this semester with a 3.8 GPA and has already accepted a position with Oxy, an international oil company. Powell, meanwhile, has registered a perfect 4.0 GPA entering her final semester and will look to attend veterinarian school following graduation. TEXAS TECH SET FOR 24 GAMES AT ROCKY JOHNSON FIELD Texas Tech fans will have plenty of opportunities to catch the Red Raiders at Rocky Johnson Field this year with 24 home games set for the 2014 season. After three weekends on the road to start the season, Tech opens its home slate Feb. 28 with a doubleheader against Sam Houston State and Southern as part of the Texas Tech Invitational, the first of two home tournaments for the Red Raiders. Tech will also host the fourth- annual Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic on March 7-9, bringing in the likes of UT Arlington, Northern Colorado, Abilene Christian and New Mexico State. Following a nearly weeklong trip to Southern California, Tech closes its non-conference slate with a March 19 doubleheader against North Texas and a three-game set March 21-23 with Texas State. The two series begin an eight-game homestand for the Red Raiders, who will open Big 12 Conference play March 28 at home against Baylor. Tech will also host Oklahoma State and Iowa State in a pair of three-game series this season at Rocky Johnson Field. RED RAIDERS PICKED SIXTH IN BIG 12 PRESEASON POLL Texas Tech was selected to finish sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll that was voted upon by the conference coaches. The Red Raiders, who finished 30-26 a year ago, have ended the season ranked higher in the conference standings than their preseason selection twice under fifth-year head coach Shanon Hays. Oklahoma, the reigning NCAA National Champion, was the unanimous pick to defend its title while Baylor, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma State follow with Iowa State slated a spot behind the Red Raiders in seventh place. BIG 12 CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL Rank Team (First-Place Votes) Points 1. Oklahoma (6) 36 2. Baylor (1) 31 3. Texas 26 4. Kansas 18 5. Oklahoma State 16 6. Texas Tech 13 7. Iowa State 7
TEXAS TECH IN NATIONAL POLLS Preseason Feb. 11 Feb. 18 Feb. 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 May 6 May 13
NFCA ESPN RPI n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PLAYER HONORS CARA CUSTER Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (College Sports Madness) BRITTANY TALLEY Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 11)
MEDIA INFORMATION The Texas Tech Athletics Communications office is here to serve the media throughout the 2014 Red Raider Softball season. Media members in need of assistance can contact Matt Dowdy in the Athletics Communications office at (806) 742-2770. MEDIA CREDENTIALS Media members covering the Texas Tech softball program at Rocky Johnson Field during the 2013 season must be issued a working credential from the Texas Tech Athletics Communications office. All requests for both media and photo credentials must be made either in writing or via e-mail at least a day in advance to Matt Dowdy, Assistant Director for Athletic Communications. (Fax: (806) 742-1970; e-mail: matthew.dowdy@ttu.edu) VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS/NEWS CONFERENCES Video from news conferences and games will be available to the media via FTP. Broadcast quality video footage (game highlights, post-practice interviews, post-game interviews, etc) are available at www.ttumedia.com. Please contact the athletics communications office for login instructions. POSTGAME INTERVIEWS Texas Tech players and head coach Shanon Hays will be made available to the media outside the home dugout following a brief cooling off period. The Texas Tech locker room will remain closed. WWW.TEXASTECH.COM This is the official site of the Texas Tech Athletics Department. Texas Tech Softball releases as well as a variety of athletics department information can be found on the web. Texas Tech also offers live video and audio (home matches only) streaming of all Red Raider games. PRESS BOX SERVICES A complete NCAA box score and pertinent game facts will be distributed to members of the working media following the conclusion of the game. Game notes, statistics, lineups, and rosters are provided prior to first pitch. A pregame meal is also served in the press box approximately 45 minutes prior to first pitch.
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