Texas Tech Red Raiders
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| Texas Tech Red Raiders | |
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| University | Texas Tech University |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big 12 |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Gerald Myers |
| Location | Lubbock, TX |
| Varsity Teams | 15 |
| Stadium | Jones AT&T Stadium |
| Arena | United Spirit Arena |
| Mascot | The Masked Rider & Raider Red |
| Nickname | Red Raiders |
| Fight Song | Fight Raiders, Fight |
| Colors | Scarlet and Black
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| Homepage | www.redraiders.com |
Texas Tech Red Raiders is the name given to the sports teams of Texas Tech University. The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, all other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" nickname. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 15 varsity teams in 10 sports.
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[edit] Athletics
Texas Tech has teams in these varsity sports:
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[edit] Basketball
Bob Knight has served as the men's basketball coach since 2001. On New Year's Day 2007, a 70-68 defeat of New Mexico by Tech marked the 880th total win for Knight, making him the winningest coach in men's college basketball history.
The Red Raiders' participation in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament marked another record. With their inclusion as the #10 seed in the East Regional, Knight became the coach to lead his team to more NCAA Tournaments than any other. However, the team lost to Boston College in the first round by a score of 84-75. Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report eliminated Texas Tech (along with Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech) from his bracket in the first round of the tournament because "Tech means nerd." Colbert did, however, extend apologies to Knight. His predictions turned out to be accurate for both Texas Tech and Georgia Tech. Virginia Tech wasn't defeated until the second round.
Men's basketball record under Bob Knight
(First set of figures after year denotes overall record. Second set denotes Big 12 record.)
- 2001-02 23-9, 10-6 (Postseason: 1st Round of NCAA Tournament)
- 2002-03 22-13, 6-10 (Postseason: 3rd place of Postseason NIT)
- 2003-04 23-11, 9-7 (Postseason: 2nd Round of NCAA Tournament)
- 2004-05 22-11, 10-6 (Postseason: Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Tournament)
- 2005-06 15-17, 6-10 (Posteseason: None)
- 2006-07 21-13, 9-7 (Postseason: 1st Round of NCAA Tournament)
Texas Tech men's basketball conference championships
Southwest Conference:
- 1961
- 1962*
- 1973
- 1985
- 1995*
- 1996
* denotes shared title
Of the "major" sports, Texas Tech has had its greatest success in women's basketball. Led by its star player Sheryl Swoopes and head coach Marsha Sharp, the Lady Raiders won the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in 1993. In early 2006, Lady Raiders coach Marsha Sharp resigned and was replaced on March 30, 2006 by Kristy Curry, who had been coaching at Purdue.
[edit] Football
Texas Tech played its first intercollegiate football game on October 3, 1925. The contest, against McMurry University, ended in a controversial 0-0 tie.
The football team has been affiliated with the following conferences:
- 1925-1931 - Independent (no conference affiliation)
- 1932-1956 - Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1957-1959 - Independent (no conference affiliation)
- 1960-1995 - Southwest Athletic Conference
- 1996-present - Big 12 Conference (South Division)
The team has the distinction of being the only one in the Big 12 to have a winning season each year since the conference was created in 1996.
Mike Leach became the head coach in 2000. Under his leadership, the Red Raiders have gone to a bowl game every year. He is the all time winningest coach in postseason play of the program's history with a 4-3 record. In the 2006 Insight Bowl, the Red Raiders defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Tech overcame a 31-point third-quarter deficit to beat their opponent by 3 in overtime.[1]. This made NCAA Division I FBS (formerly I-A) history as the largest come-from-behind bowl victory ever recorded.
[edit] Track and field
Texas Tech's track and field teams are presently coached by Wes Kitttley. Under his leadership, the program has reached new heights. For the 2005 Outdoor National Championships, Tech sent 31 athletes, which is more than any other school in the country.
Since 1990, the men's team has garnered 91 awards, 20 Big 12 championships, and 1 national title. In the same time period, the women's team won 32 awards, 29 Big 12 championships, and 5 national titles.
[edit] Tennis
Tim Siegel has been coaching at Tech for 15 years, helping the men's tennis team to numerous winning seasons. He has coached players who are now college coaches themselves.[1]
[edit] Other
In addition to the "major" collegiate sports, the university offers other sports such as rugby, lacrosse, and soccer through campus intramural sports organizations.
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Mascots
The Masked Rider is the oldest of Texas Tech's remaining mascots, tracing its origins to 1936. It became the official mascot in 1954.
Beginning with the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference created a rule restricting the use of live animal mascots. Since this rule applied to the horse ridden by the Masked Rider, Raider Red was created as an alternative.
[edit] Goin' Band from Raiderland
Texas Tech's band is known as the Goin' Band from Raiderland. It traces its beginnings back to the founding of the school and performed at the opening football game, fielding twenty-one (some sources say twenty-five) members.
[edit] Alma Mater
"The Matador Song" dates from 1931. The lyrics were written by Tech student R.C. Marshall and the music was composed by Tech Band Director Harry LeMaire. The words and melody have remained unchanged.
Fight Matadors, for Tech.
Songs of love we'll sing to thee.
Bear our banners far and wide,
Ever to be our pride.
Fearless champions ever be,
Stand on heights of victory.
Strive for honor, evermore,
Long live the Matadors!
[edit] Fight Song
"Fight, Raiders, Fight" is the fight song of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was written for the Matadors, the original name of teams representing the school (known at the time as Texas Technological College). In 1936, Carroll McMath and James Nevins updated it to reflect the teams' new name, Red Raiders.
Fight, Raiders, Fight! Fight, Raiders, Fight!
Fight for the school we love so dearly.
You'll hit 'em high, you'll hit 'em low.
You'll push the ball across the goal.
Tech, Fight! Fight!
We'll praise your name, boost you to fame.
Fight for the Scarlet and Black.
You will hit 'em, you will wreck 'em.
Hit 'em, Wreck 'em, Texas Tech!
And the Victory Bells will ring out.
[edit] Guns Up
Guns Up is the handsign of the Red Raiders. It is made from a closed hand by extending the index finger forward and the thumb up. It was originated in 1972 by a Tech graduate, intending to symbolize shooting down the opponents. It is sometimes written as "Gunz Up."
[edit] Bangin' Bertha
Bangin' Bertha is a bell on a trailer. It is carried to home basketball and all football games. It was designed in 1959 by Saddle Tramp Joe Winegar and donated by the Santa Fe Railroad.[2]
[edit] Rivalries
The Red Raiders' main rivals are the Texas A&M Aggies[3][4] and the Texas Longhorns. It is common for people to camp out in front of Jones AT&T Stadium a few days prior to the football game against either of these teams.
[edit] Head coaches
| Sport | Coach |
|---|---|
| Football | Mike Leach |
| Men's Basketball | Bob Knight |
| Baseball | Larry Hays |
| Men's Cross Country | Jon Murray |
| Men's Golf | Greg Sands |
| Men's Tennis | Tim Siegel |
| Men's Track and Field | Wes Kittley |
| Soccer | Neil McGuire |
| Women's Basketball | Kristy Curry |
| Softball | Teresa Wilson |
| Women's Cross Country | Jon Murray |
| Women's Golf | Stacey Totman |
| Women's Tennis | Cari Groce |
| Women's Track and Field | Wes Kittley |
| Volleyball | Nancy Todd |
[edit] Facilities
| Sport | Venue |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Dan Law Field |
| Basketball | United Spirit Arena |
| Football | Jones AT&T Stadium |
| Golf | The Rawls Course |
| Soccer | R.P. Fuller Track and Soccer Field |
| Softball | Rocky Johnson Field |
| Tennis | Don & Ethel McLeod Tennis Center |
| Track and Field | R.P. Fuller Track and Soccer Field |
| Volleyball | United Spirit Arena |
[edit] Notable athletes, coaches, & athletics faculty
- Donny Anderson, Two-time All-American, Green Bay Packers, 2 Super Bowls
- Doug Ault, Major League Baseball player
- Josh Bard, Major League Baseball player
- Tony Battie, NBA player
- Richard Clapp, Major League Baseball player
- Marcus Coleman, NFL player
- Sonny Cumbie, Arena Football League player (Los Angeles Avengers)
- J. William Davis, past chairman of Texas Tech's Athletic Council, father of the National Letter of Intent for college athletics
- Spike Dykes, All-time winningest coach in Texas Tech football history
- Andre Emmett, Former NBA Player, all-time leading scorer of Big 12 men's basketball.
- Carlos Francis, NFL player (Oakland Raiders)
- Darvin Ham, "Dunkin' Darvin" former NBA player (Detroit Pistons)
- E.J. Holub, American Football League All-Star
- Kliff Kingsbury, NFL player, and holder of several NCAA passing records
- Bob Knight, Hall of Fame head men's basketball coach, all-time winningest NCAA D-1 men's basketball coach.
- Danny Mason, golf coach (1969-1980) and physical education professor
- Derrell Mitchell, Canadian Football League wide receiver
- Bam Morris, Former Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs NFL running back
- Montae Reagor, NFL player (Indianapolis Colts)
- Marsha Sharp, Hall of Fame head women's basketball coach (1982-2006), bringing the National Championship title to Lubbock in 1993.
- Sheryl Swoopes, WNBA player
- B.J. Symons, NFL Europe player, holder of many NCAA passing records (Career Passing yards)
- Zach Thomas, Miami Dolphins Middle Linebacker NFL player
- Billy Joe Tolliver, former NFL quarterback
- Wes Welker, New England Patriots Receiver/Kick Returner NFL player
[edit] Notes and references
[edit] External links
| Big 12 Conference |
|---|
| North Division: Colorado Buffaloes • Iowa State Cyclones • Kansas Jayhawks • Kansas State Wildcats • Missouri Tigers • Nebraska Cornhuskers South Division: Baylor Bears • Oklahoma Sooners • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Texas Longhorns • Texas A&M Aggies • Texas Tech Red Raiders |
