Fall Athletics
By: RC Maxfield
Here is a break down of just how great the 2018-19 athletic year was for Texas Tech, as well as an outlook for each program moving forward into the season. Part 1: Fall Semester
Football: 5-7 (Big 12: 3-6)
2018 Recap: Tech football came out of the gates in 2018 winning 5 of their first 7 games and being ranked in Top 25. However, things would turn south in a hurry for the Red Raiders as they would lose their next 5 games. Injuries started to mount up on both sides of the ball and really started to affect the depth and personnel groupings. The injury that really set back the team and the early momentum they had secured, was that of Alan Bowman and his partially collapsed lung. An injury he initially suffered in the West Virginia game. He would later go on and suffer the same injury this time on a diving effort at the goal line in the game against OU. The injuries and some bad bounces really cost the Red Raiders a chance at winning some games down the stretch.
They ended up losing to two ranked opponents at home by one possession (Oklahoma and Texas). They would end up losing the two remaining games on their schedule at K-State and in Arlington vs Baylor. The loss to Baylor sealed the deal on the firing of Coach Kliff Kingsbury and ended what to many Tech fans was a disappointing tenure as head coach.
Outlook for 2019: With a new era starting this season with Head Coach Matt Wells and crew coming into Lubbock, there is a new sense of hope. Hope mostly due in part because of Kirby Hocutt and his track record of hiring successful coaches at Tech and second, because Tech was close in a lot of games last year but injuries
Soccer: 14-5-3 (Big 12: 5-3-1)
2018 Review: The year started out with a bang as Tech jumped out to an 8-1 record to begin the season with the only loss coming at Boston College. The team was led by a group of seniors that will go down as one of the best senior classes in program history. Carly Wickenheiser, Brooke Denesik, Hannah Fernandez, Jordan Duke, Gwennie Puente and Cassie Boren all helped the program with their leadership throughout their time at Tech and most notably in 2018. They helped lead Tech to hosting a NCAA Tournament game where they would play #21 Princeton who they would defeat by a score of 3-0 to advance to the Round of 32. There, they would eventually lose in PK’s to the #12 Virginia Cavaliers.
Outlook for 2019: There is one thing for certain in the Texas Tech Soccer Program and that is Head Coach Tom Stone. Coach Stone will enter his 13th season as the head coach of the Red Raiders as the all-time winningest coach in program history. The stability he brings to the this program as well as the talent returning and coming in, makes them a contender for the Big 12 crown and another NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019.
Volleyball: 17-13 (Big12: 6-10)
2018 Review: Now before you look at that 6-10 conference record and think, “Oh that’s not that good”, well just remember this, 6 wins is the most conference wins in Texas Tech Volleyball program history AND they didn’t win a single conference game in 2016… Not a single one. This team came out of the gates scorching hot! They started the year 15-3 including winning their first four Big 12 matches. They beat the likes of #19 Baylor in 4 sets in Waco as well as West Virginia and Iowa State in 4 sets in Lubbock. This was a major step in the right direction for Head Coach Tony Greystone. To put in perspective how great of a job Coach Greystone and crew are doing, consider this, Texas Tech had not won at least 5 conference matches since 2006. Exactly a decade before he got hired.
Coach Tony Greystone, Assistant Coach Morgan Thomas, and Assistant Coach Brandy Huskey have taken this program to new heights and this is only the beginning. With only losing 3 seniors, a majority of the roster will be returning and saw valuable court time last season.
2019 Outlook: Well, they set the bar pretty high for themselves in 2018. Texas Tech is no longer a pushover in volleyball. This program saw new heights in 2018 and more is now expected from them moving forward. A majority of the starters are returning and with the confidence they gathered in 2018 and as well as their trip to Italy in late May, this team is looking to take that next step and break the wall down to compete in the top tier of the Big 12 Conference.
Men’s Golf: 8 Top 10 Finishes in 10 Tournaments
2018/2019 Recap: This is a half and half sport and what that means is half fall and half spring. Nonetheless, they’re in the Fall section because that is when their season started. Sandy Scott led the way for the Red Raiders this year with the only individual tournament victory. Sandy also had 6 Top 10 finishes to lead the team. The team combined for 15 Top 10 finishes with Ivan Ramirez, Adam Blomme and Kyle Hogan getting the remaining 9 Top 10 finishes. The team made the NCAA Tournament and finished 9th out 14 in the Myrtle Beach Regional.
2019/2020 Outlook: Tech loses two guys that are responsible for 6 of their Top 10 finishes in Adam Blomme and Ivan Ramirez. They do however return Sandy Scott, who is moving into his senior year and Kyle Hogan who will be a redshirt Junior. That’s a great foundation moving forward with plenty of opportunities for underclassman to step up and help the team return to the NCAA Tournament.
Women’s Golf: 13 Top 10 Finishes in 13 Tournaments
2018/2019 Recap: The sophomore Sofia Garcia garnered All-Big 12 honors for the 1st time in her career this season and helped propel Texas Tech to 9 of those 13 Top 10 finishes. She became the sixth Lady Raiders in program history and the first since Gabby Baker in 2016. She led all Big 12 golfers with a 71.6 stroke average. The 71.6 strokes also finished 5th in the entire country. Freshman Louisa Brunt and Freshman Anna Dong also had Top 10 finishes for the Lady Raiders. Brunt had 2 Top 10 finishes to her credit as well as a Top 5 finish. Dong, had 1 Top 10 finish in her first year at Texas Tech.
The team ended up in the NCAA Tournament and went to Norman where they would need to finish 6th or higher to advance to Nationals for the 3rd time in 5 years. They, however, ended up finishing 7th out of 18 teams in the Norman Regional.
2019/2020 Outlook: As for most programs on the Texas Tech campus, they made the postseason in 2018. The fact their 3 best golfers (statically) are returning puts them in a place to return to a stage the program has become familiar with the past decade in Nationals. With Garcia, Brunt and Dong all scheduled to return, this program is set up nicely for years to come.
Men’s Tennis: 15-12 (Big 12: 2-3)
2018/2019 Recap: Much like golf, Tennis is no stranger to postseason play. They also play in the fall and spring. The team had 6 wins over ranked opponents which head started their appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the 3rd time in 4 years under coach Brett Masi. They would end up losing to UC Santa Barbara 4-1. The did however send a doubles team to nationals. The No.9 ranked duo of Bjorn Thomson and Parker Wynn advanced to Nationals in Orlando, FL where they would end up losing in their first round match to a duo from Mississippi State.
2019/2020 Outlook: With only 2 seniors on the squad, 9 of the 11 members will be returning including Bjorn Thomson and Parker Wynn. The team is young and has experience in the NCAA Tournament. They should be more than equipped to return to the tournament next year.
Women’s Tennis: 17-9 (Big 12: 6-3)
2018/2019 Recap: The Lady Raiders had four ranked opponent victories in 2018 and were led by senior Felicity Maltby who received All-American honors. She advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Singles Championship where she became the first ever Red Raider to reach the NCAA quarterfinals. As for the team, the No.26 Lady Raiders made the NCAA Tournament but supseqentially lost in the opening round to UNLV by a score of 4-3.
2019/2020 Outlook: Losing a player like Felicity Maltby will for sure hurt the program but, with Nell Miller and others returning, that’ll soften the blow. They’ll have to have players step up but the Lady Raiders should compete and be in another position to make the NCAA Tournament.
Men’s Cross Country: Mountain Region Championships
2018 Recap: The men’s team was led by Nathan Gift who ended up finishing 17th in the NCAA Mountain Region Championship which is widely considered the toughest in the country. Gift himself finished with a PR of 32:09.2 to finish 92nd. Luke Estes finished 104th while Stephen Alvarez, Shea Whatley and Connor Hughes finished 107th, 108th and 109th individually.
2019 Outlook: With everyone on the roster returning except for Seniors Michael Benoit, Connor Hughes and Joacim Zungia, Texas Tech is in good shape to grow and take the next step.
Women’s Cross Country: Mountain Region Championships
2018 Recap: Seselia Dala and five other members of the team made it to the Mountain Region Championships. Dala missed a PR by just 12 seconds with a 21:43 which allowed her to finish 78th overall. Lauren Offerman finished in 111th with a time of 22:27.9 while Bret Leigh Nance took 113th.
2019 Outlook: Much like the Men’s team, most of the roster will return other than the two seniors Nokuthula Dlamini and Kaitlyn Tharp. The team is young and defiantly moving in the right direction.
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