Briefly

This was a huge deal as the mens’ tennis team, ranked No. 32, defeated No. 15 Texas yesterday afternoon, 4-3 in a dramatic comeback fashion (via official site):

Check out the highlights and the locker room celebration from Texas Tech’s 4-3 triumph over the Longhorns. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/6ulIrHST0U

— Texas Tech Tennis (@TexasTechTennis) April 20, 2018

“We had a great talk today from Corbin Young who is the FCA leader on-campus,” Texas Tech head coach Brett Masi said. “He preached to the guys what it means to be fearless and what that word actually means. We use it here so much at Texas Tech. He talked to the guys about just having the courage to go out there and do things. They did that to a T. We had great double point playing fearless and all the way to the end.”

The softball team will be hosting Iowa State this weekend, which is set to be the final home series for the team and essentially the senior weekend for three seniors, Cheyene Powell, Kaylee Strickland and Allison Knopp (via official site).

The ladies golf team is set to participate in the Big 12 Championship at the Dallas Athletic Club and they’re going to have a long day (via official site):

The Red Raiders will play 36 holes Friday in order to avoid potential inclement weather conditions Saturday. The nine-team field will then play a third and final round to close the tournament Sunday morning.

Tech is the No. 6 seed and will be paired with Iowa State and Baylor during the opening two rounds Friday, which are slated to begin with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The seeds were determined based on the latest Golfstat rankings.

The track and field team is set to participate in the Michael Johnson Invitational in Waco on Saturday (via official site).

The athletic department does this each year, essentially getting the outgoing seniors together and teach them etiquette and real world interview and socializing skills to better prepare these student-athletes for the real world. I’ve always thought that I’d love to teach an estate planning type of course to explain what documents do and what you need and that it would be helpful for anyone who is graduating.

Lady Raiders Basketball

I love this hire, new Lady Raiders head coach Marlene Stollings has hired former Lady Raider Erin Grant as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator (via official site). Before you say that this is just an alum who was named as an assistant without any experience, well, Grant was at New Mexico for two years, Memphis for four years, and a year at UT-Arlington. Here’s Grant:

“I am thrilled to return home to Texas Tech and the Lady Raider program. I want to thank Coach Stollings for bringing me back to my alma mater and the great state of Texas,” Grant said. “The girls basketball talent in Texas is and has always been unrivaled. We are determined to recruit young women within the state that will return Texas Tech to national prominence. I learned so many valuable lessons as a student-athlete at Tech and I look forward to the privilege of serving the current and future Lady Raiders.”

Let’s recruit the heck out of Texas. Oh, and practice started for the Lady Raiders.

The work begins now 🏀💪 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/fFeVGoPQyY

— Lady Raider WBB (@LadyRaiderWBB) April 20, 2018

Texas Tech Football

If you like podcasts, then you are in luck. In addition to our very own 23 Personnel podcast, you can also check out David Ubben interviewing Kliff Kingsbury (and the Statesman’s Brian Davis) for Texas Football. It’s a good listen (both of them), Ubben likes Lubbock and starts off the podcast with that and Ubben asks about Jett and Kingsbury says to lean on the running backs, so maybe the theory espoused in the mailbag podcast portion of the 23 Personnel podcast (to be released today) is actually correct.

Inside The Pylon’s Joseph Ferraiola has his wide receiver rankings and has Texas Tech receiver Keke Coutee as the 11th best receiver in the 2018 NFL Draft and here’s a portion of it:

One- and Three-Year Projection: Quality starting slot receiver who can win at all levels of the field by year three. Has rare acceleration to eat up cushion against off coverage and prevent pursuit angles from defenders. He’ll be reliable for an offense working the middle of the field on slants and posts. Can be a really difficult matchup for defenses without a quality slot CB. Has the straight line speed to consistently test a defense vertically and can fight through contact amidst his route.

Loved seeing the defensive backs. Also kinda like the defensive backs chirping at T.J. Vasher, am hoping this makes him more resiliant. Another observation: Brett Deshurst and Zac Spavital speak exactly like David Gibbs. I could close my eyes and I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between the three of them.