Five biggest Texas Tech athletics stories of 2018
The Texas Tech athletic department had a fascinating year in 2018. Let’s take a look at the five biggest stories from a year that will go down as one of the most memorable ever.
We won’t soon forget 2018 when it comes to the Texas Tech athletic department. After making two head coaching changes and sending eight teams to the postseason, there was plenty of news coming out of Lubbock.
Some of the more notable accomplishments flew under the radar. In fact, this was the most successful year ever for the university’s non-revenue sports.
The men’s track and field programs swept the Big 12 indoor and outdoor titles for the first time ever. What’s more, head coach Wes Kittley’s team finished tied for 5th in the NCAA Outdoor Championships and placed 6th overall in the NCAA Indoor Championships as he had perhaps the best year of his prolific career.
Meanwhile, the Men’s golf team advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals falling 3-2 in match play to Alabama on the second-to-last hole. It was the best finish of head coach Greg Sands’ 18 years at Texas Tech.
Another team to reach the final eight in the NCAA Tournament was the women’s tennis squad. Head coach Todd Petty saw his team finish No. 9 in the nation, the second-highest ranking of any team in the Big 12 behind No. 6 Texas.
On the soccer pitch, the Texas Tech women’s program ended the season ranked No.24 in the nation, the first time Tom Stone’s program finished the season ranked since 2015. Tech advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament by beating No. 21 Princeton before losing to No. 12 Virginia on penalty kicks.
While the Tech soccer program continues to be one of the most consistent on campus, the volleyball program continued its resurrection in 2018. With 17 wins overall and six conference wins, the Red Raiders surpassed 2017’s win total in both categories and secured consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000-2001.
Another program that took a significant step forward in 2018 was the softball program which earned a postseason birth for the first time since 2012. Its 31 wins was a program best in the 4-year tenure of head coach Adrian Gregory.
An argument could be made that no school in the Big 12 had a better 2018 in regards to non-revenue sports. But there is a reason those sports are not revenue generators; they do not capture the public’s attention as much as football, basketball and baseball do.
Fortunately, there was plenty of intrigue in the marquee sports for Texas Tech fans this year. Let’s take a look at the top five stories from a 2018 that was one of the most fascinating in Texas Tech history.