Gerry Glasco admits the pressure that comes with recruiting stars to Texas Tech

For the second year in a row, Gerry Glasco and his Texas Tech Red Raiders softball team will be going back to Oklahoma City to compete in the Women’s College World Series. For those that don’t remember, this is just Glasco’s second season leading the Red Raiders. And it’s also just the second time ever that Texas Tech has made it to OKC.

So much of the success that has come with Glasco’s time in Lubbock has come with the fact that the Red Raiders have recruited so well and built a roster set on contending at the highest level. That’s not lost on Glasco and he’s well aware of how difficult it can be to go out and assemble a roster that’s as talented as this one is.

After Texas Tech’s dominant 16-7 run-rule win over the Florida Gators to secure a Red Raiders’ series win in the Gainesville Super Regional, Glasco was asked about what it was like to make it back to the Women’s College World Series. Texas Tech’s head coach used that opportunity to point to the way expectations have shifted in Lubbock now.

And he doesn’t want anyone to lose sight of that.

Texas Tech softball head coach Gerry Glasco gets honest about the weight behind recruiting pitches and process

“We don’t want to let that slip from our grasp,” Glasco said in his postgame press conference. “I knew how important it was from a program standpoint and from the responsibility of kids like Taylor Pannell and Mia Williams putting their trust in me during the recruiting process.”

Glasco and his coaching staff have done an incredible job of going out and picking up talented players through the transfer portal. For Glasco’s first team with Texas Tech, NiJaree Canady drew all the headlines as she transferred from the Stanford Cardinal and immediately elevated Texas Tech’s ceiling.

With Canady arriving in Lubbock and helping Texas Tech make it all the way to the Women’s College World Series Finals, Glasco had a proof of concept for what this program could be. And there’s no doubt that’s something that he’s been able to use to continue recruiting efforts for the Red Raiders.

That proof of concept also seemed to help the Red Raiders get Pannell and Williams.

“I had to convince them to take that final step and come to Texas Tech,” Glasco continued. “It feels really good.”

Both Pannell and Williams have been monumental contributors for Texas Tech this season. The Red Raiders wouldn’t be headed back to the Women’s College World Series without them.

This year, Pannell has been productive, hitting .359 on the season with 70 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 57 RBI, 22 walks, and 14 stolen bases. And then you can add on Williams’ .435 batting average, 83 hits, 22 doubles, 24 home runs, 82 RBI, 31 walks, and 21 stolen bases to that as well. She’s been remarkable.

For Texas Tech to have both of these players, and with them both coming to Lubbock through the transfer portal, there’s another proof of concept for more players down the line. And it helps that Texas Tech is right back in the Women’s College World Series once more.

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