As Gerry Glasco and the Texas Tech softball team get set to face off against Samantha Ricketts and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2026 Women’s College World Series on Thursday, the Red Raiders are under an intriguing amount of scrutiny. In all of college athletics, the transfer portal is something that people seem to have a love-hate sort of relationship with. And Texas Tech has certainly been able to benefit from it.
But that’s made a few people mad along the way. Still, Glasco isn’t all that worried about it. He knows that the Red Raiders are working on building as a program and he’s doing what he can with the tools at his disposal to elevate the Texas Tech softball team.
Which, as the coach, is exactly what he’s supposed to do.
During a press conference ahead of the start of the Women’s College World Series, Glasco got the chance to talk about the way the Red Raiders’ roster was constructed and more or less make it clear that he just doesn’t care about the way people outside the program view that.
Texas Tech softball head coach Gerry Glasco explains why the Red Raiders turned to the transfer portal
“It’s really hard for people to understand, you know, like Holly was talking about, 15 out of 23 players were transfers,” Glasco said. “I only had three. So what am I going to do, you know? You have to grow the program.”
It’s that simple. It’s that simple! There’s not much else to it. He had to go out and get players and when there weren’t many on the roster, he used the transfer portal to get players.
“I think it’s confusing, it’s like we’re doing things that maybe never been done before, or at least not been done in a similar fashion and it’s confusing, but for us on the field, it’s just every day and we just work every day.”
Texas Tech is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. Somehow that’s ruffled feathers. But that’s not bothering Glasco all that much.
“We work really hard and I’m enjoying every moment and if softball needs me to be the villain, I’m all about it,” Glasco said with a smile. “Let’s go, it’s fun and I embrace that role.”
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