Texas Tech Red Raiders news: Football commit flips to Big 12 rival, more

Texas Tech football commit Swayde Griffin flips to Arizona

Only two weeks after committing to the Texas Tech football program, 3-star defensive back Swayde Griffin has changed his mind. Sunday, on social media, he announced his intention to play for Big 12 rival Arizona.

The Lago Vista, Texas native is the son of former Texas and NFL defensive back Cedric Griffin. He's rated by 247Sports as the No. 79 cornerback in the nation and No. 141 player in Texas for the class of 2025.

Fortunately, the Red Raiders are still in good shape when it comes to the secondary in the current recruiting cycle. With 3-star defensive backs Deonte Lindsay of Ada, Oklahoma, Michael Henderson of Wylie, Texas, and Gil Jackson of Missouri City, Texas, the Red Raiders have a strong crop of high school defensive backs set to arrive next season. What's more, the program could always add more talent at that spot to make up for the loss of Griffin.

Texas Tech softball loses top bat to Arkansas

Though the Texas Tech softball team has a new head coach in Gerry Glasco, a coach with a great track record, the program has lost its top bat from 2024, Kailey Wyckoff. The left-handed slugger has announced her intention to transfer to Arkansas.

Wyckoff led the Red Raiders in hitting this year. She batted .407 with seven home runs, 12 doubles, and 35 RBIs in 50 games (49 starts). She also had a 1.144 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) and earned First Team All-Big 12 honors. What's more, in 2023, she was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

Former Red Raider Terrence Shannon to have jersey raised to rafters at Illinois

Continuing the thread of former Texas Tech Red Raiders, former Tech basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. is making news as well. Recently acquitted of rape and sexual assault, charges brought against him in December, he's now being honored by Illinois.

Shannon is set to have his jersey raised to the rafters by the Illini. It doesn't mean that his number will be retired but that he is part of the program's "Honored Jersey Program".

Some in Illinois are pointing out that Shannon meets the qualifications for this honor, though. According to guidelines set by the program, honored players must have won National Player of the Year, be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, have been named Big Ten Player of the Year, have been named a Consensus First- or Second-Team All-American, or be an Illinois All-Century Team Member Individual whose pioneering efforts made a significant impact on Illinois and international basketball.

Shannon meets none of those requirements. However, Illinois A.D. Josh Whitman is making an exception.

"Obviously he doesn’t meet the objective criteria that we have outlined for consideration with the jersey program," he said in a statement "but I think we all recognize that without question that Terrence was one of the top 10 players in America this year; probably one of the top two or three players in America.

"He had one of the greatest single seasons in the history of Illinois Basketball. Arguably, the greatest season in the history of Illinois Basketball.

"We all understand that there were, now, factors beyond his control that prevented those votes from being where they needed to be in order for him to satisfy the criteria, and we’re happy to make an exception in this case to recognize one of the great players that our program has ever seen."

Shannon missed time this past season after being suspended because of the allegations levied against him. Thus, he is getting the benefit of the doubt from Illinois.

This season, he averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in helping the Illini reach the Elite Eight. Of course, from 2019-22 he averaged 11.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders.

Aberg finishes top 30 again

This weekend at the Travelers Championship tournament on the PGA Tour, former Texas Tech golf star Ludvig Aberg had another lucrative weekend. Finishing tied for 27th overall, the Masters runner-up banked $153,000 in prize money.

Shooting 11 under par, 11 shots behind winner Scottie Scheffler, Aberg continues his strong 2024 season. He currently ranks sixth in the FedEx Cup standings and fourth in the Overall World Golf Rankings.