Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders is the sports teams of Texas Tech University. The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, all other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" nickname. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 15 varsity teams in 10 sports.

Athletics
Texas Tech has teams in these varsity sports:
Men's sports
o Baseball
o Basketball
o Cross country
o Football
o Golf
o Tennis
o Track

Women's sports
o Basketball
o Cross country
o Golf
o Soccer
o Softball
o Tennis
o Track
o Volleyball

Basketball
Bob Knight has been men's basketball coach since 2001. On New Year's Day 2007, a 70-68 defeat of New Mexico by Tech marked the 880th total win for Knight, making him the winning coach in men's college basketball history.

The Red Raiders' contribution in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament marked another record. With their addition as the #10 seed in the East Regional, Knight became the coach to lead his team to more NCAA Tournaments than any other. Tech lost to Boston College in the first round by a score of 84-75.

Men's basketball record under Bob Knight
2001-02 23-9, 10-6 (Postseason: 1st Round of NCAA Tournament)
2002-03 22-13, 6-10 (Postseason: 3rd place of Postseason NIT)
2003-04 23-11, 9-7 (Postseason: 2nd Round of NCAA Tournament)
2004-05 22-11, 10-6 (Postseason: Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Tournament)
2005-06 15-17, 6-10 (Posteseason: None)
2006-07 21-13, 9-7 (Postseason: 1st Round of NCAA Tournament)

Texas Tech men's basketball conference championships
Southwest Conference:
1961
1962
1973
1985
1995
1996

Football
Texas Tech Football Helmet
Texas Tech played its first intercollegiate football game on October 3, 1925. The contest, against McMurry University, ended in a controversial 0-0 tie.

The football team has been connected with the following conferences:

1925-1931 - Independent (no conference affiliation)
1932-1956 - Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1957-1959 - Independent (no conference affiliation)
1960-1995 - Southwest Athletic Conference
1996-present - Big 12 Conference (South Division)

The team has the characteristic of being the only one in the Big 12 to have a winning season each year since the conference was created in 1996.

Mike Leach became the head coach in 2000. Under his leadership, the Red Raiders have gone to a bowl game every year. He is the all time winnings coach in postseason play of the program's history with a 4-3 record. In the 2006 Insight Bowl, the Red Raiders crushed the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Tech overcame a 31-point third-quarter shortfall to beat their rival by 3 in overtime. This made NCAA Division I FBS (formerly I-A) history as the largest come-from-behind bowl victory ever recorded.

Baseball
Texas Tech Baseball Cap
Texas Tech's baseball team is coached by Larry Hays. During the 1990s, its players drew notice from 17 big league organizations. Two Red Raiders were selected in the second round, one each in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds. As of 2002, 16 former Tech players have appeared in Major League Baseball.

Track and field
Wes Kittley presently coaches Texas Tech's track and field teams. For the 2005 Outdoor National Championships, Tech sent 31 athletes, which is more than any other school in the country.

Since 1990, the men's team has collected 91 awards, 20 Big 12 championships, and 1 national title. In the same time period, the women's team won 32 awards, 29 Big 12 championships, and 5 national titles.

Tennis
Tim Siegel has been coaching at Tech for 15 years, helping the men's tennis team to numerous winning seasons. He has also coached players who are now college coaches themselves.

Other
In addition to the "major" collegiate sports, the university offers other sports such as rugby, lacrosse, and soccer through campus intramural sports organizations.

Traditions
Bangin' Bertha
Bangin' Bertha is a bell on a trailer. It is carried to home basketball and all football games. Designed in 1959 by Saddle Tramp Joe Winegar, it was donated by the Santa Fe Railroad.

Goin' Band from Raiderland
Texas Tech's band is known as the Goin' Band from Raiderland. It traces its beginnings back to the founding of the school and performed at the opening football game, fielding twenty-one members.

Guns Up
Guns Up is the hand sign of the Red Raiders. It is made from a closed hand by extending the index finger forward and the thumb up. A Tech graduate, intending to symbolize shooting down the opponents, originated it in 1972.

Spirit
Red Raider spirit is led by such organizations as the Saddle Tramps, the High Riders, and the Spirit Squads. In April 2007, the Texas Tech cheerleaders finished fifth at the National Cheerleading Association's Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship.

Rivalries
The Red Raiders' main rivals are the Texas A&M Aggies and the Texas Longhorns. It is common for people to camp out in front of Jones AT&T Stadium a few days preceding the football game against either of these teams.

Get set for a massive dose of excitement as the Texas Tech Red Raiders are now on their way to give you a series of outstanding games! Belonging to the Texas Tech University in Texas, United States, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic program that take part in countless sports representing the university. The program contains fifteen varsity teams along with thirty club sports. The program includes both men's and women's teams in sports such as football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cross country and track field, golf, softball, tennis, polo, rodeo, and many more as well.

The Texas Tech Raiders have two mascots, namely the Raider Red and the Masked Raider. The women's teams of the program are popularly known as the Lady Raiders. They have black and red as their uniform colors. The teams take part in the Big 12 Conference, where they play for NCAA Division I. They have Kirby Hocutt as their athletics director. The teams' fight song is titled Fight Raiders Fight, which is played in every game.

Their latest games are undoubtedly going to be full of some extreme action. If you are a sports fan, then this will surely be a treat for you. Catch the excitement with your Texas Tech Raiders tickets, which you can obtain at affordable prices.