Red Raider Sports Magazine - December 2020/January 2021

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RED RAIDER

sports.com

RedRaiderSports.com is a publication of TRI Productions Volume 26 Issue 3 Managing Editor Aaron Dickens

Cover Photo Elise Bressler

Photographers Elise Bressler

Elizabeth Hertel

Norvelle Kennedy Artie Limmer

Michaela Schumacher Michael Strong

Writers Matt Dowdy

Terry Greenberg Brandon Soliz

Ben Golan

Randy Rosetta

Red Raider Sports (USPS 0013-768) is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December. Annual Red Raider Club membership dues of $500 or higher include a one-year subscription to Red Raider Sports Magazine.

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Periodicals postage is paid in Lubbock, Texas.

Address all editorial-related correspondence to Red Raider Sports, P.O. Box 53604, Lubbock, TX 79453.

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Postmaster: Send address changes to Red Raider Sports, P.O. Box 53604, Lubbock, TX 79453. For subscription inquiries contact the Red Raider Club at 806.742.1196. Give old and new addresses and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. ©2020-©2021 TRI Productions. All Rights Reserved.

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1

Boosters may not communicate with recruits or their families on behalf of Texas Tech by phone, in-person or in writing (includes social media).

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Free or discounted items or services may not be provided to student-athletes or recruits unless the benefit is available to the public or all Texas Tech students.

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Boosters may not provide academic assistance of any kind to a student-athlete or recruit (e.g., test prep, SAT/ACT fees, academic expenses, tutoring, editing/completing coursework, etc.).

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Student-athletes, recruits or their coaches, family or friends may not be invited to your suite or club seats as this constitutes special seating.

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Game tickets, apparel, equipment or awards may not be traded for or purchased from student-athletes, and items autographed by current student-athletes may not be sold.

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A student-athlete’s name, picture or appearance may not be used in a commercial advertisement, business promotion or product endorsement.

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Student-athletes may be employed provided they are paid the going rate for work actually performed.

Help us PROTECT OUR FEARLESS CHAMPIONS (806)742-3355 RedRaiderSports.com @RedRaiderRules

Red Raider Club

update

Happy New Year! We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and

family! We are looking forward to a great 2021.

Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells added to the Red Raiders’ bright future with the com-

mitment of 10 high school prospects to kick off the early signing period. The class features three signees that are each listed as a four-star prospect by one of the major recruiting services, giving Texas Tech an initial class that currently ranks in the top half of the Big 12 based on average recruit ranking.

The thrill and excitement of basketball season is well underway. We are also celebrating

the opening of the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center. This 58,630 square foot facility is one of the best basketball centers in the country. A top recruitment tool for the Texas Tech Athletics basketball programs, this facility will impact future and current student-athletes for years to come. The basketball center will advance all of Texas Tech Athletics and we could not be more thankful for the unwavering support from so many loyal donors that made it possible.

The completion of the Womble basketball center is another milestone for The Campaign

for Fearless Champions. The Campaign continues to advance Texas Tech Athletics through the construction and enhancements of athletics facilities around campus. These facility projects are critical for the future of Texas Tech Athletics. As you know, athletics facilities impact student-athlete recruitment and both student-athlete and coach retention. I look forward to sharing more updates as move into the final phase of The Campaign.

We also continue to be grateful for the support from every Red Raider Club member. Gifts

at every level provide critical resources for more than 400 student-athletes across 17 sports.

THANK YOU for your continued commitment to grow fearless champions.

Andrea Tirey Senior Associate Athletic Director — Development — 806.834.3270

I can’t tell you enough how thankful we are at Texas Tech Athletics for your support.

Please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 806-742-1196 if you need anything throughout the year.

Happy New Year!!

Andrea

andrea.tirey@ttu.edu

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b y H A R RY E N D I C OTT

From an early age, basketball has been a big part of Lady Raider sophomore Alexis Tucker’s life.

“I started playing basketball when I was about two or three years old,” Tucker said. “I remember in my house there are a bunch of pictures of me and my team from back then.

I’ve only ever played basketball, but I’ve always been interested in other sports. If basketball hadn’t worked out I probably would’ve played tennis or volleyball or track. But I loved basketball so I stuck with it.”

Tucker hails from Hawthorne, Calif.—a suburban city located in southwestern Los Angeles County that sits a little over 1,100 miles from the university that Tucker has called home since she arrived in Lubbock in the summer of 2019.

From a young age, Tucker dreamed of playing in the WNBA. She had a cousin get close, before a knee injury unfortunately derailed those hopes. Her cousin and her dad inspired her to chase that dream. Then, during the transition from middle to high school, she identified an avenue to that goal as she realized that playing in college might be a possibility.

A 5-11 wing that was a four-star recruit and a top-70 player nationally, Tucker had plenty of options following her impressive high school career.

“I had several offers, but I did have to narrow it down. With the help of my parents we narrowed it down to four,” Tucker said. “Through the recruiting process, I remembered conversations I had with coaches. My parents and I had a list of what was important to me both academically and athletically: coaches, players, location, housing and things like that.”

The Junipero Serra High School product narrowed a large list of offers and scheduled four visits on different corners of the country, including Saint John’s in Queens, N.Y., Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif., and Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash.

The first of those four visits was to Lubbock, Texas, and it didn’t take long for her to realize that Texas Tech may be the place for her.

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“With Texas Tech, I remember coming here and telling my mom that this might be the one, but I still wanted to take a step back and consider all of my options,” Tucker said. “I kind of already knew and had that feeling that I was going to commit here but I still wanted to give those other schools a chance.

“Once I went through my list and started narrowing things down it came down to Tech and Saint John’s. It was close, but Tech beat every school in every area that I was looking at, so I chose to come here.”

Tucker had a strong first season, appearing in all 29 games for the Lady Raiders while making 10 starts. She finished her first season in Lubbock averaging 10.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and a team-leading 53.8 field goal percentage— which would have ranked third in the Big 12 had she recorded enough attempts—on the way to two Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors. She excelled in the classroom as well, being named to the Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team.

It understandably wasn’t always such an easy transition, however, as making the step up from high school to the Big 12 presents a number of challenges.

“In high school, I didn’t have the experience of playing with and against Big 12 players, or having college coaches. At first that transition was kind of hard, but once I started getting adjusted with the help of my teammates I was able to make that transition. I also think that aside from having the skillset, there were some things that I had to learn, and I thought that was really helpful.

“The stuff that I had to learn my freshman year—what I need to do, what I shouldn’t be doing, relationships I should be building—have really helped me so far in my sophomore year. I’m seeing the game in a different perspective than I was my freshman year.”

Off the court, student-athletes have plenty of other things to balance as well, including classes, tutoring sessions, travel, meetings, media and community service events. It can be a lot for anyone to take on, especially a freshman

experiencing college for the first time.

“In high school, we did have our hands held quite a bit,” Tucker said. “Once I got to college, I had to do a lot of things on my own. I had to be responsible, get organized, plan time to study or go shoot, and make sure I was on time for certain things. I had a few mishaps where I put one thing over another or I was close to being late, so I just had to ask myself what my priorities were. I knew I had to set some things aside to focus on basketball and my schoolwork. Once I found that, I was able to be successful both academically and on the court, but it was difficult.”

Tucker has enjoyed her time in Lubbock so far, getting to enjoy a number of food options for Texas Tech student-athletes, as well as the academic and athletic amenities available to the Lady Raiders.

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The Dustin R. Womb

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b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

T

he day Chris Beard became the head

men’s basketball coach at Texas Tech, he called Jarrett Culver – then a high school student at Lubbock’s Coronado High.

“We were talking about the things we were going to do and why I thought he should consider Tech,” said Beard.

One was building a basketball practice

facility – the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center that’s now getting finishing touches, across the street from United Supermarkets Arena.

“Jarrett was on the team the day we put

the shovel in the dirt. So, it’s been cool because he’s seen every step of it,” said Beard of the former Red Raider, now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who’s often back in Lubbock to visit family.

Beard, Culver and everyone with Red Raider basketball have built something special the past few years. Now they have a new home to build on that success.

ble Basketball Center RedRaiderSports.com

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The almost – $30 million Womble Basketball Center – home for the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders is thrilling players and will attract top hoops recruits to the South Plains.

“It’s really nice with all the branding and newness, but when you get right down to the core – it’s a work facility,” said Beard.

His boss – Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt – agrees.

“The Womble Center is all about player development,” said Hocutt about the latest jewel in the Campaign for Fearless Champions ongoing upgrade in athletics facilities.

Even before the Womble, that focus on development led the Red Raiders to two deep NCAA playoff runs, packed houses at United Supermarkets Arena, sent players like Culver to the NBA and enhanced recruiting. In addition, a recent Lady Raider was drafted into the WNBA. Now they can build on that, said Hocutt.

“They have the tools needed to ensure our men’s program remains competitive on the national level and it’s going to give our Lady Raider staff the tools to elevate and re-establish that program nationally,” he said.

Krista Gerlich, new Lady Raider head coach and member of the 1993 Lady Raider National Championship team, heard her alma mater was building a practice facility.

She didn’t know much more – she was busy leading the women’s team at UT Arlington.

Now she knows.

“It’s a masterpiece. It’s the best in the country,” she said.

Womble, the Lubbock businessman who was the project’s lead donor with an initial $10 million gift to which he’s added more, is “really proud” of the finished project.

“Some of other schools have really nice facilities, but they’re not right next to their game-day arena. That’s a real advantage,” said Womble, who folks call Dusty.

Many others donated toward the project, including $5 million from Jerry Rawls – longtime Texas Tech supporter and namesake of the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration and the Rawls Course.

Billy Breedlove, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for the Texas Tech University System, loves how the Womble fits on campus.

“It’s a beautiful building that falls in line with our master plan for Spanish Renaissance design,” said Breedlove, adding that’s not always easy with larger buildings such as the Womble.

Starting with a Concept

The Womble was in the works before Tubby Smith left the men’s program in 2016.

“There was a vision as to what Texas Tech basketball could be and Dusty was interested in helping us back then,” said Hocutt.

A group from Texas Tech visited NBA and top college facilities to get ideas. A ground breaking followed Womble’s initial gift and now teams are starting to use parts of the building and will fully move in once the basketball seasons end.

“We were able to take pieces from everything we saw – from the collegiate programs as well as the Oklahoma City

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Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks and put it all under one roof,” said Hocutt.

Both teams no longer have to compete with each other and the volleyball team for practice time at the arena. They have their own courts.

“If a couple of team members wanted to work on their jump shot that was not always available to them,” Hocutt said. “Now they’ll have access whenever possible. And not just any practice gym. It’s state of the art – the floor in the Womble is the best in the country.”

Gerlich enjoys how the balcony off her office overlooks the practice court.

“I love that I’m going to be able to work to the sound of basketballs bouncing when kids are in there shooting,” she said.

She also loves the Womble’s “flow” between the locker room, player’s lounge, practice court and film room.

“It’s all very intimate ... and very innovative. There are just so many high-tech items,” she said.

“The lounge will be their second home. It allows them to relax and congregate as a team to have some bonding moments, just spending time with one another. They can watch film at any time with the whole team or individuals,” she said.

“And then there’s the care – whether it be physically in the weight room, in the training room where we’ve got a cryo machine and sleep pods,” said Gerlich, explaining the cryo machine has the same concept as a cold tub, but uses something akin to dry ice and works in two minutes.

There’s also a nutrition station.

“All of these things are going to help the student athlete’s performance. It’s incredible. Nothing is lacking.

There’s no excuse for them not to be performing at the highest level,” said Gerlich.

Plans Evolve

From the time the Womble was an idea to now putting on the finishing touches, changes and improvements were made as the building “evolved,” said Breedlove.

The weight room evolved early on, said Beard.

“We increased the square footage of the weight room pretty quick in the process,” said Beard, “making that kind of the focal point of the whole building.”

Hocutt pointed out this was one of many areas where people beyond the head coaches were involved.

“John Reilly (men’s hoops strength and conditioning coach) has his fingerprints on every aspect of the weight room in design, building, equipment purchases and other aspects,” said Hocutt.

The most obvious addition is a video board running the length of one baseline of the practice courts, said Beard.

“The idea came from watching the NBA games in the ‘bubble’ and how they used those screens,” said the coach.

“I think with most things in college basketball, a lot of things trickle down from the NBA.”

When the NBA moved all its games to what was called the bubble in Florida with no fans due to COVID, video boards showed fans and were used for other messaging.

“So, if we’re going to play West Virginia in a couple

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of days and we’re practicing in our gym we can put shots of the West Virginia student section behind our guys when they shoot free throws,” said Beard.

The massive video board can be used to watch team videos and other things.

“If we want a former player like Zaire Smith to talk to the team, we could put that on the board,” Beard said. “As technology continues to change this allows us to stay up with the times and be trendsetting in a lot of ways.”

Space was built in if the NCAA allows an increase in the number of coaches and some space was wired that could be a full-time prep kitchen.

“We thought with the future in mind to keep us relative for a long time,” said Beard.

The Womble was mostly complete when Gerlich took the job.

But she had input on branding, emphasizing Lady Raiders.

“Lady Raiders are a huge tradition and a brand consciously built over the past 30 years of women’s basketball,” she said. “It’s very obvious when you’re in the Lady Raiders side of the building.”

Everyone Loves It

“The project has met or exceeded my expectations in every area,” said Hocutt.

“United Supermarkets Arena continues to be one of the nicest playing facilities and offers one of the best home-court advantages in the country. When you have a practice center with a walk across the street to one of the best (arenas) in the country, you won’t find a better basketball stage than what we have here at Texas Tech,” he said.

Beard is equally proud.

“I think it’s the best in college basketball,” he said.

Hocutt said he enjoyed seeing Gerlich’s reaction when she saw what she was inheriting.

“She was excited and reflective. Being part of the national championship team and seeing the continued investment into the basketball programs at Texas Tech- she was very appreciative the program was going to have this type of facility to return to the level of competitiveness we have all desired since Coach Sharp,” he said.

Womble’s pleased how Texas Tech is committed to the Lady Raiders.

“A lot of schools pay lip service to really equal facilities for their women’s program and Tech takes it seriously. That giant video screen that Coach Beard wanted on the end of their practice court? It’s like 18 feet tall and about 40 feet wide. It’s like a video board you’d see in a football stadium. And not only are we putting one there, we’re putting an identical one on the women’s side. We’re not delaying that. Kirby and Tony Hernandez (Deputy Director of Athletics) take that commitment to the women’s program seriously,” he said.

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Gerlich said her team are “super excited” about the Womble and the message it sends.

“Having a facility like this shows how important basketball is to Texas Tech,” she said.

During the coaching transition for women’s basketball, Hocutt walked through the Womble with new Lady Raider signees when their parents dropped them off for the fall semester.

“They were beyond excited to see what they were going to have access to, and the investment being made into their program,” he said.

Womble enjoyed seeing Red Raider reactions.

“All those kids have been heavily recruited, so they’ve seen the best facilities other schools had to offer and they were certainly impressed with the facility,” he said.

Beard concurs.

“Everybody loves it. We’re not fully in there yet, but we’ve been over there enough with our players and there’s a real excitement,” he said.

Hocutt said Texas Tech has had a lot of interest from other schools to see the Womble but have not been able to show it off due to COVID concerns.

“So many of my colleagues have said ‘I can’t wait to come to Lubbock for the game and to be able to see the Womble Center,’” he said.

If You Build It, They Will Come

“When we were designing this facility, it was fascinating to hear coaches talk about recruiting,” said Breedlove. “What do the kids want to see?

What does a player see when they walk into a locker room and see a video display above a locker with the player’s name and picture on it? That means a lot to a player. Where’s a good place to close the deal?”

“We have a ribbon board that wraps three of the four walls in the main lobby. We can show a kid playing high school basketball, Texas Tech videos – anything,” he said, adding recruits will see trophies, mannequins with uniforms and more.

Beard’s been selling the Womble to recruits ever since he got on campus almost five years ago.

“We’ve been talking about this in recruiting well before a shovel went into the dirt. It started with the model and the video, then when we were breaking ground. And now it’s where guys can see their name on the locker plate so it’s real,” he said.

But Texas Tech has not been able to show off the Womble in person because recruiting is in a “dead period” until April, said Hocutt.

“Coaches have shown it off through Zoom calls, showing the facility and the reaction of men’s team players when they got a preview,” he said.

Gerlich can’t wait to get past the dead period.

“We’ve sent recruits links. It’s killing us because we really want to show this off. It’s going to be a huge game changer,” she said, adding recruits are “super impressed” with what they’ve seen.

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“The Womble will help so much with recruiting – if you build it, they will come,” said Gerlich of the Womble-USA one-two punch.

Building

There’s a strong correlation between improving athletic facilities at Tech and successful results.

But “building” means many things beyond actual buildings.

Womble said he’s proud to help his alma mater and knows facilities help – but his investment is driven by impressive coaches.

“The staff that Kirby has put into these programs is really the key to their success, not the facilities. Those coaches recruit the players and prepare them to compete at the national level.

Sometimes the program helps drag the facilities along. In this case, those sort of coincided, but it’s still all attributable to the coaching staff,” he said.

“One of the things successful coaches are good at is making fans feel like they’re part of the program,” he said, adding Beard excels in that area. “The people who are around the program want to help. They understand how fortunate we are to have these coaches with us.”

“And if people have the ability to help – whether that’s giving up time to go to games or funding facilities – you want to be part of that,” said Womble.

Beard adds another layer.

“It’s a facility the past players have built in a lot of ways. Keenan Evans, Zach Smith, Justin Gray – those guys got us started,” said Beard about former players who were part of the Red Raiders’ 2018 Elite Eight run.

That’s another motivation for Womble.

“You see what kind of kids – Jarrett Culver, Matt Mooney, Brandone Francis, Tariq Owens, Norense Odiase, Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards, Avery Benson. It’s very easy to want to support those kids as best you can,” he said, talking about Red Raiders who came within seconds of a national title in 2019.

Womble said when he was in Minneapolis for the Final Four, he didn’t feel it was a fluke.

“I really felt we deserved to be there. Being around Coach Beard and the staff you realize it is not an accident we have a team that is mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to compete at that level. That team put in the work to deserve to be there,” he said.

Support in many different ways is the key, said Beard.

“People say if you win, the fans will come.

Well, the other side of that coin is we need fans to win. And if you recruit good players, the resources will increase. We need resources to recruit the players,” he said.

“The whole thing starts with support. This building is an example. It was pretty cool talking to Dusty about the Womble before we had ever played a game at Texas Tech. You see the vision, the trust, the faith and the long-term commitment,” said Beard.

“And then when you play in the Elite Eight it gives you the chance next year to play in the Final Four. It’s all related,” he said.

Hocutt said ongoing support is vital.

“Red Raiders are proud of their university and Athletics is the most visible. They want to experience success in all we do. It’s something that makes the Red Raider Nation proud and you hope motivates more people to invest into our future and establish programs others will want to emulate,” he said.

Grateful Coaches The support that created the Womble is humbling, said Beard.

“People have a million choices on where to spend their time and their money for investments and gifts. There were so many great causes. I find myself making those decisions. And for people to invest in Texas Tech basketball it’s just humbling,” he said.

“But it’s a great place to invest because you’re not just talking about winning basketball games, you’re changing lives,” he said.

“I think you get paid back tenfold. Brandone Francis benefitted from the opportunities he had at Texas Tech and became the man he is today because of Texas Tech. So many people are going to benefit, and it won’t just be Brandone’s immediate family. It’s people Brandone will touch the rest of his life. If you cut a check to Texas Tech basketball, we’re using it to impact student athletes and change lives. I’ve seen it firsthand and it’s pretty cool,” he said.

The coach added he can’t wait until supporters can see the Womble and appreciate what it adds to the university and Lubbock – much like the new Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will add.

“I can’t wait to go in there and see the new concert hall because it’s big time and makes our city better. That’s how I feel about the Womble. I can’t wait for our fans to come check it out and take pride in it. Anybody who’s bought a ticket to our games, season ticket holders – they’ve helped us,” he said.

Gerlich added: “Saying thank you is not enough,” said Gerlich of the donors who funded the Womble. “It just motivates you to work your tail off, and to get high-level recruits when you have these types of facilities and people investing in your program.”

It Takes an Army Breedlove enjoyed how many people were involved and the collaborative process.

“I love doing athletic facilities. It starts with Kirby and his team and their vision of taking care of student-athletes,” he said.

Breedlove’s team worked with head coaches, assistant coaches, training and nutrition staff and others to get ideas down on paper.

“It takes a small army of people to design and build a building like this,” he said.

They brought in Populous, a worldwide design firm that has worked on:

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20 Major League Baseball stadiums, including Yankee Stadium.

Stadiums in 34 countries including Kyle Field at Texas A&M. More than 1,000 college projects, including ones at five other Big 12 schools.

Design for the NCAA Final Four for a number of years.

Lubbock-based, Lee Lewis Construction, was the builder.

Breedlove said weather and the COVID pandemic created challenges during the process.

“When you have anywhere from 100 to 150 people on the job site during a pandemic, it makes it challenging,” he said.

The other challenges were getting equipment and materials.

“This building has millions of pieces in it. We were getting materials from all over the world,” said Breedlove and there were times plants were shut down due to COVID. Like his colleagues in athletics, Breedlove appreciates Womble and other donors who fund these projects.

“We hold donors in high esteem and emphasize we’re going to be good stewards of their money. I want them to know we’re spending their money wisely,” he said.

The Final Pieces

Texas Tech is nearing the finish line in The Campaign for Fearless Champions.

“We’re excited about the progress being made on a baseball clubhouse. They’re finishing out the east side of Jones AT&T Stadium, which will be completed in March or April,” Hocutt said.

“Then, the final two pieces are the Football Training Facility and the South End Zone project. We look forward to move both of those projects forward and experience the same level of success in football that we’ve seen in our men’s basketball, baseball, track and field, and golf teams.”

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Donor Spotlight

b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

Linda & Terry Fuller Tim &

Annette Culp

the almost 350-mile drive.

“We just got to our seats by kickoff with our two youngest children.

O u r son Corey was a Tech senior and was one of the students who rushed the field at the end that led to the penalty where we had to kick off at the 15-yard-line,” said Tim. The Red Raiders survived the penalty and “we were just hooting and hollering,” said Tim. The Culps had told their four children they could go anywhere in the world to get a college education, but mom and dad would only pay if they went to Texas Tech.

“She called my bluff,” Tim said of his Sooner daughter.

“But I did tell her ‘if you’re not going to Texas Tech, you’re going north of the border. You’re not going to Texas, A&M or TCU. You can go to OU but nothing south of the border’ and she didn’t call my bluff on that,” said her dad.

Tim and Annette Culp had a conundrum.

Their only child who didn’t go to Texas Tech – daughter Lindsay – had her Family Weekend at the University of Oklahoma the same weekend as a Texas Tech football game in Lubbock.

“I told her, honey, we’ll come up for Family Weekend, but we’re leaving at noon on game day,” Tim told his daughter.

It was 2008. If you’re a Texas Tech sports fan and have not been trapped in a cave the last dozen years, you know which game.

The Culps left Norman to watch No. 7-Texas Tech host No. 1 Texas, which the Red Raiders won 39-33 in one of the greatest moments in the school’s sports history.

“I was looking at my watch that Saturday morning and Lindsay’s sorority had all these functions going on,” said Tim. The car was already packed and around noon they headed south on

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Generous Red Raiders Tim graduated from Texas Tech in 1981 with a degree in accounting and went on to a successful career in the oil and gas business in Midland.

The Culps have been generous with their alma mater – Annette got a degree in merchandising and marketing.

They’ve donated to many projects with most of it going to Athletics.

“I love everything about Texas Tech Athletics,” said Tim. They love how Athletics has reached out more to the Permian Basin, miss their beloved friend Tommy McVay and adore adding to the Texas Tech room in their Midland home.

Tim also, notes Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Development, is a relentless source of positive energy for the Red Raiders through encouraging calls and texts over the years.

That’s a big part of the reason Annette fell in love with Tim.

“I didn’t only fall in love with his boyish good looks,” said Annette, sitting next to Tim on a Zoom interview recently from their Midland home. “I fell

in love with his amazing character, his leadership, his drive – everything he does. That’s why everybody wants him on their committee.”

Tim inherited his positive outlook from his late mother, he said.

“She was as positive a person I’ve ever been around and I inherited that trait. I’ve always believed my glass is 100 percent full. Obviously, there are times it’s not full but I try to always look at the positive side of things,” said Tim. Andrews — Lubbock — Midland

Tim grew up in Andrews, a bit more than 100 miles southwest of Lubbock. He hoped to play baseball for Texas Tech, but a leg injury his senior year of high school ended the dream of being a Red Raider athlete, but not of being a Red Raider.

“We attended a lot of Texas Tech football

games in the early-to-mid ‘70s. I fell in love with the Game Day atmosphere – coming from a town of about 8,000 and sitting in a stadium at the time that held 40,000. I made up my mind pretty early in life I was going to be a Red Raider for life,” he said.

Annette’s dad was a coach and educator and her family moved around quite a bit. They moved to Andrews for her sophomore year of high school.

“That was one of my hardest moves because I was leaving some really good friends behind” in Pittsburg in east Texas, said Annette. “Little did I know God had bigger plans for me because I met Tim.”

They started dating the year Annette moved to Andrews and got married after graduating from Texas Tech. On their next anniversary, Tim and Annette will be married 40 years.

But when they graduated high school, Annette wanted to attend East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce) because she had family near there.

“We also talked about after we graduated from high school that we might need some separation time,” said Annette.

They stayed connected but dated other people.

“Then, after two years I thought it was time for me to head to Tech,” said Annette.

“I just fell in love with Tech.”

They were busy with classes, jobs, their fraternity and sorority and going to Texas Tech sporting events.

Annette interned at the iconic Hemphill-Wells department store in downtown Lubbock.

After graduation, Annette wanted to move to the Metroplex or further east with Tim.

“I had an accounting job for a CPA firm in Midland and told her ‘let’s go here for two years and then we’ll head to the Metroplex.’ It’s one of many stories I told her over the years and here we are in Midland 40 years later,” said Tim. Annette was Department Manager at Sakowitz department store in Midland but eventually stayed home to raise their four children.

Inspired by Leadership

Tirey visited the Culps more than a decade ago and shared a vision the university had for the future of Athletics.

“It lit a fire for me and I wanted to get on board, ramp it up and support it as much as we could financially and in other ways to help see Tech succeed in every sport on campus,” said Tim. “It all starts with the leadership. Chancellor Mitchell and President Schovanec are absolutely some of the top leaders in the country. I love our leadership in Athletics – (Director of Athletics) Kirby Hocutt, Andrea Tirey – all the people there,” he said, including coaches Chris Beard, Tim Tadlock and Wes Kittley who’ve had great success in the past few years.

“I’m also a huge believer in Coach Wells.

He’s going to get our football program back to the level we need to be. We’re not where we need to be now and he knows it. It’s just a matter of time until he gets us back to national prominence,” said Tim.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Texas Tech, we have come so far,” said Tim of athletic success and facilities.

“Most of our facilities were a little bit below par. The growth we’ve seen with United Supermarkets Arena, the Sports Performance Center, what we’ve done to Jones AT&T Stadium, the new (Dustin R.) Womble (Basketball Center), the business school building. We’ve got a first-class university. I couldn’t be more proud of Texas Tech

in general and Athletic Department specifically,” he said.

The Culps have donated to the:

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Jones AT&T Stadium East Side.

The Sports Performance Center.

Video board in Womble.

Various Athletic Department needs.

In addition, they support the Red Raider Club, the Texas Tech Alumni Association, the Chancellor’s Council and the Rawls College of Business.

“Texas Tech has given us so much, we’re so happy to be able to give back,” said Tim. Texas Tech Room

The Culp’s TV/game room doubles as a shrine to Texas Tech sports.

Even the pool table has red felt instead of the traditional green.

“We knew when we built this house about ten years ago we wanted a spot for all kinds of memorabilia we have. It’s painted black with red,” said Annette.

Signed football helmets and footballs hang

from the black walls in cases. Awards, framed newspaper pages reporting Texas Tech sports, photos of coaches, photos of the Culps with their many friends from Texas Tech Athletics and more adorn the walls and make it look a bit like a museum.

It’s a room many Red Raider fans would love to have from a couple the Red Raiders appreciate immensely.

Representing Midland

One of the big reasons the Culps are such fans of Texas Tech’s Athletics leadership is a commitment to the Permian Basin.

“Texas Tech’s always had a presence here, but not near what we wanted it to be,” said Tim. “We wanted to spread the brand of Texas Tech and the Double T in Midland. So Kirby made a commitment to us. He said he felt Midland is Texas Tech South – an extension of Texas Tech.”

Since then, football scrimmages have taken place in Midland and the baseball and basketball teams have played games there.

“It was Kirby’s way, Andrea’s way, Texas Tech’s way of saying Midland’s been good to

Texas Tech and this is our way of giving back,” he said.

Even before that, the late Tommy McVay was keeping “Texas Tech South” connected and it led to a long friendship with the Culps.

McVay, Texas Tech’s longtime Director of Football Operations who served under five different head coaches, died in August after a fall at his home caused a brain bleed.

“Tommy came down every week during football season for 23 consecutive years to give us an update on Texas Tech football,” said Tim. “I recall him only missing one week in 23 years because he had a friend from Oklahoma pass away.”

“We called it the Texas Tech football luncheon and Tommy was our speaker every week during football season. I figured he made more than 300 trips to Midland and that came out to more than 70,000 miles. I shared that with Coach Wells for Tommy’s funeral,” said Tim.

“I talked to Tommy about three or four days before his fall and we were talking about if he’d be able to come (to the luncheons) during football season because of COVID and if we needed to put it on hold. He said he’s coming,” said Tim.

“What a legendary Red Raider, a true friend of so many. We thought Tommy was one of our best friends and we were one of his best friends.

Little did we know Tommy had about 1,000 best friends. Everybody who knew him loved him.

That’s a huge part of our Texas Tech story,” said Tim.

Annette added: “He was one of a kind.”

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SCOVELL the

b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G

LEGACY 20

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john field king dupree

The Scovell family’s impact in football and business – many times interconnected – runs deep across the state of Texas.

Field Scovell played for Texas A&M almost a century ago.

His son John was raised in Dallas in Aggie gear, but when it came time for him to pick a college, he chose Texas Tech.

In 1967, quarterback John (pictured, right) led the Red Raiders over rival Texas in Austin, the first win over the Longhorns since Tech joined the Southwest Conference.

All three of John’s sons – raised in Red and Black Double T gear – went to Texas Tech.

Field III, King and Dupree Scovell all played receiver for Texas Tech in the 1990s and 2000s.

Then there’s Diane – John’s wife, who he first saw when she was a Texas Tech twirler. Diane has reminded her husband and sons over the years that she’s been in the end zone more than all of them.

For the record, John passed and ran for 15 touchdowns, Field III caught 4 and his brothers caught one each.

Diane’s side of the family has her own Texas Tech legacy. Her mother was a Red Raider and brother Joe Kim King was a Masked Rider.

“Texas Tech is just part of our DNA,” said Field III, who played for Spike Dykes in the 1990s.

Read on to learn which Scovell:

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Played a role in the formation of the Dallas Cowboys.

Ticked off Cowboys’ legend and former Navy quarterback Roger Staubach as part of a Texas Tech end zone celebration.

Was a Texas Tech regent.

Was Texas Tech team doctor.

Was a Phi Delt.

Was in Wes Welker’s wedding.

Followed John into what’s become the family business.

Mr. Cotton Bowl After Field Scovell (pictured, below, with John Scovell and Field III) played at Texas A&M and became a Dallas businessman, he became known as Mr. Cotton Bowl, said son John.

Field was Team Selection Chairman. The game trophy is named after him.

He picked the opponent for the Southwest Conference Champion. The game was one of the four biggest bowl games played on New Year’s Day with the Rose, Orange and Sugar bowls before dozens more bowl games sprouted.

“His personality changed a bit when he was trying to find an opponent. He was busier, his patience was shorter,” said John. “He was interested in not only the opponent, but would they sell tickets, had they been here before. He knew

all the coaches,” said John.

“He was so committed to do what’s best for Dallas and the hotels and restaurants. The game had a huge economic impact on the city. There wasn’t whole lot going on between Christmas and New Year’s. He was such a fan of Dallas and wanted to show off Dallas,” said John.

In the late 1950s, when Commissioner Pete Rozelle was looking to expand the National Football League in Dallas, he approached Field.

“Rozelle came to my dad and wanted to know if he wanted the franchise,” said John. “He didn’t, but he introduced Rozelle to Clint Murchison.”

Dallas businessman Lamar Hunt wanted the franchise but didn’t get it, so then joined the group that started the American Football League and owned the Dallas Texans. They started playing in 1960, the same year as the Cowboys’ initial season. But the Texans moved to Kansas City a few years later and became the Chiefs.

Interested in Me

Mr. Cotton Bowl was a proud Aggie.

On a website featuring distinguished A&M alumni, the entry about Field Scovell says: “There’s no bigger Texas Aggie than Field Scovell. Aggie jokes really hurt him. He can get fighting mad!"

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But when John was looking at colleges, Field didn’t pressure his son toward College Station.

“My dad was such a high-profile Aggie. I played six-man YMCA football in maroon pants.

When it appeared I had a chance to play at the next level, he said ‘you’re the one playing, so it’s your choice. You’re going to play and go to class.

You need to pick the school that will provide the tools for the rest of your life,’” John said his dad told him.

J.T. King was Texas Tech’s football coach.

“Texas Tech was interested in me. I got the feeling A&M wanted Field Scovell’s son and that was the difference,” said John from his Dallas office.

John spent halftimes in the locker room going over game plans for the second half and never saw the Goin Band’s halftime show.

“Once I came out of the locker room early and the band had not cleared the field,” he said of watching Diane twirling. She’d also caught his eye at pep rallies.

She was from Brady, her last name was King and her family had a ranch.

“Not the King Ranch,” John emphasized.

The quarterback and the twirler became an item.

That 1967 win over Texas was John’s favorite game as a player. He ran for 175 yards, ran and passed for touchdowns in the 19-13 victory. It was the Longhorns’ only loss that year.

The reception in Lubbock was memorable for a bizarre reason.

“There were thousands of people on the runway, so we couldn’t land. This was going to be our great return and we were practicing how we’d wave,” John said.

The plane was diverted to Amarillo and by the time the team did get to Lubbock, most of the crowd was gone.

John finished first in his class at Texas Tech and continued his education earning an MBA from Harvard. He was happy to return to Texas.

“There was a challenge going from Lubbock to Boston in atmosphere and climate. I knew my preference,” he said.

Back in Dallas, John met Ray Hunt – Lamar Hunt’s half-brother – and Ray asked John to run his real estate company.

“I knew Lamar Hunt. He was an impressive guy and very special. My dad introduced us before I ever met Ray Hunt who became by boss and partner. They don’t make ‘em any better,” said John.

Shortly after, John founded Woodbine – which focuses on real estate investment, development and management.

The name was taken from the oil-bearing Woodbine Sand in the East Texas oil field – the area from which the Hunt Oil Company was built.

Woodbine has completed projects all over Texas and the country but its best-known may be the Hyatt Regency in Dallas with its accompanying Reunion Tower.

John, Field & Diane Scovell

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John created the 150-plus page Woodbine Real Estate Playbook – full of one-liners about business, sports and more – with a “pigskin’ cover.

Decades later, John proudly says “all my best friends are Red Raiders” from football or his Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which his sons also joined.

“I’m a big fan of Lubbock, such character, values and work ethic,” he said.

“And how special is it to have three kids playing for your alma mater,” said John.

John’s time as a member of Texas Tech’s Board of Regents featured investments in the baseball and football stadiums and other parts of the university.

“Whether it was home economics or baseball, as long as it was for the overall good of the university,” he said.

And even though he’s been associated with the Hunt family through business, he’s a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, not the Chiefs.

But he admires Kansas City’s quarterback – former Red Raider and reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.

“You couldn’t ask for a person to be more appreciative or loyal. He’s just glad to help Texas Tech and Lubbock. He’s somebody you’d want your kids to admire and look up to,” said John.

“I just wish we had him in Dallas,” he added.

Generation Next Growing up as John’s sons and Field’s grandsons meant going to lots of sporting events – especially the Cotton Bowl.

Field III (for the remainder of this story, he will be referred to simply as Field) remembers meeting legendary coach Bear Bryant and having his picture taken with him and meeting other famous coaches and college athletic directors.

“You’d always run into somebody who knew your dad or grandfather. It was a great experience,” he said.

But as Dupree pointed out, his grandfather and dad exhibited a humility about all of it.

“It was never a point of identity for my grandfather. He had a kind of remarkable humility that I didn’t appreciate because I was too young. My dad took the same cues. It was never a big deal.

I saw how my dad transitioned into business and how humble he is,” said Dupree.

John’s sons said they’ve heard more from other people about his dad’s team beating Texas in 1967 than from John.

The sons and other neighborhood kids played all kind of sports.

“You were always going to somebody’s backyard to play basketball or somebody’s front yard to play football or soccer,” said Field.

King added: “It fostered friendships and competitiveness and friends to this day. But we needed some other kids. If it was just Scovells it

ridge touchdown pass to give the Red Raiders an early lead.

“We should have won. We got back to Lubbock and it was late. But everybody was kinda wired. I was driving home with some teammates and nobody’s ready to go to bed, so we stopped at Conference to get a beer. We walked into the bar and got a standing ovation,” said Field.

His brother Dupree was on the team during two of his favorite games as a fan:

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Dupree, Field & King Scovell

would been a lot more violent.”

As the youngest, Dupree remembers getting clobbered.

“As the little kid, I was always getting dragged and thrown around. I can still see the end zones in my mind, the trees you had to work around.

There were no flower beds but that was probably because we destroyed whatever was there and the neighbors gave up and planted shrubs,” he said.

Field and Dupree were high school quarterbacks, King was a receiver.

When they considered where to go to college, John treated them the way he was treated.

Field felt comfortable with Texas Tech because so many of his parents’ friends were Red Raiders and he’d been going to Lubbock for games over the years.

“I wanted to be part of what my dad was part of. A lot of my dad’s college friends were encouraging me. I just wanted to be part of this extended family,” he said.

“And, I mean, I didn’t have a thousand opportunities to play college football, but Texas Tech was one of them. I didn’t want to go anywhere else, Field said, adding it became an easier decision when Coach Spike Dykes asked him to walk on.

The next son in line also grew up loving the Red Raiders.

“Credit my parents,” said King. “They showed us how to love Texas Tech and embedded it in us. When it came down to making a decision, that’s what we knew. But it was completely our decision,” he said.

Dupree was injured his senior year of high school and any chance of getting a scholarship to places like Navy or Rice were dashed.

“Then it became where can I walk on?” he said. “I was a known quantity at Tech because of my two brothers before me. I think the coaching staff knew I’d work hard.”

He was not pressured to choose Texas Tech, but like his brothers “it’s kind of all you had ever known. You grew up wearing the Double T from when you’re a day old. There is some level of brainwashing that helps.”

Dr. Scovell Field mentions three favorite games as a player – two of them, wins over Texas A&M.

The Red Raiders won on a spectacular 81yard touchdown in College Station in 1996.

“The play was called 26 bootleg throwback.

You fake the bootleg to the right, the quarterback rolls to the left, then he throws back to the right, where Sammy Morris took it down the sideline. I was running a route on the left side. I got so excited I almost caught Sammy before he got into the end zone,” said Field. “That might be a bit of an exaggeration.”

The second was a season earlier when Zach Thomas intercepted Aggie quarterback Corey Pullig in the fourth quarter and scored to break a 7-7 tie, leading to a 14-7 Red Raider win.

The Aggies were ranked No. 8.

“That was so much fun,” he said.

The third was a 24-23 loss at No. 4-ranked Penn State, where Field caught a Zebbie Leth-

When Wes Welker’s punt return gave the Red Raiders a late lead over Texas A&M in College Station and they held on to win in overtime in 2002. “Kliff (Kingsbury) was incredible that day,” said Field of the Red Raider quarterback who now leads the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

Tech’s 49-45 road win over Eli Manning and Mississippi.

When asked why he didn’t mention the 2008 Texas Tech-Texas game, Field said that was his favorite as team doctor.

Field had an injury when he was in 7th grade and was going to have miss soccer season.

“I saw an orthopedic surgeon and he was great and really encouraging. I looked around his office, seeing pictures of athletes he takes care of and I thought this would be cool. When I got to Tech, J.T. King’s son Rob was the longtime team physician,” said Field.

He not only saw what Dr. King did with the team but was allowed to shadow him, including watching him in surgery.

“I wanted to be the Tech team doctor,” he said.

After graduating from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and years of training, he was an orthopedic surgeon and the role of Tech team physician opened up.

“I convinced my wife to move to Lubbock and we were in business,” he said, adding it took her a year to appreciate her new community after growing up in Dallas.

Recently, Field’s family moved back to the Metroplex for a work opportunity and to be closer to family.

“But I had to drag my wife out of Lubbock,” he said.

His last year as Tech physician he worked with the Red Raider basketball team that went to the Elite Eight in 2018.

“That’s not why you become a team physician, but if you get the opportunity, it’s a blast,” he said.

Like his dad, Field’s time in Lubbock built deep friendships.

“I made these incredible relationships at Texas Tech. Those guys were in my wedding, they’ll be at my funeral,” said Field.

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Field Scovell & Coach Spike Dykes

Field also fondly remembers his late head coach.

“When you play for a guy like Spike, you don’t always appreciate him until afterwards.

He’s such a father figure. He really cared about you. On Father’s Day when he was alive, I would call my dad, my freshman basketball coach and Spike,” he said.

Air Raid Genesis

King didn’t have a favorite game as a player but said his entire junior year was fun being the first year Mike Leach installed the Air Raid offense.

“There was just all this hype around the new offense, and we were all Spike Dykes guys and loved the prior regime. But the brilliance of the Air Raid was it provides option routes. It took about three days to pick up the offense. Not just your position, but the whole offense,” he said.

Like his brother Field, one of his favorite games as a fan was watching Dupree’s team beat Mississippi and Eli Manning.

King graduated with a degree in finance/ general business. He was working back in the Metroplex for a developer and Texas Tech grad.

There was an opportunity at Woodbine, but King wasn’t sure it was the right fit. A year or two later the right fit with Woodbine developed.

He’s now Managing Partner/Chief Development Officer.

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King is still in touch with former Tech players and coaches – Kingsbury, Sonny Dykes, Sonny Cumbie, Lincoln Riley, Dana Holgerson and others.

“There’s a fraternity of players across generations,” he said.

Great Memories

The Welker punt return game in College Station was one of Dupree’s favorites as a player.

But just as memorable for a heartbreaking reason was a 43-40 loss to Texas in 2003 that would have sent the Red Raiders to the Cotton Bowl.

“That would have been an unbelievable storybook win,” said the grandson of Mr. Cotton Bowl.

Then he recalls one more game where the Red Raiders ticked off a legend.

The Red Raiders beat Navy 38-14 in the 2003 Houston Bowl.

“We did a touchdown celebration that was not very tasteful that Roger Staubach didn’t like.”

A bunch of Red Raiders – including Dupree – all got in a circle.

“You throw the ball like it’s a grenade, then it ‘explodes’ and we all fall down,” he said. “I don’t think we were thinking through what that celebration may have meant to a military academy. That was a funny moment for us, but I probably would have done it differently,” he said.

Dupree also used what he learned reading

defenses as a high school quarterback as an inside receiver for Texas Tech in the Air Raid offense.

“You may have different routes depending on what the defense does. If there were more people at the line, or if a linebacker blitzes or if they drop into a zone – all of that might change your route. Then, if the quarterback scrambles, that’s another option,” he explained.

“The ability to react was part of why that position fit well for me,” said Dupree.

He’s still close with Welker, who was also his roommate and stood for Welker at his wedding.

He’s still in touch with Kingsbury and B.J. Symons, the quarterbacks on his teams and other former teammates.

Then there are the Monday Men.

“I called myself a Christian, but it was probably more cultural than anything else,” said Dupree. “I felt I was sitting on the fence and decided I’m going all in.”

He came downstairs and told Welker, Cody and Slade Hodges what he was thinking and if they wanted to do this with him. They were joined by Cody Fuller.

“I was kind of surprised they all said yes. We started calling this thing the Monday Men and we’d talk about ways we could do better. It was accountability and those friendships got much deeper during that time,” said Dupree.

The group keeps a text thread going and supports each other through life changes, he said.

King & Dupree Scovell

King, John, Dupree, Field & Diane Scovell

Dupree completed four bachelor’s degrees at Texas Tech – in management, marketing, general business and finance.

That work got him into Stanford’s grad school where he was told he was the first to come from Texas Tech.

“I knew football wasn’t going to be my career, so I was trying to work other muscles that would help me,” said Dupree.

He’s also joined his dad and brother at Woodbine, where he’s Managing Partner/Chief Investment Officer.

Like King, he was working for another company when he was approached about joining Woodbine, but not by his father.

It turned out John would love to have his sons join the company they now run, but like college, wanted them to make that decision on their own.

For Dupree, the more he knew about Woodbine’s culture, the more he felt it was the right fit.

“The culture of this company lines up pretty closely with my own values because that culture was formed by the guy who raised me,” said Dupree. “Working with my dad has probably been my greatest privilege,” said Dupree.

Giving Back

The Scovells love Texas Tech and have been happy to give back.

The Scovell Business Leadership Program

at the Rawls College of Business is one example along with many others.

“The Scovells are such big supporters of Texas Tech,” said Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Development. “They are always sound counsel and step up when we have needs. They are the definition of true Red Raiders.”

Field said: “You give back to the place that helped you get where you are.”

Dupree said coming from Dallas, West Texas put an important imprint on him and his family.

“West Texas starts to rub off on you. It starts to remind you you’re not as important as you think you are – a way of creating a little bit of humility which we could all use more of,” he said. “Our family has a desire to see Texas Tech reach its potential.”

Giving back’s the easy part, said King.

“We were raised to appreciate what you get and return the favor. We got so much out of Tech, a job, something to root for, my best friends. It’s given my kids something to root for and be proud of,” he said.

And in the end, it all comes down to a football analogy.

“As you move up the depth chart, you’ve learned from the guys in front of you. And then you help pave the path for those who come after you,” said Dupree.

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Virtually PERFECT b y A L P I C K ETT

Recruiting, like everything else, has been much different in 2020. For example, Mac McClung, the Red Raiders’ leading scorer this season, transferred to Texas Tech from Georgetown University without even visiting the Lubbock campus.

“Well, I had a visit of the campus virtually,” he laughed.

McClung first entered the NBA Draft last spring. He conducted 11 interviews with NBA teams and had five interviews that he eventually canceled upon deciding to transfer. On May 13, he informed Georgetown that he was withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft and was requesting to enter the NCAA transfer portal, immediately making him the most soughtafter transfer in the country.

“I talked to NBA scouts and got feedback about what I needed to work on,” he explained.

“They said I need to improve my shooting percentage and shot selection. Going through the process was really informative. I got a chance to speak to the decision-makers and hear what they thought about my game. They shared with me things I need to work on to be successful at the next level. I am very optimistic about the feedback I received.”

McClung, a 6-foot-2 guard, was named to the Big East’s All-Freshman team after averaging 13.1 points in 26.4 minutes per game for the Hoyas. He was in the midst of a breakout sophomore season, averaging 15.7 points, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 27 minutes before a foot injury derailed his season after just 21 games.

“A number of different events made me feel I had no choice but to transfer from

Georgetown,” McClung told ESPN at the time.

“I really wanted to stay, but things throughout my career made me realize that I couldn’t. I’m looking for a place I can call home, a place I can be a part of family and help them succeed.

I wanted to come to a winning program.”

Fourteen days later, McClung found that home and winning program when he signed with Texas Tech.

“All the recruiting was phone calls and Zoom calls,” McClung said. “But I felt a difference in authenticity from coach (Chris) Beard and his staff.”

Asked about personal goals, McClung replied, “If the team succeeds, everything else will take care of itself. There is a great family culture here, and I think I have adapted well.”

Indeed, McClung has quickly established himself as a go-to performer for the Red Raiders. He averaged 18.5 points through the team’s first four games, making him the first player to accomplish that feat since Devaugntah Williams did the same in five-straight games in the 2015-16 campaign.

McClung’s fast start to the season as the Red Raiders’ offensive spark has impressed his coach.

“I think above all, Mac is trying, and he has bought in,” Beard said. “He didn’t come down here thinking he has all the answers. Just like I don’t wake up every day thinking I have all the answers.

“Everything we do around here makes sense. And everything Mac, does makes sense. He is an aggressive player, and we want him to be aggressive. Keenan Evans was pretty aggressive around here. It’s how

you win. But he is trying to take that step to become a pro with efficiency. And I think he is doing great.”

McClung has always been a prolific

scorer. A native of Gate City, Va., he is the all-time scoring leader in Virginia high school history with 2,801 points after a record-setting senior season in which he scored 1,153 points, earned Player of the Year honors and led his team to the Virginia 2A state championship.

He scored a career-high 38 points as a freshman against Little Rock and dropped 33 points on Oklahoma State last year in Stillwater. He finished last season shooting 39.4 percent from the field with 31 3-pointers, scoring in double figures in 13 of the 21 games that he played.

This season, of course, has brought more challenges than just being a transfer. He has had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and all the protocols and adjustments related to the virus, which included cancellation of a game against St. John’s, a former Big East opponent.

“That is just one game on the schedule,” McClung said. “A lot of people will get distracted by all the changes. “We just need to keep our focus, no matter what. We definitely have to be in a bubble, but that makes us stay good.

It is hard on everybody.”

McClung, a general studies major, likes having the basketball in his hands.

“But in this offense, everyone has the ball in his hands,” he stated. “I am trying to be better at working off the ball. The big thing is I just want to help the team any way I can.”

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Full Circle b y A L P I C K ETT

Vivian Gray’s basketball career has seemingly come full circle.

Gray, who played her high school basketball in Argyle, Texas, is back in the Lone Star State. But her journey to join the Texas Tech Lady Raiders has certainly been an unusual one.

The 6-foot-1 forward scored 2,893 points in her high school career, leading Argyle to three state titles and earning the Texas Class 4A Player of the Year award twice. Even though she was a five-star prospect and was listed as a top-50 prospect in the country, Gray signed with Fort Lewis College, a NCAA Div. II school in Durango, Colo.

“My mom went there, and my sister, who is a year older than me, was playing there,” Gray explained. “I wanted to keep playing with her.”

Gray led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in scoring at 18.5 points a game as a freshman, earning first-team allconference recognition as well as RMAC Freshman of the Year honors.

“The school had financial trouble, though, and they were cutting scholarships,” she said. “My coach said it would be better if I left, so he advised me to transfer.”

Gray transferred to Oklahoma State, which she said had been her second choice coming out of high school. She received a waiver to be eligible immediately and quickly established herself as one of the top players in the Big 12.

As a sophomore, she averaged 20 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on the way to earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors and being a unanimous selection on the All-Big 12 Conference first team.

Gray followed that up last year with another outstanding season. She averaged 19.3 points per game to rank second in the Big 12 and 19th nationally in scoring. Not only was she a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team selection for the second year in a row but she was also named honorable mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Associated Press.

But Gray decided to transfer to Texas Tech.

“I had been considering transferring for several months,” she said. “I looked at a number of schools, including several other schools in the Big 12. But when Bryn (Gerlich, coach Krista Gerlich’s daughter) decided to leave Oklahoma State and transfer to Texas Tech, I got into the (NCAA transfer) portal. I knew

coach Gerlich from high school. She is a great person off the court as well as a good coach, so I thought Tech was the best place for me. So, yeah, I guess I have come full circle. But I love Texas and I am happy to be back here.”

Gray and Bryn Gerlich played on the same select team before Gray’s senior year in high school. The two also went to the same basketball academy in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so there was some familiarity for Gray when she transferred to Tech.

But the COVID-19 pandemic has made the social aspect of college much different this year, not to mention players having to test for coronavirus three or four times a week.

“It is a completely different environment,” she said. “I haven’t connected with outside people. And having no fans in the stands is so strange. Everything is weird this year.”

Gray is working on an online master’s degree in business administration.

“It is a lot different with Zoom classes, but I like it,” she said.

“I prefer online because I can go more at my own pace.”

But because of COVID-19, Gray said she will be able to get an extra year of eligibility, giving her two seasons as a Lady Raider.

Gray describes herself as a “tweener.”

“I am mostly a mid-range player,” she stated. “I can attack the basket but I can also shoot 3s. So I guess I am an all-around player, a tweener who can play inside or out.”

Gray said she will play on the wing as well as on the high post for the Lady Raiders this season.

“I like the versatility,” she added.

Gray didn’t hesitate when asked about her personal goals this season.

“Our team goals are to get to the NCAA tournament,” she said. “Individually, I want to work on getting my shooting percentage up and my rebounds up. I would like to be All-American again and Player of the Year in the Big 12.”

Transfers in college basketball are commonplace these days but transferring to a conference rival that you have to play at least twice a year is unusual. So what will it be like when the Lady Raiders face Oklahoma State this season?

“Very strange,” Gray admitted, “but I am looking forward to it.

The team here has my back. But it will be intense.”

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BASEBALL PREVIEW

Tim Tadlock enters the 2021 Texas Tech baseball season facing a good problem: an unusually large and very talented roster.

The Red Raiders completed fall baseball with 43 players on the roster, including all but a handful of last year’s team which was 16-3 and ranked No. 5 in the country when the season was canceled due to COVID-19.

The NCAA normally allows a roster of 35 once games start in the spring. But following the 2020 season, legislation was passed granting spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility.

The 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, which typically lasts 40 rounds, was reduced to just five rounds to save costs in a year in which the Major League season was shortened to only 60 games and Minor League Baseball was canceled altogether.

The Red Raiders had figured to lose upwards of 10 players to the professional ranks, in addition to a few incoming signees. However, the damage among position players was limited to the loss of Brian Klein, who signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Nationals. He is the only regular starter from last year’s lineup who will not return. The pitching staff lost three familiar names in weekend starters Clayton Beeter and Bryce Bonnin, as well as the veteran John McMillon. Beeter was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bonnin by the Cincinnati Reds.

McMillon signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals.

Sophomore outfielder Dillon Carter underwent surgery in the offseason, as did pitchers Austin Becker and Jakob Brustoski. Carter is expected back later in the spring, while Becker and Brustoski will miss the entire season. Tanner O’Tremba transferred to Arizona and T.J. Rumfield to Virginia Tech.

Beyond that, the roster will include several familiar names.

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Micah Dallas heads up a deep and talented pitching staff. Dallas, who was the Friday night starter throughout much of the 2019 season, pitched out of the bullpen last spring and was dominant, compiling a 1-0 record with three saves in five appearances. He allowed only one run in 15 innings of work, while striking out 23.

Also returning are juniors Mason Montgomery and Hunter Dobbins. Both were midweek starters in 2020 and combined for a 5-1 record.

Andrew Devine allowed only one run in six appearances out of the bullpen last year as a freshman. His lone save came in the final game of the two-game sweep of Florida State in Tallahassee. He will be joined in the bullpen by veterans Connor Queen, Ryan Sublette and Eli Riechmann, all of whom were good performers in 2020.

Braxton Fulford (pictured, left) and Nate Rombach will return at catcher. Fulford will be a senior with a wealth of experience playing in big games while Rombach returns from his freshman campaign that saw him catch and DH. He was named National Player of the Week following the opening weekend of the 2020 season in which he hit five home runs with 15 runs batted in.

The infield offers several interesting options.

Cole Stilwell returns for his junior year after hitting .345 with 24 runs batted in last year. Jace Jung played primarily at third base last spring but spent a large part of fall ball playing second base. Cal Conley returns at shortstop. He was hitting .371 and was second on the team with 24 runs batted in when the season ended. Parker Kelly homered in three of the four games in the Red-Black fall world series and provides a stable defensive option at third base.

Kurt Wilson, hero of the 2019 super regional with his dramatic three-run home run to beat Oklahoma State, spent a large portion of the fall playing shortstop.

The versatile Dru Baker went back and forth between second base and right field in the fall.

He played primarily in right field last spring and hit a dramatic 9th inning, game-tying homer in an extra inning win in Tallahassee.

The outfield will be anchored by senior Dylan Neuse, who hit .355 and was 12 for 12 in stolen bases last spring. Cody Masters and Easton Murrell are returners who have College World Series experience and will compete for playing time as corner outfielders, as will speedy veteran Max Marusak.

The incoming class of junior college transfers was ranked No. 1 in the country by Perfect Game.

The bulk of the touted class consists of pitchers.

Highlighting that group is Brandon Birdsell from San Jacinto College. He has been projected as a high draft pick this coming June and figures to pitch in a key role this spring. Righthander Chase Webster from Chandler-Gilbert College in Arizona was joined in the class by 6-foot-6 lefthander Brandon Petix from Alvin Community College.

The lone position player among the junior college transfers is Braydon Runion who hit .348 with 11 home runs and 44 runs batted in at Walters State Community College in Tennessee in 2019. He played third base and outfield throughout the fall.

Perhaps the most glowing reports on a player new to the program belong to left-handed pitcher Patrick Monteverde. He started his career at Div. III Virginia Wesleyan, transferred to Div. II Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania and continued to excel. When he entered the transfer portal following the 2020 season, he received 40 offers, with 15 to 20 of those being from Power Five programs including Alabama, Miami, Auburn and Indiana. This fall in scrimmages he showed the repertoire of a weekend starter.

The group of freshman pitchers is highly regarded and talented. Righthander Chase Hampton from Kilgore was expected to be drafted last June, but the shortened draft helped get him to campus. Levi Wells from La Porte showed a dynamic breaking ball and was dominant in stretches through the fall. He was joined by another hard thrower, Brendan Girton from tiny Shattuck, Okla.

Girton should be a fan favorite with his competitive, high octane approach.

Lefthanders Nick Gorby from Florida and Matthew Luna from San Antonio, as well as righthander Hayde Key from Fort Bend, were listed as top-400 recruits by Perfect Game. Jamie Hitt, Josh Sanders and Brandon Beckel had good moments in the fall, as well, which points to the depth of this group and the overall pitching staff.

As it has with seemingly everything else, the coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with plans for a 2021 schedule. While the Big Ten has limited its baseball and softball teams to conference-only schedules, the Big 12 has waited to decide.

At points along the way, the schedule has included series with Minnesota and Clemson, both of which have been scratched. Connecticut will come to Lubbock as a replacement for one of the series.

The Huskies have lost in the finals of their last two regional appearances in 2018 and 2019. Also on the schedule are Gonzaga and Dallas Baptist.

RED RAIDER

NOTEBOOK

Matt Wells and the Red Raiders announced a class of 10 high school signees during the Early Signing Period, a smaller class but one that ranks among the best in the Big 12 in terms of average star ranking.

Nine of the 10 new Red Raiders are from the state of Texas with the other hailing from Oklahoma.

Another tight end with tremendous size, Klein’s Mason Tharp stands at 6-foot-8 and chose Texas Tech over 13 other Power Five programs. Tharp is a good blocker, has good hands and, like Castles, will bring much needed size and athleticism to the tight end room.

Quarterbacks

Eastland’s Behren Morton is one of the highest-ranked signees in the Red Raiders’ class and the most decorated quarterback signee in a decade. The West Texan is a unanimous four-star prospect who chose the Red Raiders over offers from Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M, USC, Wisconsin and several others.

As a senior Morton accounted for 3,613 yards and 37 touchdowns through the air while adding another 893 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.

Offensive Line

Mansfield Summit’s Jacoby Jackson had a whirlwind of a recruitment, picking up over 40 scholarship offers. He initially committed to TCU in the summer before backing off that pledge and choosing the Red Raiders. Jackson has prototypical left tackle size and athleticism, though he can play anywhere on the line if needed.

Argyle’s Jack Tucker had a tremendous senior season, leading his Eagles all the way to the state championship. Standing at 6-foot-7 and possessing tremendous athletic ability, Tucker was one of the earlier commits of the class and remained solid throughout. Look for both Tucker and Jackson to compete for immediate playing time.

Skill Positions

Rockdale’s Cam’Ron Valdez is the other four-star prospect in Texas Tech’s class. He held over 25 scholarship offers when he chose the Scarlet and Black, and is ranked among the top 40 prospects in Texas according to Rivals.com.

Valdez accounted for over 4,800 total yards and scored 68 touchdowns during his prolific high school career.

DeSoto’s Jerand Bradley was another prospect who was all-in with the Red Raiders. The Texas Tech coaches made Bradley a top priority and he rewarded their efforts with a commitment.

Bradley started his career at John Paul II in Plano before transferring to DeSoto for his senior season.

Wichita Falls Rider tight end Jed Castles is a long, athletic pass catching target. He was a late bloomer in recruiting, picking up his first offer in mid-February. By April he held over a dozen offers, including ones from Iowa State and Kansas State, but decided he had seen enough and chose to be a Red Raider. Look for Castles to be used in the run game as well as a big-time target in the pass game.

Defensive Line

Cedar Hill’s Charles Esters visited Lubbock early this spring and decided just a few weeks later that he was ready to commit to the Texas Tech coaches. He held a total of 10 offers at the time of his commitment.

Rider’s E’Maurion “Dooda” Banks is the highest-ranked signee on the defensive side of the ball. Banks chose the Red Raiders over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound lineman was high school teammates with tight end signee Jed Castles.

The lone signee from outside the state of Texas, Wagoner (Okla.) defensive end Isaac Smith was committed to Tulsa for several months before flipping to the Red Raiders in late October. A projectable athlete at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Smith is also one of the fastest defensive linemen to sign with a Big 12 program this decade.

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Beard Continues Elite Recruiting

The lone basketball recruit to sign with Texas Tech in the Early Signing Period was John Paul II guard Jaylon Tyson. Tyson is ranked by Rivals as a top-35 prospect, which makes three-straight seasons with a top-50 signee for the Red Raiders.

Tyson was a relatively late bloomer and did not begin to really pile up offers until well into his junior season. Tyson was not shy about his interest in Texas Tech, taking two unofficial visits to Lubbock in a span of less than two months earlier in 2020.

Recruited by assistant coach Ulric Maligi, Tyson chose Texas Tech over offers from Houston, Oklahoma, SMU, TCU and Texas A&M. Mike Kunstadt of TexasHoops.com had the following to say about Tyson.

“Jaylon is an explosive and versatile athlete who will be able to contribute in a number of ways at both ends of the floor. The Texas Tech staff did a great job of identifying his talent early in his junior year and building the relationship to earn his commitment. His play making ability and shot making talent out to the 3-point line make him a difficult player to defend. He also has the length and quickness to guard multiple positions and be a stopper on defense. The Red Raiders landed on of the state’s top overall talents in Tyson and will get the most out of him.”

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