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RedRaiderSports.com is a publication of TRI Productions Volume 26 Issue 4 Managing Editor Aaron Dickens
Cover Photo Elizabeth Hertel
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. Red Raider Sports is a publication of TRI Productions, P.O. Box 53604, Lubbock, TX 79453. Periodicals postage is paid in Lubbock, Texas. Address all editorial-related correspondence to Red Raider Sports, P.O. Box 53604, Lubbock, TX 79453. Red Raider Sports is not an official publication of Texas Tech University. 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. ©2021 TRI Productions. All Rights Reserved.
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Red Raider Club
update
We hope everyone is having a great start to 2021.
Our team was discussing how much things have changed since this time last year. Little did we
know, how prevalent “social distancing” and wearing masks would be and how quickly we would all become “ZOOM” experts.
Thankfully, there is one thing that hasn’t changed this past year — the ability of our student-
Texas Tech is once again positioned for another successful spring as Coach Beard and our
athletes to compete at a national level.
men’s basketball program are primed for a deep March Madness run and Coach Tadlock has our
baseball team ranked in the top five of every preseason poll. We also continue to celebrate our
other top-25 programs on campus including the men’s and women’s golf and tennis teams as well
as our track and field program.
Our spring season is always an exciting time with so many of our teams in competition. And
this spring we will add two more sports to that list as our soccer and volleyball programs will both
resume their seasons with several matches that will count towards postseason eligibility. It is going to be an exciting few months.
It has been great to see so many of our fans inside the United Supermarkets Arena this bas-
ketball season, and we hope for the same once baseball is in full swing at Rip Griffin Park. We can’t thank our season ticket holders enough for their patience and understanding as we continue to navigate challenges related to the pandemic.
We released our 2021 football schedule recently; we hope all of you are making plans to join
us at Jones AT&T Stadium this fall. We have a great schedule with visits from TCU, Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State during Big 12 play as well as a trip to Houston for the Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium. In all, nine of our 12 games this season will be in the state of Texas, giving
our loyal fan base many opportunities to support the football program. You will soon be receiving information on football season ticket renewals. We are hopeful for a normal return by the time the season kicks off in August, and we cannot stress enough how vital it is to have a packed Jones
AT&T Stadium each and every home football weekend. This is not only important for the financial
stability of our athletic department but, most importantly, for our student-athletes, who consistently
list our game day environment as one of the top attributes that attracted them to our great university.
Andrea Tirey Senior Associate Athletic Director — Development — 806.834.3270
We are also in the process of Red Raider Club membership renewals for the upcoming year. If
you have any questions regarding your membership, please feel free to reach out to a Red Raider
Club staff member, and we’d be more than happy to assist you. Our Red Raider Club members are so important to the success of our department as you provide many of the critical resources our student-athletes utilize on a daily basis.
I hope you enjoy what should be a fun and exciting spring on campus! We can’t wait to see you
again at one of our events. Wreck ‘Em!
andrea.tirey@ttu.edu Andrea
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Braxton Fulford is not only a star on the baseball field for the nationally ranked Red Raiders, but he is also a star in the classroom. A Lubbock native, Fulford attended Monterey High School, where he holds the record for highest batting average (.571). Throughout his high school career, he made only one ‘B’ and had an affinity for math and science courses, an interest that has continued into college – even when it wasn’t required. “I took a class that wasn’t even a part of my major,” Fulford said. “I took a web development class. It’s a lot of coding and understanding how websites work. Then this past semester, I took a class called the Student-Managed Investment Fund. You do your own research on stocks and securities. At the end of the semester you pick a stock that they actually purchase for the Texas Tech Endowment Fund. They put real money into the stock that you pick. That’s a big responsibility and something that I thought was really fun.” His desire for learning has certainly paid off. Towards the end of the 2019 season as the Red Raiders made another run to Omaha, Fulford was honored at the College World Series opening ceremonies with the NCAA Elite 90 award, presented in each sport annually to the studentathlete with the highest GPA (his is 3.94). “That was awesome,” Fulford said. “I mean going through school and making grades like I do is not easy. It’s something that I take pride in. I think it’s going to turn out for me in the long run. Usually you don’t get too much recognition besides President’s List or congratulations from your coach. To actually win an award felt really rewarding. It felt like the work I was doing was actually paying off. It was definitely a morale booster for me.” While scheduling and planning is hard for most college students, it can be an extreme challenge for student-athletes. Fulford attributes his success to the various resources that offer assistance to student-athletes so they can make the most of their time and stay ahead. “I use the TeamWorks app; the scheduling is pretty useful. Of course Lyndee (Kiesling), she’s very helpful. If I have any questions, with anything really, I can reach out and text her. She will figure it out.” 8help me RedRaiderSports.com
Fulford also said he took advantage of the Marsha Sharp Center for Student-Athletes, especially early on as a freshman and sophomore to aid in his transition from high school to college. Between the academic center, weight lifting at the Sports Performance Center and refueling at the new Cash Sports Nutrition Center, the close proximity of these resources to Rip Griffin Park help him be as efficient as possible. “It’s great having, really, everything we need as student-athletes within walking distance of the baseball facility,” he said. “The Marsha Sharp Center is right there along with the ‘Cash’. What that area has become is incredible. It makes it so convenient for us to get our school work done, grab a meal, and we’re still right there for weights or practice. I feel like that really gives us an advantage over other schools.” Although Fulford is a star academically, he did not do this alone. Red Raider Baseball and Texas Tech Athletics as a whole continues to set records each year for its success in the classroom. Naturally, Fulford has been able to lean on his teammates to help push him towards academic success. “Clayton Beeter was one of the smarter guys to come through here. To have that mutual competition kind of helped push me. Cody Masters and I have a lot of classes together. We bounce homework ideas off each other or just talk about things in our classes. That’s very helpful.” The 2021 season will close his fourth year on campus, and he will graduate this May with a degree in Business Finance. As the end of his college career draws closer, the challenge for Fulford is different. He is now the Clayton Beeter that will be looked upon to set an example for the younger guys in the clubhouse. So, what advice would he give? “I would say, first of all, athletics are not ev erything in life,” he said. “I hope it works out for them, but you have to be prepared and ready for whatever life throws at you. Don’t take school for granted. Learning is crucial to developing yourself and it helps you in the athletic aspect too. “As far as coming to college and managing school and athletics together, don’t get too distracted. College is really fun and it’s hard to get your work turned in on time, but it’s definitely worth
it. I mean you can make time for fun activities, and get your work done, and do well in your sport. You have to prioritize these things accordingly.” As the second Red Raider baseball player to win the NCAA Elite 90 award since 2016, it’s safe to say Braxton and the Tech baseball program certainly have the prioritizing down to a science.
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Gift Plannin Diversifying Ways to Support Athletics b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G
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Sue Maner Shanklin had lost her husband and brother in a short span of time. That’s when Texas Tech Athletics – specifically Lady Raider basketball – became her family. She had an opportunity to join a summer trip through the Texas Tech Alumni Association hosted by Lady Raider Coach Marsha Sharp. “I was having a hard time, the trip came up and I took a leap of faith,” she said. Sue saw things she never thought she’d see growing up in the small town of Bracketville – more than 350 miles south of Lubbock, not far from the Mexican border where her parents, Bill and Wanda Whitworth owned and operated their family ranch. “It was that ranch and my parents hard work that made it possible for me to make my gifts to Texas Tech,” Sue said. “It was on that trip and many more after that I got close to what I call my basketball family,” she said, while visiting France, Portugal, Gibraltar, North Africa, Spain, Monte Carlo and Rome. After that, Sue was ready for more basketball trips or another tour. “If they had a plane going, I was fortunate to be able to be on that. For 12 years, that was my family,” she said. And she’s remembering her “family” through planned giving. “I have a planned gift for the Lady Raiders, the Red Raider Club, the Alumni Association and (J.T. & Margaret Talkington) Leadership Academy,” she said. “I went to Tech, got an education, traveled the world and had a career – those are my Texas Tech benefits,” she said. Planned Giving “Every gift we receive is because of experiences a donor has had with a team, coach, game, interactions with staff and student-athletes – how it made them feel so proud of Texas Tech – whether because it’s their alma mater or they’re a fan,” said Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development. “Athletics donors are able to make gifts in many different ways. Options include a number of financial and estate planning tools that help people accomplish philanthropic goals and reduce their taxes, said Tirey. “Every donor’s situation is different, and every size and type of gift allows us to support more than 400 student-athletes across 17 sports with scholarships, academic support, nutrition, sports medicine and more.” Giving options include:
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• Cash
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• Wills and trusts • Stocks and securities • Beneficiary designations or retirement accounts and life insurance • Charitable IRA rollover • Charitable gift annuities • Property and real estate • Charitable remainder trust • Mineral interests Athletics sits down with a donor, looks at their goals and helps them decide what is the smartest asset for their gift. Unbievable Sue graduated from Texas Tech, married attorney Buddy Maner and taught Spanish and English in Lorenzo schools, east of Lubbock. Her parents were Bill and Wanda Whitworth of Bracketville. She was already a big sports fan and went to Lady Raider games with general admission seats. But they bought season tickets for the 1992-93 season – which ended with the national title. Sue was at the game when the Lady Raiders beat Ohio State, 84-82, in Atlanta. The trip was a birthday present and they won on her birthday. “It was just unbelievable it was happening,” she said. After her husband and brother passed away, she was alone in Lubbock and Texas Tech sports were a big part of her entertainment. A couple from Crosbyton who sat next to her at Lady Raider games encouraged her to go on that first trip. “It was my first real venture out on my own,” said Sue. Eventually she became friends with Coach Sharp. “There were summer cruises, and that group became like family,” she said. Other trips followed the Lady Raiders to places like Hawaii and Europe. She was also in Jones AT&T Stadium when Texas Tech beat then-No. 1 Texas in football in 2008 and in Minneapolis two years ago when the men’s basketball team came within seconds of winning the national title. “That was disappointing, but such a high and I was so proud,” she said. The Graham Harrell-to-Michael Crabtree play to beat Texas in 2008 “was just so exciting. Anytime we beat Texas it’s a good thing, but it came down to the to the end and everybody was just wild.”
Gifts The large majority of planned gifts are through wills, trusts and beneficiary designations and mature when the donor passes away,” said Nathan Rice, Senior Director/Gift Planning for the Texas Tech University System’s Office of Institutional Advancement. And gifts can be revised. “Some make changes multiple times,” he added. People read about million-dollar-plus gifts to Athletics and elsewhere at the university, but the bulk of planned gifts are from people who are not, as Rice says, the “uber-wealthy.” “A lot of people who give planned gifts are people who may have donated $10 a month for 30 years and have consistently supported Texas Tech. They’re highly engaged over decades. Their planned gift is the largest gift they may ever make,” he said. Many are teachers, engineers, marketers, said Rice. “It’s them paying something forward – a legacy gift to a place that was important to them. People who are where they are now because of Texas Tech, because it added something incredibly important to their lives,” he said. Both Tirey and Rice said people are often surprised to hear about all of the gift planning options. It’s also a way to teach next generations. “Planned gifts and diversifying your giving can teach generational philanthropy by bringing the children and grandchildren into the giving process,” said Tirey. In addition, the Texas Tech University System recognizes those who make Texas Tech part of their legacy as members of The Matador Society. Membership is open to anyone who shares their plans for a gift, including to Texas Tech Athletics. Members of The Matador Society are listed in the organization’s membership roll and receive an invitation to the annual gala for as long as their gift plans exist. Cheering Sue moved back south about 300 miles near Rocksprings, when she reunited with Sam Shanklin, an old friend and they got married. She gets to football games and usually makes a few basketball games, but less this season due to the pandemic. “Thank goodness for TV and ESPN+,” she said of the Big 12 programming ESPN’s streaming service offers. And even if it’s from a distance, she’s pulling
for new Lady Raider Coach Krista Gerlich, part of the national title team she saw in Atlanta. “I’m pulling for her so hard. I think she’s an amazing young lady. When she was getting her degree, she was also playing for a national championship, planning a wedding and finishing school. She’s been impressive to me since way back then,” she said. She’s also impressed with the Talkington Leadership Academy. “It’s great to watch those kids and listen to them ... how they’re experiencing things through the academy they wouldn’t experience for many years. How they get their first real suit, learn which fork to pick up, how to talk,” she said. Sue’s attended the annual banquet held for each academy class. “They have four or five students sit with us at each table. They intermingle with us and do it so well. That’s where I decided some of my donation would help,” she said. Sue’s still in touch with Coach Sharp, who helped get the academy off the ground. “We talk on the phone, check in with each other. When I come to Lubbock if it all works, we have lunch and stay in touch,” she said. And she thinks of the trips with her Red Raider family every time she puts up her Christmas tree. “I brought home Christmas ornaments from trips – whether it was the Sweet Sixteen or to Hawaii or to wherever. When I put the tree up I travel again and it’s wonderful. I tell Marsha I got to the see a lot of the world because of her and Lady Raider basketball,” she said.
GIVING OPTIONS
• Cash
• Wills and Trusts
• Stocks and Securities
• Beneficiary Designations for retirement accounts and life insurance
• Charitable IRA Rollover
• Charitable Gift Annuities
• Property and Real Estate
• Charitable Remainder Trust
• Mineral Interests
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b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G
WOMBLE
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The impressive $32 million Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center at Texas Tech University is thrilling players and attracting top hoops recruits to Lubbock. The “Womble” – next to United Supermarkets Arena – was designed in Texas Tech’s iconic Spanish Renaissance style. “United Supermarkets Arena continues to be one of the nicest playing facilities and offers one of the best home-court advantages in the country,” said Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics. Add the Womble, “and you won’t find a better basketball stage than what we have at Texas Tech. The project has exceeded my expectations,” he added. Chris Beard, who’s made the men’s program among the best in college basketball since coming back to Lubbock in 2016, said: “It is the best practice facility in college basketball.” Then Beard, who first came to Texas Tech in 2001 as an assistant coach to Bob Knight, added: “It’s really nice with all the branding and technology but when you get right down to the core – it’s a work facility.” Hocutt agrees. “The Womble Center is all about player development,” said Hocutt. Hocutt’s colleagues at other schools have asked for a tour, but that hasn’t been easy due to COVID concerns, said Hocutt.
Lubbock businessman, Dusty Womble, was the project’s lead donor. “Some other schools have really nice facilities, but they’re not right next to their game-day arena. That’s a real advantage,” said Womble. Many others donated toward the project, including: • Jerry Rawls – namesake of the university’s Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration, The Rawls Course, and the Men’s Basketball wing of the Womble Center. • Terry and Kelly Crofoot Family – Men’s Basketball practice court named after iconic Red Raider, Jay Crofoot. Fundraising had great momentum due to the men’s basketball teams run to its first-ever Elite Eight in 2018 and the championship game a year later, where the Red Raiders fell in overtime to Virginia. That success has led to a packed, raucous arena and three straight years of sending players to the NBA. Now the team – and the Lady Raiders, who won a national title in 1993 – have a new home to build on that success. “It’s a masterpiece. It’s the best in the country,” said Krista Gerlich, new Lady Raider head coach and member of that ‘93 title team.
The Womble is the latest jewel in The Campaign for Fearless Champions. Other completed projects include: • The Sports Performance Center – which features an indoor track and-field that’s wowed visiting coaches and a massive indoor football practice facility.
• The Cash Family Nutrition Center
• The Ed Whitacre Center for Athletic Administration “The Campaign for Fearless Champions has funded more than two-dozen facilities across all 17 sports,” said Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development. “Red Raiders have gone on to great heights in sports – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a great example – and many have gone on to be successful in business and other endeavors and are passionate about supporting their alma mater,” she added. “Driven by the philanthropic support of donors, along with other alumni and fans, Texas Tech is creating a bold future for Athletics facilities and more,” Tirey continued. “We’ve surpassed our goal of investing in new endowments for student-athlete scholarships and academic support. We’ve also passed our goal for a substantial endowment for the future success of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy, a comprehensive curriculum that provides more than 400 student-athlete’s the skills they need to be leaders after graduation.” From Start to Finish Womble stepped up when discussions started about a practice facility even before Beard’s tenure. “There was a vision as to what Texas Tech basketball could be and Dusty was interested in helping us move forward,” said Hocutt. Eventually, a group from Texas Tech visited NBA and top college facilities. “We were able to take pieces from everything we saw – from the collegiate programs as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks,” said Hocutt. They brought in Populous, a worldwide design firm that has worked on 20 Major League Baseball stadiums, stadiums in 34 countries, more than 1,000 college projects (including ones at five other Big 12 schools) and designs for the NCAA Final Four. Both the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders have their own sides of the facility and their own practice courts. They no longer have to coordinate practice schedules with each other or with the volleyball team. “Now they’ll have access whenever pos-
sible. And not just in any practice gym. The floors in the Womble are the best in the country,” said Hocutt. Each team also has a locker room, player’s lounge, film room, training room, and nutrition station. “There are two massive video boards running the length of one baseline of each practice court,” said Beard. “The idea came from watching the NBA games in the ‘Bubble’ and how they used those screens,” he said. “Many things in college basketball trickle down from the NBA.” When the NBA moved all of their games to what was called the Bubble in Florida with no fans due to COVID last year, video boards showcased electronic fans and were used for other messaging. “So if we’re going to play West Virginia in a couple 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 prepare for each game. “If we want a former player like Zhaire 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.” Womble is pleased both programs have the video board. “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? There will soon be an identical one on the women’s side,” he said. Space was built in for additional coaches if the NCAA allows an increase in numbers 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 is also designed to close top recruits. “When we were designing this facility, it was fascinating to hear coaches talk about recruiting,” said Billy Breedlove, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning & Construction for the Texas Tech University System. “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 video 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 that 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. “The overall perception and brand of Texas Tech has never been stronger. The Womble Center personifies our commitment not only to our coaches for recruiting top players but the overall student-athletes experience. It also strengthens our brand awareness which is something we talk about every day” said Robert Giovannetti, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations & Strategic Communications. Building Bricks There’s a strong correlation between improving athletic facilities at Texas Tech and successful results. But “building” is more than just actual buildings. Womble said his investment is driven by impressive coaches. “The staff 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.” Beard added 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. 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. The whole thing starts with support,” said Beard, saying the Womble is a great example of long-term support. “People have a million choices on where to spend their time and money for investment and gifts. There are so many great causes. I find myself making those decisions. And for people to invest in Texas Tech basketball is incredibly humbling,” he said.
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Donor Spotlight b y T E R RY G R E E N B E R G
Linda & Terry Fuller
John & Ann Redmon
John Redmon met his wife Ann at Texas Tech, got a degree in Industrial Management and – as he puts it – “quietly left town.” He went on to Rice’s Advanced Management Institute and a successful business career before retiring a few years ago. In between, Redmon got involved with his alma mater through the Texas Tech Alumni Association and has quietly made a deep impact endowing scholarships. “I really got involved a little later in life,” said Redmon, from his home in The Woodlands, near Houston. He also has his Red Oak Farm about two hours west of his home. The Redmons have funded scholarship endowments of $200,000 in Athletics for football running backs, $100,000 in the Rawls College of Business, have helped the Alumni Association with scholarships and with the Frazier Alumni Pavilion expansion project. He’s also served on the Alumni Association Board and the Rawls College of Business Advisory Council. Redmon loves giving back and hearing from students who have been helped. “We get letters from kids about their scholarship and what it means to them. When I went to school, tuition was $100. I could live on $200 a month and do all right. It’s not quite that now. It’s expensive. So helping those kids out is vital,” he said. Redmon also understands the importance of endowed scholarships. “That’s guaranteed. They don’t have to raise that funding every year,” Redmon said. On the Train Redmon’s dad first blazed the family trail
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to Texas Tech a few years after the university started holding classes in the 1920s. He graduated in 1935 with a degree in geological engineering. “His dad worked for the railroad, gave him $100 and put him on a train to Lubbock,” said Redmon. Redmon’s grandfather was a railroad engineer and one of his favorite memories as a kid was helping his grandfather drive a train. His other grandfather was a cowboy – giving Redmon a pair of grandads who lived out roles many little boys dreamed of doing. Redmon’s dad came from Marshall in east Texas and after graduation from Texas Tech never returned to Lubbock until he accompanied his son to orientation in 1966. “It was so funny because these old guys who were deans and administrators were classmates of his ... and he had a reunion,” said Redmon. Redmon’s dad worked for DuPont and he mostly grew up in Houston. When it came time for Redmon to pick a college, his best friend went to Texas Tech to play football. Other friends from Houston’s Lamar High School also went to Lubbock, so he had some built-in friends. Most of the kids in his neighborhood went to Austin. “I just couldn’t get geared up to go to Texas. And I found Lubbock to be a great place, friendly and relaxed,” he said. Redmon saw his wife-to-be in a class one day in early December. “This gal had long brown hair and I sat down next to her. Next thing I know we conjured up to go out,” he said.
Along with another friend of Redmon’s who played football, they swiped a Christmas tree off a lot and took it to Ann’s apartment. “That was dumb ... but we were college kids,” Redmon said. The couple graduated in 1971 and were married the next year. Getting Involved Redmon was invited to join the alumni association board, but was asked if he’d be able to make meetings because his work took him all over the world. He promised he would and did – “to a fault.” “I left Papua New Guinea one morning and flew to Brisbane to Los Angeles to Houston to Lubbock to make one meeting,” said Redmon. About the time Redmon got involved with the alumni association, fundraising on the McKenzieMerket Alumni Center expansion was happening. “Nelda Laney was the driver of the fundraising. I thought the world of her and she took an affinity to me,” he said. The association was looking for funding for a little business center in the facility. “I came home and told Ann, ‘we’re going to fund that’ and we did,” he said. “That felt good. I always loved the school,” said Redmon and it drove him to do more. I Love Them All When asked how much he follows his alma mater’s sports teams, he said, “I love them all.” “We’ve got some great guys and gals coaching,” he said, mentioning Wes Kittley leading the men’s track team to a national title, Greg Sands of men’s golf and Chris Beard. “Man, he’s something else,” said Redmon of
Beard, who took the Red Raiders to the NCAA basketball title game in 2019. Redmon’s been fighting a problem with his right heel and has had six surgeries. Because of that, he was not able to attend Tech’s run to the Final Four. “I gave my tickets to a young friend of mine and he followed them to Minneapolis. He told me he was sitting right next to Coach Wells and Kirby Hocutt and I said, yeah, you got good seats,” Redmon said. When the Red Raiders played Duke in New York’s Madison Square Garden two years ago, Redmon took his daughter Courtney – who lives in New Jersey – to the game. They ended up sitting right behind the press row, close enough to the action that family members saw them on TV. But his favorite sports memory is one shared by many Red Raiders – beating No. 1 Texas 39-33 in Lubbock in 2008. “We always like to beat Texas. Back in the Southwest Conference days Texas was always the elite and we took a lot of beatings from them. But in 2008, we were both ranked and we got up and then let ourselves get behind and had to come back to win it,” Redmon said of the game he watched on TV. He remembers Longhorn Blake Gideon dropping what would have been a game- ending interception on Tech’s final drive. “Then Graham (Harrell) threw it, (Michael) Crabtree took it into the end zone which was pretty damn exciting,” he said. But Redmon also loved when Rodney Allison rallied Texas Tech to a 27-16 win over Texas A&M in College Station in 1976. “That was a great one, too,” he said.
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DISTINGUISHED LETTERWINNER Darrice Griffin Darrice Griffin’s favorite moment as a Lady Raider came in her first game. She came off the bench, wearing number 42. It was the same number her mom, Tami Wilson, wore when she also played for Coach Marsha Sharp. Wilson was now on Sharp’s staff. Her daughter made a spin move and a layup. “The first person I made eye contact with on the bench was my mom and it was like this moment of ‘yeah, this is going to be fun watching her do this,’” said Griffin. “I get a little emotional thinking of that because it didn’t unfold quite the way any of us thought it would. But sharing that moment with my mom – her face said, ‘she’s ready for this’ – meant the world to me at that moment,” she said. Griffin was the 2004 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year playing for her mom at Seagraves High School. She’d grown up in Lubbock and played her freshman year at Coronado High but moved 60 miles southwest when her mom got the Seagraves job in the town where Wilson grew up. Griffin was ready for college – playing 32 games her freshman year and 21 the next year following ACL surgery to her right knee. But knee injuries ended her playing career. She finished her bachelor’s degree in psychology with cum laude honors and thought she’d be a counselor. Griffin had no idea her future was in collegiate athletics. Less than 14 years after getting her degree from Texas Tech, Griffin’s Senior Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Georgia, the secondhighest position in Georgia Athletics. “She’s a superstar on the rise,” recently said retiring Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity in a story on ladydogsreport.com.
While Griffin moves forward with her career at Georgia, her family is deeply involved in women’s basketball in West Texas. Her mom is back coaching at Seagraves. Her sister Darchelle Duncan, known as “Teddy,” when she played at Texas Tech, is the head girls varsity coach at Littlefield High School and her sister Devin Griffin is the head girls varsity coach at Lubbock’s Estacado High School. Devin also played at West Texas A&M for Krista Gerlich, now the Lady Raider head coach, who also played with Wilson in the early 1990s. Keeping in Touch After getting her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech, she started working on a master’s degree but stayed in touch with Sharp. “I was trying to figure out what was next for me and leaning on her for mentorship, guidance, support and counsel,” she said. “I remember a conversation vividly. It was a Wednesday morning and I told her I felt I was being pulled in a different direction than being a professional counselor. Coach Sharp said, ‘great – now maybe you’ll start thinking about the world of sports,’” said Griffin from her office in Athens, Georgia. Sharp mentioned coaching or administration as possibilities. “I didn’t know a whole lot about administration, but she put a bug in my ear,” said Griffin. Two days later, Dianne Murphy, the Athletic Director at Columbia, was visiting Texas Tech to tour facilities. “Coach Sharp set up a meeting between the two of us and I used that meeting to really interview Dr. Murphy about the world of college athletics, the Ivy League, coaching, administration ... I peppered her with probably 20 or so questions,” said Griffin. “At the conclusion she said ‘you should really consider an opportunity we have at Columbia University. They’re hiring a Director of Operations for women’s basketball,’” said Griffin. She flew to New York the next week to interview for the job, got it and moved to New York City. “I was in an environment with an AD and other leaders who gave me opportunities,” she said. “When I reflect and think back, I’m incredibly grateful because I had the right connections and it was incredible timing,” Griffin said. The People Griffin credits her mom, Sharp and Texas Tech for the person she’s become. At Texas Tech, it was the people. “It started with Coach Sharp, all the assistant coaches, support staff and my teammates – many of whom I still have relationships with today. They all made lasting and meaningful impacts on my life,” she said. Griffin could get lonely and depressed because injuries kept her from achieving her athletic goals, she said.
“In spite of that, I had people who every day were there for me, who lifted me up, challenged me, empowered me, believed in me and loved me,” she said. “While I didn’t have the studentathlete experience I wanted from a competitive standpoint, I am the person I am today because I studied and tried to compete at Texas Tech University.” She also couldn’t spend a lot of time feeling sorry for herself. “If you know my mother, she’s not going to let you wallow in anything for a long time,” she said. Things happen for a reason, she learned, and can be used as fuel to propel someone into the next chapter of their life. Support also helped her follow the academic excellence she had in high school, balancing the dual responsibilities of being a college student athlete. “Coach Sharp had built a program comprised of stellar women who were bright and talented. We knew if you wanted to be a successful and contributing member of her program ... you had to bring it in the classroom as well as competition. The program was about excellence in all things,” she said. Learning the Hard Way The injuries were a learning experience. “When you busted your butt trying to have an elite student athlete experience only to tear your ACL, then come back bigger, faster, stronger and then have another setback – it has given me great perspective. Nothing disrupts me,” she said. It made her think about the bigger picture in life beyond sports – which she now shares with Georgia’s student athletes. “It’s a privilege to do what we do. And because of that we need to keep things in perspective. There are people who didn’t have the opportunity to do the things I was able to do. Then consider real hardships people have,” she said. “I can use my story to be a resource for people – especially student athletes – who may experience the same setbacks, hardships and adversity.” That mindset and ability to listen helps her get things done. “She is smart. She is a listener. She is an active thinker and someone who is very diligent about her responsibilities,” Joni Taylor, Georgia’s women’s basketball coach, told ladydogsreport. com. A lot of that came from her mom, said Griffin. “I grew up in a single-parent home with two younger sisters and we’d watch our mother at times work three or four jobs to make sure that we didn’t need for anything. There is a spirit about my mom – just figure out what the issue is, solve the problem and move on. I try to emulate that. I hold her in such high regard. Still, to this day, I’m constantly inspired by her,” said Griffin. And she’s surprised when she’s complimented for listening.
“I’m so grateful because I think I was given leadership opportunities, candidly, before I was probably ready for them. I recognized early that if I wanted credibility,” listening made a big difference. “I learned if I wanted to make my mark, serve and separate myself as a professional that becoming an effective listener would give me an edge,” she said. “One of the most invaluable traits or characteristics of an effective leader is someone who listens. So it’s shocking to me that people make such a big deal of me being a good listener.” The Future Griffin has a number of responsibilities as the number-two person in the Georgia Athletics administration. Does she want to run her own program some day? “I’ve always said I want to be better at my job today than I was yesterday. And I want to be one of the best administrators in the country. If and when a Director of Athletics opportunity presents itself, I want to be ready, but I am not actively pursuing opportunities,” said Griffin. Griffin wants to see college athletics continue to focus on the wellness of student athletes. “I have great concern about the mental health of student athletes and that’s only been compounded in the last year as we consider the impact of COVID-19. There are issues of social and race reckoning,” she said, adding she’d like to see her “industry” modernize as much as possible. “But our primary focus should be the student athlete experience and preserving amateurism,” she said. Along those lines, she impressed with her alma mater’s J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy, part of Texas Tech Athletics. “It’s the premier program in college athletics for sure,” said Griffin.
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Are you ready for some baseball? “Definitely” is Cal Conley’s emphatic reply. “It has been a long wait.” An understandable response since Conley’s time on the diamond has been extremely limited in his two years in Lubbock. Ranked as one of the top-10 prospects in the 2018 class from the state of Ohio, Conley signed with the University of Miami out of high school. But after the fall semester, he transferred to Texas Tech. “There were a number of reasons, but the program wasn’t a right fit,” Conley said of his brief time in Miami. “So we parted ways mutually.” Conley said he chose Texas Tech because of the close relationship he had with assistant coach J-Bob Thomas. “I thought it was a good opportunity for me,” Conley said. “The biggest thing to me is I am all about winning, and this place is pretty good at winning. My goal and the goal of everyone here is to compete for national championship.” But because he transferred at semester, NCAA rules required Conley to sit out the spring 2019 season. “It was a long year for sure,” Conley said of that year. “I spent a lot of time by myself. I couldn’t use the weight room or work out with the team. I sat with coach (special assistant Ray) Hayward in the stands during home games. I look up to him so much. I had never had to sit and watch before, but I learned so much about the game from him. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.” Fast forward to 2020 and Conley earned the starting shortstop job for the Red Raiders. But the campaign lasted only 18 games before the NCAA canceled the college baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the Red Raiders’ season was short, the redshirt freshman certainly made an impression as one of the top newcomers in the country. Conley hit .371 with 24 runs batted-in, eight doubles, three home runs and a .643 slugging percentage to earn freshman All-America honors. His batting average leads all Red Raider returnees, while his RBI numbers were second in the Big 12 last season behind teammate Nate Rombach. He tied a Rip Griffin Park record with five hits in a game against Northern Colorado on Feb. 15. “I hit better with runners in scoring position, and with this team I had a lot of opportunities with runners on base,” he said of his impressive RBI numbers.
Defensively, he had only three errors in 66 chances for a .957 fielding percentage and helped turn a team-high eight double plays. His brief season drew attention nationally, too. Earlier this year, Conley was named a third-team preseason All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Sophomore pitcher Micah Dallas was named to the second team and junior outfielder Dylan Neuse was also honored on the third team, giving Texas Tech three preseason All-Americans for just the second time in program history. Texas Tech, which reached the final four at the College World Series in 2019, has also received a No. 4 preseason ranking from Collegiate Baseball. Conley, who is majoring in sports management, comes from a baseball family. His father Brian played professional baseball for the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds minor league systems. “My dad was drafted by the Cubs and played in the Cubs’ and Reds’ organizations,” he said. “Then he was the hitting coach (until 2003) with the Dayton Dragons, who are the Reds’ affiliate.” Although his collegiate season was cut short last spring, Conley did get to play baseball this summer. “I played for the Midland Redskins organization (in Cincinnati),” he stated. “That was the summer league team I played for in high school. They put together a college team and combined it with their 18-year-old team, so I got to play all summer.” The Midland Redskins won back-to-back Connie Mack World Series titles in 2017 and 2018. Conley hit .485 with three home runs and 12 RBI as part of the 18U Redskins in 2018 after combining for five RBI in the semifinal and championship games in 2017. He batted .475 in 17 games as a senior at West Clermont high School. Asked for a highlight from his abbreviated 2020 season, Conley responded immediately: “Beating Florida State in twostraight. That was a fun plane ride home.” Conley and the Red Raiders are hoping for a lot more fun plane rides this season as they shoot for a fifth trip to the College World Series since 2014. But if Conley thinks it was a nice ride home from Tallahassee after two victories, think how much fun the plane ride home from Omaha would be after a national championship. “That is the goal,” he emphasized.
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In mid-January, Texas Tech Athletics announced the hiring of Brandi Stuart, a former Florida State softball standout and member of the Seminole Hall of Fame. Her official role at Texas Tech is to serve as an executive senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator (SWA). Stuart said this is something she’s passionate about and that her interest in athletics administration began while she was still a student-athlete. Dave Hart was the athletic director at Florida State while Stuart was playing for the Seminoles. She said Hart was one of the biggest impacts in her life based on how he respected and treated the student-athletes on campus. “Dave was just a really high-quality man and really treated us as people who mattered and poured into us as young people,” Stuart said, “I just thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is really cool. They actually care about who we are. They want us to succeed there giving us the tools.’ I thought to myself, ‘I want to be able to do that for other student-athletes.’ I want to be able to give them that experience because my time at Florida State and the time that I spent with those athletic administrators changed the trajectory of my life and my career.” Stuart’s administration career began at Florida State when she held different positions including at one time the role of interim SWA. Her most recent job experience comes from multiple positions at Central Florida 26
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that started in 2015. She was also the chairperson of the NCAA Division I Softball Committee. Stuart’s role as Texas Tech’s SWA is one that isn’t necessarily found on every college campus in the nation. However, according to the NCAA, about 99 percent of NCAA schools do have the role on campus although it’s not legislatively required. According to a study conducted in 2018 by the NCAA, only half of the SWAs in the country truly understood their role. The findings also revealed a perception gap exists between SWAs and athletic directors. For Stuart, it’s going to be a role where she can be a bridge for student-athletes to make sure their experience in college athletics is unforgettable. “I think that we’ve lost our way little bit on the importance of intercollegiate athletics and providing an opportunity for young people to be able to attend colleges and universities that wouldn’t normally have the resources to be able to do that and to give them experiences that they wouldn’t have normally been able to get,” Stuart said. “I mean, I know that there are bigger pictures for some young people in the sports that they play and they’re able to have professional aspirations in their sport, but I think we’re getting further and further away from the foundation of why college athletics is so incredibly important for young people and the access to education that it provides to people and for people that would have not had the opportunity to do it on their own if they had to pay for
BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY GOLF SOCCER it. I’m hoping that the decision makers stop and talk to people and don’t forget about the people that are involved.” Stuart described herself as a people person. She wants to get to know the people at Texas Tech including athletic director Kirby Hocutt in a way where she can best represent his vision and Texas Tech’s outlook on a better future. Stuart said she’s no good to him or the athletic department if she can’t maximize the experiences of student-athletes, coaches and administrators. After getting to know her peers, she’s going to focus on serving and helping through her experience the best journey for everyone around her at Texas Tech. “We have a lot riding on our shoulders as administrators of these young people and of college athletics and I hope that we don’t lose sight of what’s right in front of us and that we really make decisions that are you know for the long term,” Stuart said. “Like let’s play chess and let’s not just sit here and play checkers with this because it can impact so many young people and the opportunities that they would be able to receive in higher education so it’s incredibly crucial. I hope we get back to really breaking down the value of a college education the value of being a part of a team at the college level and just the dividends that will pay further down the line not just what’s going to happen in the two or three years after the student athletes leave their institution.”
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After finishing second in the Big 12 Indoor Championships a year ago, the Texas Tech men’s and women’s track teams are both expected to once again contend for a conference championship when they host the Big 12 meet Feb. 26-27 at the Sports Performance Center. “But we will be way better outdoors,” stated Tech coach Wes Kittley. While most sports were granted an extra year of eligibility after having their seasons canceled or shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA didn’t give a redshirt year for those in indoor track, but they did for the outdoor season. The Red Raiders were in Albuquerque warming up for the NCAA Indoor Championships last year when that meet was canceled. The outdoor season was then wiped out, too, making the Tech men’s team still the defending national champion after claiming the 2019 NCAA title. “We had 15 seniors on the women’s team,” Kittley explained. “Some graduated and got on with their lives, but nine came back. But they all don’t have an indoor season. We have five seniors on the men’s team who won’t be eligible for the indoor season.” So when the Red Raiders hit the SPC track for the Corky Classic in January, the first meet of the year, it was the first time in 10 months that the Texas Tech track and field athletes had been able to compete in a meet. “We stayed home from March until August or September,” Kittley said. “We have 18 scholarships for the women’s team and 12 for the men. We had 15 scholarships to fill. But all
of our recruiting was on Zoom or phone calls. We never met the kids or their parents. It was unprecedented. Then there was the mental aspect of functioning with a mask on. And everything you normally do to create team chemistry, you weren’t allowed to do. Plus, we have to test (for the coronavirus) twice a week.” While Kittley may not be able to field his complete teams during the indoor season, the Red Raiders are still loaded with talent. Heading up the women’s team is jumper Ruth Usoro, who was the high-point scorer at last year’s Big 12 Championships after winning both the long jump and triple jump. In the season-opening Corky Classic, Usoro landed a staggering triple jump distance of 46 feet, 10.25 inches. That was the top jump in the world this year. It broke the Nigerian national record and was the second-farthest jump in NCAA history. Among other key returnees on the women’s team are Sylvia Schulz, who set the school record in placing second in the 600yard run at the Big 12 meet last year, and sprinter Le-Taija Jackson. Michigan State transfer Kayli Johnson should be gold-medal contender in the shot put and weight throw. Heading up the men’s team is Takeddie Hedeilli (pictured, above, center_, who won both the mile and 1,000 meters at last year’s Big 12 Championships. Hedeilli broke the school record in the 800 meters at the Corky Classic, racing to a blistering 1.45.98, which is the top time in the world this year. The Red Raiders will be strong in the sprints with Iowa Central Junior College transfer Courtney Lindsey and returning freshman Ashton O’Connor. Lindsey, the JUCO national
champion in the 200 meters a year ago, ran a 6.59 in the 60 meters at the Corky Classic, which was the seventh-fastest time in school history. An hour later, he ran a 20.45 in the 200 meters, making him just the second sprinter in the world to run a sub-21 thus far this season. Gabe Oladipo, who owns six of the program’s top 10 marks in the weight throw, is the defending Big 12 champion in the weight throw and won a bronze medal in the shot put at last year’s conference meet. Other newcomers on the men’s team include sprinter Terrence Jones, 800-meter runner Marco Bilca from Peru, Baylor transfer Jalen Seals in the long jump and triple jump, Abilene Christian University transfer Jacob Michla in the shot put and weight throw, and Owen Likins in the 1,000 meters. Caleb Wilborn and Cale Kasen give the Red Raiders a pair of potential 7-foot high jumpers. Alfred Chawonza in 1,000 meters and Edward Rush in the mile run are also off to a strong start in the indoor season. After hosting the Big 12 Conference Championship meet at the Sports Performance Center, which Kittley calls “a fabulous facility” that should once again produce numerous records, the Red Raiders who qualify will compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships at the University of Arkansas. “We are so anxious to get back to normalcy,” said Kittley prior to the start of the indoor season in January. “We can’t wait to compete.” At least one thing is still normal: Kittley’s Texas Tech track teams will be competing for Big 12 and national championships. RedRaiderSports.com
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NOTEBOOK Wells Delivers The Red Raiders only inked 10 prospects during the Early Signing Period in December, an unusually low number. While the quality of each recruit was good, the numbers needed to fill out a full 85-man roster were not there. Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells has emphasized a roster philosophy of getting older and staying older, which means fewer unproven high school recruits and more additions from the junior college and transfer portal. The thought, and hope, is that these additions will make for a more competitive roster. Wells has repeatedly talked about building “competitive depth,” where the program has several players at each position who can play winning Big 12 football. With the new players added this winter and spring, Wells and his staff have delivered on that promise.
Derek Jones and the Secondary Texas Tech lost a lot from its 2020 secondary; standout cornerback Zech McPhearson, starting safety Thomas Leggett and rotation cornerback Alex Hogan are just a few of the heavysnap contributors who will not return this fall. The Red Raiders do have several young players on the roster that the coaching staff feels have bright futures but relying on young players in the defensive backfield can be a recipe for disaster in the Big 12. Enter a trio of transfer defensive backs, all of whom have starting experience at the Power Five level, plus a local high school addition. NC State’s Malik Dunlap was the first of this defensive back group to commit to the Red Raiders. Listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Dunlap played in 23 games while at NC State. He has made 41 career tackles with 14 passes defended. Dunlap arrives in Lubbock as a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining. Next up to join the Scarlet and Black was Duke’s Marquis Waters. The Florida native played in 49 games as a Blue Devil, with 35 of those being starts. He has been credited with 234 career tackles, three interceptions and 16 passes defended. Waters has one season of eligibility remaining.
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The third transfer defensive back to commit to Texas Tech was UCLA’s Rayshad Williams. The former Bruin is also joining the program with plenty of experience, appearing in 22 games for UCLA with eight starts. Williams has been credited with 42 tackles and three passes defended. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining. The lone high school defensive back signee for the 2021 class was Lubbock Coronado’s Imari Jones. The first Coronado Mustang to sign with Texas Tech since Austin Zouzalik in 2008, Jones was a long-time target for the Red Raiders. Jones camped with the Red Raiders in 2019 and impressed the coaching staff with his athleticism. Jones, who can play either corner or safety, is listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds.
Offensive Line Boost The Red Raiders entered the 2021 recruiting cycle needing to supplement their numbers up front on the offensive line. Guard Jack Anderson declared for the NFL Draft at the end of the 2020 season, and key depth piece Will Farrar has decided to explore his other options in the transfer portal. The Texas Tech coaches targeted and landed Coffeyville C.C. offensive lineman Matt Keeler in January to help offset those losses. There was a previous relationship there, as the Red Raiders were also recruiting Matt’s little brother, Ryan, earlier in the cycle. Keeler, originally from Chicago, is listed at 6-foot-6, 295 pounds and can all five positions on the offensive line. He chose Texas Tech over offers from Mississippi State and Virginia Tech. Keeler has his full eligibility remaining after spending a year at prep school before enrolling at Coffeyville last fall. When Matt Wells hired Sonny Cumbie (pictured, right) to be the Red Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, he knew that he was getting a very good coach and a plus recruiter. What he didn’t know at the time was that T.J. Storment, an All-Big 12 offensive tackle at TCU, would be looking to leave Fort Worth. Cumbie’s previous relationship with
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Storment helped the Red Raiders land the 6-foot7, 325-pound tackle over interest from Texas and North Carolina. Storment has one year of eligibility remaining. SEC Transfer Florida’s Jesiah Pierre announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal in late December and committed to Texas Tech about a week later. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound middle linebacker played more than 160 snaps for the Gators in 2020. Out of high school, Pierre chose Florida over offers from Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Ole Miss, Nebraska and North Carolina. He arrives at Texas Tech with four years of eligibility remaining. What’s Next In addition to the seven players listed above, Wells and staff added several talented preferred walk-on athletes on both sides of the ball. Look for the Red Raiders to continue scouring the transfer portal for potential additions at quarterback, receiver and all levels of the defense as the offseason continues.
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