College Sports Established
1925
Location
Lubbock, Texas
College Name
Texas Tech University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1925 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
1996 - Present / Big 12 Conference
1956 - 1996 / Southwest Conference
1932 - 1956 / Border Conference
1925 - 1932 / Independent
Nickname
Red Raiders - Texas Tech Red Raiders have been a part of the NCAA for over 100 years, and their nickname has become integral to their identity. But where did this iconic moniker come from? Look at the origins of Texas Tech’s beloved Red Raider name.
“Red Raider” was first used in 1925 when then-athletic director Clifford B. Jones wanted to create a mascot representing Texas A&M and its rival school, The University of Texas (UT). He chose to go with two colors: red and black, representing UT's burnt orange color scheme while also honoring the Aggies' maroon hues. After much deliberation by students on campus, they called themselves "Red Raiders" as it embodied their spirit for competition against other schools in various sports events throughout the Southwest Conference at that time - hence why we still refer to them today as "the Big 12."
Over time, several mascots were created, which included costumed characters such as Masked Rider (a student dressed up like an old west cowboy) or Guns Up! (an armed rider who waved his gun around during football games). In addition to these physical mascots, many logos were designed to feature Native American imagery or war-like themes associated with being brave warriors – alluding again to what it means to be a Red Raider: fierce competitors who never give up no matter how tough things get!
As you can see now, after learning about the history behind this unique nickname students gave nearly one hundred years ago, it is clear why so many people are proud supporters today when referring proudly say Go “Raiders!"
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 1
1993
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1991 - 1993
- 1993
- 2013
- 2016
- 2017
- 2019
-
Lady Red Raider – Sheryl Swoopes
In 1993, Swoopes won the NCAA women’s basketball championship with the Texas Tech Lady Raiders during her senior season. Her jersey was retired by the school the following year, making her one of only three Lady Raiders to be honored in this way. The others are Carolyn Thompson and Krista Kirkland, Swoopes’ teammate from the 1993 championship team. As of ... -
Lady Texas Tech NCAA Champs 1993
The 1993 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament began on March 17 and ended on April 4. The tournament featured 48 teams. The Final Four consisted of Ohio State, Iowa, Vanderbilt, and Texas Tech, with Texas Tech defeating Ohio State 84–82 to win its first NCAA title. Texas Tech’s Sheryl Swoopes was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. -
Kliff Kingsbury – youngest head coach in a BCS conference
2013: Texas Tech hires Kliff Kingsbury as its head football coach, becoming the youngest head coach in a BCS conference at age 33 and the first former Red Raider quarterback to coach the team. -
Texas Tech wins Big 12 women’s soccer title
In 2016: Texas Tech wins its first Big 12 women’s soccer title and makes its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, coached by Tom Stone who becomes the winningest coach in program history. -
Red Raiders defended their Big 12 title
The 2017 Red Raiders defended their Big 12 title with a 16-8 conference mark, capped off by a three-game sweep at home against Kansas. Tech won six of its eight conference sets with a pair of sweeps en route to the title. -
Red Raiders Basketball team reaches National championship final
In 2019: Texas Tech reaches the national championship game for the first time in men’s basketball, but loses to Virginia in overtime. Virginia wins national title over Texas Tech in overtime classic
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders have a long and storied history in NCAA sports. Since their establishment in 1923, the Red Raiders have been one of the most successful teams in college athletics. From winning numerous conference titles to reaching iconic heights such as the Final Four or College World Series, Texas Tech has consistently proven itself as an elite program year after year.
One of their most outstanding achievements came during basketball season when they reached the National Championship game in 2019 against Virginia Cavaliers. Despite coming up short that night, it was still an incredible moment for players and fans alike, who had seen this team reach new heights at Texas Tech University (TTU).
In addition to basketball success, TTU's football program is no stranger to success either! The team has won 11 Conference Championships since 2000, including three Big 12 Championships between 2008-2019 under legendary coach Kliff Kingsbury’s leadership - making them one of only two schools from within that league with multiple championships during this period (Oklahoma being another). They also made appearances at five bowl games between 2014-2018, including a trip to New York City for a Bowl Game back then too!
Finally, we can't forget about other athletic programs like baseball or track & field, where TTU excels just as much, if not more, than any other sport on campus, having produced countless All-American athletes over recent years while earning several conference titles the way to! It's safe to say that these are all impressive accomplishments given how competitive collegiate sports can be nowadays - something which makes us proud here at Sports Fan HQ every single day when we look back upon what our beloved Red Raider alumni achieved before graduating from school with honors each time around...
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