Texas Tech University Athletics
A Season of Excellence at Texas Tech
June 21, 1999 | General
June 9, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - When Red Raider fans reflect on 1999, many may consider this one of the finest all around years in the history of Texas Tech athletics. Having had nine teams advance to NCAA postseason action, an individual win two national championships and several student-athletes and coaches receive conference and national recognition, makes it a time of great pride at the university.
"Yes, we have had a good year," said Gerald Myers, Texas Tech athletic director. "Since we joined the Big 12 in 1996, we have continued the momentum that we gained in the final years of the Southwest Conference. We've had great success in the four major sports and now we are realizing consistent success in all of our Olympic sports. I think everyone associated with Texas Tech is excited about our athletic future."
Things got started quickly as the Red Raider football team won their first six games and entered in the top 25 in several national polls. Running back Ricky Williams was among the nations top rushers statistically and Montae Reagor was being lauded as one of the top defensive ends and a definite All America candidate. While the second half of the season was bittersweet with several close losses, the team did manage to regroup and defeat nationally ranked Texas and Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams in front of a sold out Jones Stadium crowd on a nationally televised game. To end the year, the team was invited to play the University of Mississippi at the Sanford Independence Bowl. Even though the Red Raiders came up short, the team and it's fans had many great memories to carry away from an exciting season.
While the football team was getting it done on the field, Jeff Nelson's volleyball team was having another great campaign on the volleyball court. Led by setter and four year starter Lisa Hilgers, the Red Raiders recorded a 23-11 mark and were ranked in the top 25 for most the of the season. They ladies concluded their season by making their third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years.
As the winter brought cold weather to Lubbock, so did it bring another successful season to the Lady Raider basketball program. Led by four talented seniors, the women were among the nation's top ranked teams and finished the year with an impressive 30-4 record. Playing the final regular season game at a sold out Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, the Lady Raiders defeated Texas to win the Big 12 season championships. They would match that feet a week later when they would capture the Big 12 tournament championships by defeating Iowa State. The winning would continue in the NCAA tournament as the Lady Raiders advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before being tripped up by Rutgers. Individually, Angie Braziel was named All-America and the Big 12 Player of the Year and Marsha Sharp named the Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Out of no where, Leigh Daniel exploded on to the national collegiate track and field scene in 1999 to establish herself as the greatest women's distance runner in Texas Tech history. The junior from Lubbock won the national indoor championship in the women's 5,000 meters with the nation's top collegiate time for the year. She followed her performance with an outdoor season that saw her be among the nation's top five in three different races and win the Big 12 outdoor championships in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters with new meet record times. Daniel finished her season at the NCAA outdoor championships in Boise, Idaho where she won the national championship in the 10,000 meters and earned All-America status by taking second in the 5,000 meters. Nationally, she was recognized in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd, Track and Field News and almost every major newspaper in the state of Texas.
With one of the deepest rosters in program history, the Texas Tech men's tennis team had their best season ever under Director of Tennis Tim Siegel. The team advanced to the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight time and fifth time in the last seven years where they lost to Texas A&M, 4-3, in a very close four hour match. For the spring season, the Red Raiders posted 15 wins, a best under Siegel, and were ranked as high as 28th in the nation. Individually, Ryan Shupe and Borut Martincevic both had stints in the top 100 collegiate poll.
On the links Jeff Mitchell was leading his women's golf team to their fourth straight NCAA regional appearance. With senior and all-Big 12 second team player Brook Lowrance, leading the way the Red Raiders finished 3rd at the conference tournament and 18th at the regional . For the year as a team, Texas Tech had top ten finishes in seven of the eleven tournaments in which they participated. Also, the team had the second highest total of academic team selections in the Big 12 with four.
It was a year of first for the Texas Tech fastpitch softball team as they qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in the program's existence and came within one of game of advancing to the college world series. The Red Raiders finished the year with a 33-29 mark.
Larry Hays and the Texas Tech baseball team rounded out the sports season with another great run. Led by the All America tandem of Josh Bard and Shane Wright, the Red Raiders recorded a 42-17 mark and came within one game of the NCAA super regional before falling to No. 1 ranked Rice. It was the fifth straight year in a row the team had advanced to NCAA tournament play.
Besides excellence in competition, Texas Tech student-athletes excelled in the classroom. Over 150 Red Raiders were honored at the annual academics award banquet for having a 3.0 grade point average or higher, one of the highest totals in school history. As an entire group, they had the highest grade point averages for a fall and spring semester everand had 152 student-athletes on the Big 12 Commisioner's Honor Roll for the fall and 126 for the spring.. Texas Tech also led the Big 12 in Arthur Ashe Award recipients; a national award given annually to student-athletes of color for their academic achievements.
Red Raiders also made their mark in the community. Montae Reagor was named the Bank of America's Community Champion of the Year for the Big 12. Also, a speakers bureau was created to help create new opportunities for interaction between student-athletes and school children as a part of the new Lifeskills program that was implemented during the year by the academic services office.
Overall, it was one of the greatest years ever for the Texas Tech athletic department as a hole. As each team builds upon this year's accomplishments and projects like the United Spirit Arena and the new football weight room are completed, the future looks very bright indeed.
"We must continue to build on the progress we have made over the last few years," said Myers. "These are really crucial times for Texas Tech across the board. But, at the same time, these might just be some of the best times to be a Red Raider. It's certainly some of the most exciting."
Texas Tech in Postseason Play
Football Independence Bowl - fifth bowl game in six years
Volleyball NCAA tournament for third time in last four years
Women's Basketball NCAA tournament - Sweet Sixteen - tenth straight
tournament appearance
Women's Indoor Track Leigh Daniel 5,000 meter national champion
Team placed 18th at NCAA meet
Men's Tennis NCAA tournament for fourth straight year
Women's Golf NCAA tournament for fourth straight year
Softball Made first NCAA tournament appearance in program history
Baseball NCAA tournament for fifth straight year
Women's Outdoor Track Leigh Daniel won the 10,000 meters national Championship
and was second in the 5,000 meters
Team placed 12th at NCAA meet
