Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Open Gregory Era at Hotel Encanto Classic
February 04, 2015 | Softball
The Red Raiders will enter their first season under head coach Adrian Gregory led by their senior class of Kristi Belshe, Derryn Hebert, Cara Custer, Chandler Moore and Lea Hopson.
Feb. 4, 2015
LEADING OFF...
? Texas Tech will be taking part in the season-opening Hotel Encanto Classic that is hosted annually by New Mexico State. This is the first time in program history where the Red Raiders have opened a season in Las Cruces, N.M.
? Texas Tech will be making its debut under first-year head coach Adrian Gregory. The seventh head coach in program history, Gregory arrives at Texas Tech after spending the past four seasons as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State.
? Adrian Gregory will be looking to become the fourth Texas Tech head coach to win their debut, joining Bobby Reeves (2001), Amy Suiter (2009) and Shanon Hays (2010).
? Texas Tech's second game of the weekend tournament will be against a Montana program that is entering its first season of existence. The Grizzlies will be playing their first game in program history against the Red Raiders.
? The Red Raiders will be looking to avenge a season-opening loss from a year ago when Texas Tech fell to Akron, 4-3, at the Lion Classic hosted by Southeastern Louisiana.
? Texas Tech heads into Thursday evening with a 10-9 overall record all-time in season openers thanks in part to wins in four of the past five season openers.
? Cara Custer heads into this weekend needing just one more victory to move into sole possession of second place all-time in the Texas Tech record book. The senior has recorded 51 wins in three seasons which is tied currently with Ashly Jacobs (2007-10).
GREGORY SET TO MAKE DEBUT LEADING THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech will make its official debut under Adrian Gregory on Thursday evening as the first-year head coach will begin her tenure after being hired as the seventh coach in program history this past June. Gregory, a longtime Texas native, arrives at Tech following four seasons as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State. One of the top hitters in Texas A&M history during her collegiate playing career, Gregory has also made coaching stops at Utah and the New England Riptide, formerly of the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPFL).
TEXAS TECH HEAD COACHES IN DEBUT
Adrian Gregory will look to become the fourth Texas Tech head coach to score a victory in their debut leading the Red Raiders on Thursday against Montana. Texas Tech head coaches are 3-3 all-time when making their debut as Bobby Reeves (2001), Amy Suiter (2009) and Shanon Hays (2010) all began their careers leading the Red Raiders with a victory.
| Texas Tech Head Coaches All-Time in Debut | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | Year | Opponent | Result |
| Renee Luers-Gillespie | 1996 | vs. UTSA | L, 1-2 |
| Carla Marchetti | 2000 | vs. No. 18 Illinois-Chicago | L, 0-2 (9 inn.) |
| Bobby Reeves | 2001 | New Mexico State | W, 3-0 |
| Teresa Wilson | 2005 | vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | L, 0-2 |
| Amy Suiter | 2009 | vs. Central Florida | W, 12-4 |
| Shanon Hays | 2010 | vs. Wisconsin | W, 5-2 |
| Adrian Gregory | 2015 | at New Mexico State | - |
GREGORY BECOMES FIRST NEW BIG 12 HEAD COACH SINCE 2010
The Big 12 Conference will have a first-year head coach roaming the third base baseline for the time since 2010 this season with new Red Raider skipper Adrian Gregory. The last time the conference had a new head coach making a debut came in 2010 when current Kansas skipper Megan Smith and former Texas Tech head coach Shanon Hays joined the league. The conference has not experienced much turnover in the coaching ranks during its existence as Oklahoma's Patty Gasso and Texas' Connie Clark have been with both programs since before the league formed in 1996 while Baylor head coach Glenn Moore is entering his 15th season leading the Lady Bears.
RED RAIDERS ALL-TIME IN SERIES OPENERS
Texas Tech will look to avenge a season opening loss from a year ago Thursday afternoon when the Red Raiders face New Mexico State at the Hotel Encanto Classic. The Red Raiders fell to Akron, 4-3, to kick off the 2014 season which dropped Tech to 10-9 all-time in season openers in the process. Tech had previously won each of its last five season openers, defeating Central Florida in 2009, Wisconsin in 2010, No. 16 BYU in 2011, San Diego State in 2012 and Central Florida in 2013. The streak of five-consecutive wins in season openers marked the longest in program history. This will be the first time Texas Tech has ever opened a season against New Mexico State.
| Texas Tech in Season Openers (Since 2008) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Result | Site |
| Feb. 8, 2008 | vs. No. 11 Washington | L, 1-8 | Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | vs. Central Florida | W, 12-4 | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | vs. Wisconsin | W, 5-2 | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | vs. No. 16 BYU | W, 7-6 (9 inn.) | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | vs. San Diego State | W, 5-4 | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Feb. 8, 2013 | vs. Central Florida | W, 12-4 (5 inn.) | Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Feb. 7, 2014 | vs. Akron | L, 3-4 | Hammond, La. |
TEXAS TECH ALL-TIME AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
After closing the 2014 season against a ranked Oklahoma squad, Texas Tech will face a top-25 foe early in this season with a tournament-closing contest against No. 18 Nebraska. The Red Raiders, who finished 0-6 against ranked opponents a year ago, will be looking for their first win over a top-25 team since Tech closed the 2013 season with a 6-4 victory over No. 15 Baylor. A victory over the Huskers, in just the fifth game of the Adrian Gregory era, would mark the quickest a first-year head coach has defeated a ranked opponent in school history. Tech is 55-220 all-time against ranked opponents, including a 17-81 mark in games against non-conference foes. The Red Raiders have found good fortune in Las Cruces, though, with a 3-2 record against top-25 teams when playing at New Mexico State.
TEXAS TECH STARTS ITS SEASON ON THE ROAD
The Red Raiders will become accustomed to life on the road throughout the month of February as Texas Tech will play its first 21 games of the season away from home. Following its trip this weekend to Las Cruces, N.M., Tech will also travel to tournaments at Texas State, UT Arlington and McNeese State. The Red Raiders open their home slate on March 6 with a doubleheader against Utah Valley and UT Martin to begin the Texas Tech Invitational. The 21-game road trip is the longest Tech has gone to start the year without playing at home since the Red Raiders traveled for the first 22 games of the 2009 season.
CUSTER HEADS INTO 2015 ONE WIN SHY OF SECOND ALL-TIME AT TEXAS TECH
Cara Custer will enter her senior season chasing several marks in the Texas Tech career record book. A native of Tacoma, Washington, Custer has paced the Red Raiders in the circle the past three seasons, totaling 51 wins during that time which ranks tied for second all-time in program history. Custer, who will likely earn the start in one of Texas Tech's two games Thursday, needs one victory to pass Ashly Jacobs (2007-10) for sole possession of second place. She is also chasing several other career records as well, including saves, appearances, games started, complete games, ERA and strikeouts.
| Texas Tech Career Leaders in Victories | |
|---|---|
| Name | Career Wins |
| Amanda Renfro (1998-01) | 93 |
| Ashly Jacobs (2007-10) | 51 |
| Cara Custer (2012-Present) | 51 |
| Brittany Talley (2011-14) | 44 |
| Erin Crawford (2003-06) | 42 |
Oh sweet Opening Week, I never thought you would get here!! #thebeginning #wrecktheseason #bonfire
-- Adrian Gregory (@CoachGregoryTTU) February 2, 2015
