Texas Tech University Athletics
Ric Mortera Promoted to Women’s Tennis Associate Head Coach
June 19, 2016 | Women's Tennis
The Lady Raiders have collected consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 trips with Mortera on staff
Ric Mortera has been promoted to associate head coach of the Texas Tech women's tennis team announced Saturday by head coach Todd Petty.
The Lady Raiders have picked up back-to-back NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances and racked up an impressive 46-13 record with Mortera as an assistant coach. He was named Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Texas Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2016.
"We are so lucky to have Ric Mortera as part of our program," Petty said. "His knowledge of the game and his passion for Texas Tech is unmatched. This is another step in his time with the Lady Raiders."
Texas Tech has secured consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history fueled by a program-record 25 victories during the 2016 season. The Lady Raiders have finished in a second-place tie in the Big 12 standings and appeared in both Big 12 Tournament championship matches during Mortera's first two seasons.
Six players have captured All-Big 12 singles selections which include two-time honorees Sarah Dvorak (2015, 2016) and Gabriela Talaba (2015, 2016). Dvorak (2015) and Alex Valenstein (2016) also have secured the ITA's Texas Region Rookie of the Year award.
Texas Tech was ranked among the ITA's Top 20 for the entire 2016 campaign, a program first. The Lady Raiders climbed as high as No. 5 on March 1 program-record five straight weeks inside the ITA's Top 10. Tech collected a program-high No. 15 ITA final ranking after NCAA Tournament home wins over Boston University and No. 21 Mississippi State before falling to No. 1 seed California in the NCAA Sweet 16.
Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/TechWomensTennis and @TexasTechTennis on Twitter.
