Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public, coeducational, research university located in Lubbock, Texas. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, the university is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the seventh largest student body in the state of Texas. It is the only school in Texas to house an undergraduate institution, law school, and medical school at the same location. Initial enrollment in 1925 was 910 students; [1] as of fall 2010, the university has 31,637 students from more than 110 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. [2] Since the university's first graduating class in 1927 of 26 students, Texas Tech has awarded more than 220,000 degrees, including 47,000 graduate and professional degrees to its alumni. [3] The Texas Tech Alumni Association, with over 27,000 members, operates more than 120 chapters in cities throughout the United States and the world. [4] [5]
Since 1996, Texas Tech University has sponsored fifteen varsity teams that compete in nine sports: American football, baseball, basketball, cross country running, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. When the university opened for 1925–26 academic year, three varsity teams, baseball, men's basketball, and football, were fielded during that season. Gene Alford, who began playing for the Portsmouth Spartans in 1931, was the first Texas Tech alumni to play in a professional league. Many more Texas Tech alumni have become professional athletes and coaches in sports leagues including Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Several Texas Tech Red Raiders have been honored for both their collegiate, and professional achievements. Collegiality, six position awards have been awarded to seven Red Raiders. The Doak Walker Award, honoring the top college football running back, was presented to Bam Morris in 1993 and Byron Hanspard in 1996. The Sammy Baugh Trophy, honoring the top college football passer, was presented to Kliff Kingsbury in 2002, B. J. Symons in 2003, and Graham Harrell in 2007. Harrell also received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, honoring the most outstanding senior quarterback in college football, in 2008. Wes Welker received the Mosi Tatupu Award, presented to the special teams player of the year from 1997 to 2006, in 2003. In 2007, Michael Crabtree received the Fred Biletnikoff Award and Paul Warfield Award, honoring the top college football receiver. The following season, Crabtree received both awards again, becoming the only player to win either award more than once. Four Red Raiders, Donny Anderson, Hub Bechtol, E. J. Holub, and Dave Parks, have been named to the College Football Hall of Fame. [A 1] Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player Sheryl Swoopes, was the first player signed by the WNBA. [7] Professionally, football coaches Carl Madison and John Parchman were named High School Football Coach of the Year by USA Today in 1988 and 1999 respectively. [8] [9]
Alumnus | Class year | Notability | Refs |
---|---|---|---|
Leigh Daniel | — | National Collegiate Athletic Association championship track athlete; Ashland University women's cross country head coach | [10] |
Sally Kipyego | — | National Collegiate Athletic Association championship cross country and track athlete; World Championships silver medalist; Olympic silver medalist | [11] |
Jason Young | 2004 | 2012 USA Olympian, 2011 World Championships, 2010 World Cup competitor, a and former Strength Coach at Texas Tech University | 221 |
Alumnus | Class year | Notability | Refs |
---|---|---|---|
John Paul Cain | 1959 | 1989 Greater Grand Rapids Open winner; 1992 Ameritech Senior Open winner | [202] [203] |
Oscar Florén | 2007 | Professional golfer on the European Tour | [204] |
Jeff Mitchell | 1976 | Professional golfer; Texas Tech Red Raiders golf head coach (1990–2000); Stanford Cardinal men's golf head coach (2000–2004); North Texas Mean Green women's golf head coach (2008–present) | [205] |
Alumnus | Class year | Notability | Refs |
---|---|---|---|
Lisa Love | 1978 | Texas–Arlington Mavericks head coach (1982–1988); USC Trojans head coach (1989–1998); American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee (2005); Arizona State University athletic director (2005–present) | [206] [207] |
Roy Eugene Williams Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, earning second-team All-American honors in 2003.
Jesuit High School is a private, Catholic, all-male high school run by the U.S. Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus in Tampa, Florida. The school was established in 1899 by the Jesuits and operates independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg. The school teaches a college preparatory curriculum and has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Memorial High School (MHS) is a secondary school located at 935 Echo Lane in Hedwig Village, Texas, United States, in Greater Houston.
Joliet Catholic Academy is a coed Catholic high school in Joliet, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet. One of the oldest Catholic high schools in the Chicago area, Joliet Catholic is perhaps best known for its prowess in football. Since the advent of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state football playoffs in 1974, JCA is tied for most State Championships with 15.
Detroit Collegiate Preparatory Academy at Northwestern is a public high school in Detroit, part of Detroit Public Schools, the re-named successor to Northwestern High School. The most recent enrollment figures for Northwestern indicate a student population of approximately 2,000.
The Cal Poly Mustangs are the football team representing California Polytechnic State University located in San Luis Obispo, California.
Michael Thomas is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.
Justin Carl Blackmon is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, twice earning unanimous All-American honors before being selected by the Jaguars fifth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. With Jacksonville, he was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and was suspended indefinitely for another violation later that year and has not played since. Blackmon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
The Shepherd Rams are the athletic teams that represent Shepherd University, located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in Division II intercollegiate sports of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Rams compete as members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) for all 15 varsity sports since the 2019–20 academic year. They previously competed in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) from 2013–14 to 2018–19, and before that, the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) from 1924–25 to 2012–13.
Kendall Thomas Wright is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears, earning All-American honors in 2011. He is their career leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Wright was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round, 20th overall, of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Bradley Jerrill Marquez is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Texas Tech. He is also a member of the New York Mets organization where he played minor league baseball from 2012 to 2013 and again in 2019.
Laviska Terrell Shenault Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado.
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