COACHING SEARCH"
Texas Tech Lady Raider
fans have wondered and
asked who will be the next coach of the once storied program after Texas Tech Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Kirby Hocutt made the decision to fire head coach Candi Whitaker two games into the Big 12 Conference schedule on Jan. 1.
Hocutt got the ball rolling early and now the Texas Tech program is at the front of the line when it comes to drafting a coach to lead a program that's won a national championship. But it is a program that's seen those memories fade over the last 25 years along with a receding fan base and recruiting area.
This is perhaps one of Hocutt's toughest hires. There is strong emotion when it comes to Lady Raider Basketball. Do you stay within the "family?" Or do you go outside like Tech did with Kristy Curry after Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp retired?
No doubt, there will be great interest in the job. Texas Tech is in a great women's basketball conference, pays well, and has proven that you can win in Lubbock with the right mix, chemistry, and mindset.
So, with that in mind, we present you with the early potential target list for Hocutt and Texas Tech for the next leader of the only program to bring home an NCAA championship to Lubbock. We'll list the candidates in alphabetical order. Make note, this is not an endorsement of any candidate but merely a listing of qualified potential targets that Texas Tech may or may not be looking at. This list can and will change over the coming weeks, but for now, this is a solid base for fans to start looking at as the next potential leader of Lady Raider Basketball. Here ya go, in alphabetical order, as we said.
The Definitive, Texas Tech Lady Raider Basketball Coaching Search Target ListMike BradburyUniversity of New Mexico Head CoachBradbury spent six years at Wright State before taking over the Lobo program a year ago. He had a big turn-around going 15-15 with a 10-8 MWC record. He's a candidate because he's regional and he beat Texas Tech earlier this season. At 16-6 this year he's showing he can continue a reclamation project. He has no ties to the region, and that's a liability, but he's won before and he's winning at a tough spot. This year his UNM squad went 12-1 in non-conference, trying to build momentum. An outsider, but a coach worth paying attention to.
Joe FoleyArkansas Little Rock Head CoachFoley has an impressive resume at UALR, having won eight Sun Belt titles including last years championship. Foley just won his 300th career game a few weeks ago. If Hocutt needs to get a feel for what Foley is all about, he just needs to walk over to the United Supermarkets Arena and talk to Texas Tech men's HC Chris Beard, who coached at UALR a few years ago and knows well what Foley can do. Foley Has won at a tough spot, is experienced and might be ready to make the jump to the Big 12. Schools in the league have hired coaches with less experience and lesser programs who've done well. Look at Stillwater and Norman for that example.
Krista GerlichUTA Head CoachIt's hard to encapsulate what Gerlich has done in this space regarding Texas Tech. Won a National Championship as a player? Yes. Been an assistant for Marsha Sharp? Yes. After that, she spent seven years as head coach at West Texas A&M going 168-53 with 4 conference titles. She's revived a program at UTA that never received votes in the AP poll before her tenure. UTA reached the Sun Belt semis last year and earned only its third invite ever to the WNIT in program history. Gerlich obviously understands what it takes to win at Texas Tech and knows Texas recruiting. Gerlich has the ability to connect with Texas Tech and the region perhaps like no other candidate. Has she established herself as a solid candidate after being passed over by Hocutt last time? We think so.
Travis MaysSMU Head CoachYes, that Travis Mays. The one who starred at Texas years ago has carved a great niche in women's basketball, first as an assistant and now as HC at SMU. Working for Van Chancellor at LSU he solidified his reputation as a great recruiter. He also spent time with Andy Landers at UGA. He became known for his Xs and Os as well as recruiting at Texas with Jody Conradt and then with Karen Aston. He's turning around a program at SMU all while wearing a bow-tie. Question? Can Texas Tech be led by a former Longhorn? Answer. If he can win, folks would love him. And maybe even the bow-tie.
Jalie MitchellUniversity of North Texas Head CoachThis would be an interesting choice. Mitchell is a Mean Green legend. All-time leading scorer there, she returned to North Texas after working with Karen Aston at Texas to try and make the program relevant. She has strong Dallas area ties, having played at Duncanville. She beat Oklahoma her first year back at North Texas and won 8 CUSA games last year. Could Tech pry here away from her "dream job"? Who knows. Can she coach, it looks like it. A potential rising star but might be too early for Hocutt to give her the controls of a Big 12 program.
Bo OvertonOklahoma City University Head CoachOverton has been everywhere and done that when it comes to women's basketball. Overton was a part of the greatest turn-around's in WBB when he worked with Sherri Coale to get Oklahoma going from 1998-2004 as an assistant. Overton was the chief recruiter bringing in great under-the-radar talent like Stacey Dales and Lanisha Caufield. Since then he coached in the WNBA and has returned to the Sooner State to lead OCU to the NAIA championship last year. As a side-note, Tech A.D. Hocutt was at OU during Overton's time and saw first-hand the effect he had on the program. Hocutt values relationships and connections like all A.D.s Pay attention to Overton's name.
Cayla PetreeSouth Plains College Head CoachWhen you're the head coach at one of the top talent-producing JUCO's for women's basketball in the country, you're always a candidate. When you add the fact Petree played a year at Texas Tech for Marsha Sharp you are certainly on the radar. Petree was a National Coach of the Year finalist last year, sent five players to D-1 programs and has shown she knows how to find and sign D-1 talent. Big 12 and SEC coaches frequent the Texan Dome in Levelland for a reason. It might be a little early for Petree but many coaches have made the leap before. This year's team doesn't have a sterling record, but that's due to it mainly being freshmen and some injuries. Last year's NJCAA Sweet 16 team turned heads around the country. This time around might be a little early for the Cisco native, but pay attention to the name in the future.
Jeff OstermanSouth Florida Associate Head CoachWho? While having no real ties to the Big 12 or West Texas, if you ask folks in the know about women's basketball who they think can coach, and just as importantly find and sign talent to a school, Osterman's name comes up. He has been on staff at USF for many years and was a huge architect of the USF team that rolled into Lubbock in 2013 and ended Texas Tech's season in the NCAA tournament that year. That's attention-getting. A long-shot perhaps, but a name worth considering if you're looking outside the traditional window. Coaches coach and word is Osterman can coach. If Hocutt is looking to get completely outside the Tech realm, this is the type of coach you go after.
Lance WhiteFlorida State Associate Head CoachAnother Lady Raider alum, White went from student manager to assistant coach under Marsha Sharp, all while being a part of a National Title team in 1993. He was a huge part of the team's success from there till he left for Florida State in the mid-2000s. A Spur native, White understands what it takes to win in Lubbock, having seen who it came about the first time at Texas Tech. White has garnered the reputation of a top national recruiter at Florida State as well as being well known for his X's and O's and game plan prep, Last year White was named National Assistant Of The Year by the WBCA. White has forged a fine career away from Lubbock at FSU and can be very selective about when and where he goes. That he's not left FSU over the last few years indicates he's looking for the right spot at the right time. Lubbock might just be that spot. FSU is currently ranked 7th nationally at 18-3.
The good thing for fans is that as you talk to folks around the country you learn that Texas Tech is still a destination job. It has great facilities, the pay is great, the league is great to play in and most of them understand that a fan-base is waiting, craving, to get involved again. Is it 1993 in Lubbock? No. But, for the coach who embraces the rebuild, they know that they can create that same kind of excitement again in West Texas."
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Ryan Hyatt, Raiderland, January 29, 2018