On the Diamond
Texas Tech softball defeated McNeese State 13-3 to start the season 1-0 with NiJaree Canady picking up the win and Mia Williams Hailey Toney each going 3-3 with 4 RBI. These ladies will play North Texas and ULM today.
Stop Us Now |
 Buy Me a Coffee Strava’s Staking The Plains Running Club |
BASE12’s Jamie Plunkett is previewing every Big 12 baseball team and that link is for Texas Tech. If you wanted an outside perspective on Texas Tech baseball and the Big 12, well, there it is. I had previously signed up for the substack and I’m happy I did as I realize that following Big 12 baseball is one of my biggest weaknesses. I am excited to have some coverage on a Big 12 level (same thing with John Kurtz and Open For Business, which covers Big 12 football and basketball).
Infielder Robin Villeneuve and outfielder Logan Hughes have been named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team and the Big 12 announced the Big 12 Preseason Poll and Texas Tech was picked to finish 9th:
2026 Big 12 Baseball Preseason Poll
1. TCU (13) 169
2. Arizona (1) 157
3. West Virginia 137
4. Arizona State 128
T5. Kansas 112
T5. Oklahoma State 112
7. Kansas State 87
8. Cincinnati 85
9. Texas Tech 78
10. UCF 66
11. Baylor 54
12. Houston 42
13. BYU 29
14. Utah 18
On the Gridiron
The latest episode of What’s Next with Joey McGuire and Robert Giovannetti:
Texas Tech football added long-snapper Reed Price to the 2026 recruiting class:
Price, one of the top long snapper prospects in the country, was a second team All-State selection this past season as a senior at Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona. Price hails from the same high school as current New York Jets punter Austin McNamara and was coached by McNamara’s father, Brian McNamara, who has served at Highland’s specialists coach. The younger McNamara departed Texas Tech following the 2023 season as the school’s all-time career leader for punting average.
“We’re fired up to have Reed join our program,” McGuire said. “Reed was a player Coach (Kenny) Perry identified as one of the top long snappers in the country that will arrive in two years and add to our specialist room. We couldn’t be happier to add another Red Raider out of Highland High School in Arizona.”
CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah has his spring Big 12 power rankings and he’s got Texas Tech No. 1 with BYU right behind the Red Raiders.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams has five Texas Tech freshman signees who could make an impact next year. I picked the 3rd one to highlight, but you need to click over to read the rest:
Matt Ludwig, tight end, Billings (Mont.) West: Texas Tech graduated tight end Johncarlos Miller and filled his spot with Nevada transfer Jett Carpenter, who made a career-high 35 catches last season. Ludwig, listed by Tech as 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, has adequate size for a freshman, and his scholarship-offers list was a who’s who of the country’s most prestigious programs.
TExas Tech named Mac Alexander as assistant special teams coordinator, Alexander was previously at Colorado State-Pueblo and has been working his way up the coaching ladder.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams confirmed that C.J. Ah You would be taking the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers coach. I don’t know of any replacement options at outside linebacker coach, but I’m sure it will happen quickly. In other Texas Tech defense news, the whispers are getting louder that Zarnell Fitch is likely headed to USC as the defensive line coach. You all mentioned after my defensive line post yesterday that Texas Tech senior defensive analyst Jack Teachey was a name to watch for defensive line as Teachey was a mentor to Shiel Wood and Teachey also coached defensive line at Wofford.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert is one of 12 teams that loaded up for another run at the title:
Texas Tech loses some significant production, including edge David Bailey. But landing quarterback Brendan Sorsby in the portal, ESPN’s top-ranked transfer, is a massive swing to help unlock another level for the Red Raiders’ offense. And Sorsby is not their only premium portal addition. Defensively, Texas Tech added loads of experience in defensive linemen Mateen Ibirogba (No. 8 on ESPN’s transfer portal rankings), and edges Trey White (No. 16) and Adam Trick (No. 38).
For all its portal success, don’t lose sight of Texas Tech’s No. 13-ranked high school class. It’s led by a pair of five-stars: edge LaDamion Guyton and offensive tackle Felix Ojo. The latter needs developmental time and Texas Tech’s depth won’t demand instant production from Guyton, but he’s talented enough to step in and contribute in a pass-rushing role and help replace some of the production lost from Bailey’s departure.