Monday Morning Matador: Tech finishing strong

Good morning from the Rocky Mountains. I used what little service and data I could muster from here in Colorado to bring you what’s what for the Red Raiders from this past week - if nobody hears from me by this weekend... send help.

Texas Tech achieves a historic APR average

The APR, or Academic Progress Rate, is an institutional metric set by the NCAA to ensure student-athlete success in college. The mandated mark is 930 and every Texas Tech sport easily met that. 11 of 15 teams improved or maintained its APR from the last report. “Texas Tech Athletics has always been committed to student-athletes’ academic achievement. These impressive APR numbers are a testament to the dedication these young men and women have made toward success in the classroom,” said Kirby Hocutt. Women’s tennis and women’s cross country recieved a perfect APR score of 1000. The next highest scoring teams are women’s golf (991), volleyball (990), women’s basketball (990), soccer (990), baseball (988) and men’s golf (976).

Basketball draws Arkansas in 2019 SEC/Big 12 Challenge

Texas Tech will meet Arkansas as part of the sixth annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge in 2019. The battle will occur at the United Supermarkets Arena on Saturday, January 26. The Big 12 has earned a 29-21 overall record in the inter-conference challenge and will look to regain the trophy after the SEC won the challenge last year. Texas Tech and Arkansas will be meeting up for the 79th time, and the series is tied up at 39-39. The last time these teams met was at the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge with the Razorbacks taking a 75-68 overtime victory in Fayetteville. Fortunately for Texas Tech, the Red Raiders have won both of their SEC/Big 12 Challenge match ups under Chris Beard and look to make it three in Lubbock next season.

Six Red Raiders added to the final nationals count

Texas Tech track & field completed the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary meet on Saturday, passing six more events to advance to the National Championship in Eugene, Oregon. Athletes heading further north to Oregon are Divine Oduduru, Andrew Hudson, Trey Culver, Odaine Lewis, Darien Tennon, Charles Brown, Kaylor Harris, Daja Gordon, Tiffani Johnson and Sara Limp. Texas Tech was the only school in the nation to post two 200-meter qualifiers in Oduduru and Hudson. Returning to Eugene for his fourth NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships appearance is Culver. Lewis, who previously punched a ticket to Eugene in the long jump on Thursday, secured his spot at nationals in the triple jump on Saturday. Both the men’s and women’s 4x100 relays both punched tickets to Eugene. The quartet of Tennon, Oduduru, Hudson and Brown placed second in their heat while the women’s team of Harris, Gordon, Johnson and Limp finished third in their heat. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are set to begin in two weeks in Eugene, Oregon.

Baseball named an NCAA Regional host for the third year in a row

After a 39-17 year, Texas Tech baseball was selected by the NCAA committee to host this year’s NCAA Regional. It’s the first time in school history Tech has hosted an NCAA Regional in three-consecutive years, and the sixth overall. The Red Raiders have previously hosted regional action in Lubbock in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2016 & 2017. The three opponents for the Lubbock Regional, as well as the entire 64-team field will be announced today at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. Game times and television coverage will also be determined afterwards.

(Send coffee and nourishment to latitude: 37.591, longitude: -106.663)