Former Texas Tech guard Krista Gerlich, a member of the 1993 national championship team, is entering her sixth season at the helm of the program and she still looking for her first trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Raiders return one of their best scorers from a year ago. Between other returning players and transfers, Gerlich hopes this is the year that the Lady Raiders break the thaw and gets to March Madness. Here is a preview of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders.
Texas Tech Lady Raiders
2024-25: 19-18, 4-14 in Big 12, tied for 12th place. Reached Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals before losing to Oklahoma State. Reached third round of WBIT postseason tournament.
Head coach: Krista Gerlich is entering his sixth season as head coach. He is 77-83 with Texas Tech and 366-230 for her career, which started in 2006 with West Texas A&M. She was the starting point guard for Texas Tech’s 1993 national championship team under Marsha Sharp.
Big 12 history: Texas Tech is an original member of the Big 12, dating back to the merger between the Big 8 Conference and four Southwest Conference schools. Tech won the national title in 1993 but hasn’t been back to the NCAA Tournament since 2013. The program has won two Big 12 Tournaments and three Big 12 regular season titles, but none since 2000.
Texas Tech Schedule: Click here for a complete 2025-26 Big 12 schedule.
Texas Tech 2025-26 Roster Review
Gone: G/F Kilah Freelon (4.6 ppg), G Jasmine Shavers (14.9 ppg), C Achol Magot (0.7 ppg), G/F Jordyn Merritt (4.9 ppg), G Ivana Krajina (0.0 ppg), G Loghan Johnson (5.4 ppg), G Jada Wynn (2.5 ppg), F Kelly Mora (1.0 ppg), C Maya Peat (3.3 ppg).
Returning: G/F Jalynn Bristow (3.7 ppg), G Denae Fritz (4.9 ppg), G Adlee Blacklock (4.1 ppg), F/C Sarengbe Sanogo (4.6 ppg), G Bailey Maupin (13.6 ppg), G Kalysta Martin (0.9 ppg).
Incoming transfers: G Snudda Collins (9.6 ppg at Ole Miss), G Gemma Núñez (7.8 ppg at Campbell), F Julie Nekolná (14.6 ppg at Shelton State CC), G Sidney Love (10.3 ppg at UTSA), G Mariam Sanogo (5.6 ppg at Canisius), F Jada Malone (8.7 ppg at Texas A&M).
Incoming freshmen: None.
Projected Starting Lineup
G Bailey Maupin: The lone holdover guaranteed a starting job.
G Sidney Love: Averaged double digits for a solid mid-major program last season.
G Snudda Collins: Probably gets the nod over the other transfer guards for the third starting spot.
F Jalynn Bristow: Should get a chance for more playing time and a proper spotlight.
F Jada Malone: A solid scorer and rebounder for a high-major program in a tough conference.
Starting Lineup Crashers
G Gemma Núñez: A quality 3-point shooter with loads of experience.
G Denae Fritz: A Big 12 lifer who deserves more playing time.
F Julie Nekolná: If she makes the transition from juco to major college basketball fast she’ll be a real asset.
Lineup Competition
Last year’s team relied heavily on Shavers and Maupin. Gerlich and her staff have sought out more balance offensively in the portal. Love, Collins and Núñez should help take some of the workload off Maupin. As for the frontcourt, Malone is a quick fit with good experience and the Sanogo sisters fit in as solid backups as both have college experience. Blacklock, Bristow, Collins, Fritz, Love, Malone, Martin and Maupin got a head start on the season and building chemistry when Tech was selected to represent Team USA at the World University Games. Nekolná may not pay off this season, but she could down the road. Juco players typically have a hard time their first year in Division I basketball.
Early Prediction
This feels like a make-or-break year for Gerlich, the former national champion point guard who returned to try and get the program back to the Marsha Sharp standard. Her teams tend to have great non-conference records and then wilt when they get into league action. Will this Lady Raiders team be different? There are two positives. The offensive load can be more balanced and there is more frontcourt depth with experience. But the proof will come in January and February. A Lady Raiders team that is .500 in league action going into the Big 12 Tournament feels like the early ceiling. That’s something the Lady Raiders haven’t accomplished yet under Gerlich.
