Gerlich named Big 12 Coach of Year, Collins earns award after career-best season

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - After leading the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to a 25-6 overall record, Krista Gerlich was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year recipient.

Snudda Collins also received a regular-season award as she was named the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year. Collins was also named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.

Collins has been the teams best player off of the bench leading the Lady Raiders in most field goals on the year. Collins has scored in double figures in 26 games on the year. She is the first Lady Raider to win the award since 2011.

Bailey Maupin was named to the All-Big 12 First Team after leading the Lady Raiders in points per game with 15.3.

Jalynn Bristow rounds out the honors for the Lady Raiders after receiving All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

Texas Tech was projected to finish 13th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll but ended up in the fourth spot. The Lady Raiders had their best finish in conference play since 2012-2013.

The Lady Raiders’ 25 wins is the most since 2003-04 and their 12 Big 12 wins are the most since the 2004-05 season. Gerlich is the second Lady Raider coach to win the coach of the year honor since Marsha Sharp won back-to-back awards in 1998 and 1999.

Texas Tech is now focused on the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Lady Raiders are the No. 5 overall and will play the winner of Cincinnati vs. Kansas State at 11 a.m. on Thursday inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO.