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Update: After the publication of this story, Texas Tech Athletics has confirmed that Gerlich is indeed the new head coach for the Lady Raiders basketball team.

"I am excited to announce Krista Gerlich as our next Lady Raider basketball coach," said Texas Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt in a press release Tuesday. "Coach Gerlich has been outstanding as a head coach at both UT-Arlington and West Texas A&M, and her track record as a student-athlete at Texas Tech speaks for itself. I believe that she is the right person to lead our women’s basketball team and I am excited to see what she and the Lady Raiders accomplish in the seasons ahead."

Original story: According to reports from Red Raider Nation's David Collier and everythinglubbock.com, Texas Tech officials have confirmed that Krista Gerlich will be named the next head coach of Lady Raider basketball.

After the firing of Marlene Stollings, Texas Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt began a national coaching search that involved assistants from Texas A&M and the University of Oregon.

Obviously, Hocutt was looking for a serious character hire with Gerlich, who had answers for some past troubles, including a public intoxication charge from 2015, in her hiring process.

Hocutt told everythinglubbock.com: “I spoke with her athletic director about the incident and am satisfied she learned her lesson and has continued to grow as a coach, role model and mentor to her student-athletes.”

Gerlich played at Texas Tech on the 1993 National Championship Lady Raiders team and had her number 21 jersey retired after an illustrious career. As a guard at Texas Tech, she picked up All-Southwest Conference honors three times. She also was named to the 1993 SWC All-Tournament team, the 1993 West Regional All-Tournament team, and the 1993 Final Four All-Tournament team.

After her playing career, Gerlich went straight into coaching with stints at Lockney, Taft and Reagan high schools before getting an assistant job at Texas Tech University from 2003-2006. Gerlich then made the jump to collegiate head coach, getting hired at West Texas A&M. She was there from 2006 to 2013 before heading to UTA, where she'd stay until getting hired at Texas Tech.

In 14 seasons as a head coach, Gerlich has a 289-147 record, with a 121-94 record at UTA -- the most wins in program history. UTA has posted at least 21 wins in the past three seasons with a Sun Belt regular-season championship in 18-19 and a Sun Belt Coach of the Year award for her efforts.

Gerlich is married to former Texas Tech linebacker Brian Gerlich, and the couple has a son and daughter.

Today on Ryan Hyatt's Raiderland, we were joined by David Collier to talk about the hire and also hit on topics such as TJ Vasher, the football team's freshman receivers and more:


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