WATCH: Texas Tech Welcomes New Lady Raider Basketball Coach

LUBBOCK, TX – Texas Tech director of athletics Kirby Hocutt announced Tuesday that former Lady Raider Krista Gerlich has been hired as head coach of the school's women's basketball program.
 
"I am excited to announce Krista Gerlich as our next Lady Raider basketball coach," Hocutt said. "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."
 
Having experienced success at each stop of her coaching career thus far, Gerlich has spent the last seven seasons at UT-Arlington. She stands as the program's all-time winningest coach at UTA, accumulating 121 of her 289 career wins as a collegiate head coach at the helm of the Lady Mav program.
 
"I can't put into words how excited I am to be entrusted with rebuilding the Lady Raider basketball program, which is near and dear to my heart," Gerlich said. "I can't wait to get to work on taking this program back to where it's supposed to be, where it has been and where everyone in the Texas Tech community expects it to be. I'm looking forward to meeting the current Lady Raiders, embracing them and their journey, and helping them write a better ending to their careers at Texas Tech, because they deserve it.
 
"I believe that Texas Tech is a pot of gold for every sport, and that's illustrated by how well each program succeeds on a national level year in and year out. There is no reason that Lady Raider basketball can't do that too, because we've already seen it done. We know we have the support, and I am looking forward to bringing that positive excitement and authentic love for the program back to my alma mater."
 
During her 14-year head coaching career which also includes seven seasons at West Texas A&M, Gerlich has racked up two TABC Coach of the Year awards, three conference coach of the year honors, three conference titles, five NCAA Tournament wins and eight 20-win seasons. She has overseen seven WBCA All-Americans, six conference players of the year, 10 All-Sun Belt selections and 17 Lone Star Conference All-Conference selections.
 
Gerlich led the Lady Mavs to three 20-win seasons, including a 21-11 overall record with a 14-4 mark in Sun Belt games last season, leading to a third-place finish in the Sun Belt conference race. In the nonconference season, Gerlich's Lady Mavs tallied the program's first victory over a Power 5 school since 2006 with a 57-53 road win over Tech's Big 12 foe Kansas State. In the regular season finale at ULM, the Lady Mavs defeated the Warhawks, 74-67, to give Gerlich her 120th victory as UTA head coach and make her the all-time winningest coach in program history
 
Gerlich was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2019, following a successful campaign in which her Lady Mavs tied the program record for single-season wins, and picked up the program's first postseason win as well as UTA's first Sun Belt women's basketball regular season title. The team earned an automatic bid to the WNIT, marking the sixth postseason tournament appearance and fourth postseason WNIT appearance in program history.
 
In 2016-17, Gerlich guided UTA to a 22-9 overall record, a second-place finish in the Sun Belt and a berth to the postseason as UTA went to the WNIT and participated in the postseason for the first time since 2009.
 
From her first season into the second, the Lady Mavs increased their win total by 13 from 4 wins to 17 wins, the second largest turnaround in Division I between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.
 
Among the many standouts that Gerlich coached at UTA was four-time All-Sun Belt selection Cierra Johnson, who was named Sun Belt Co-Player of the Year in 2019 and was a two-time Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year pick (2017, 2019). She also coached 2015 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Rebekah VanDijk and 2020 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Marie Benson.
 
In 2015, Gerlich served a two-game suspension at UTA following an arrest for public intoxication and violation of park hours.
 
"Although our research shows that the misdemeanor arrest is no longer on her record, she was forthright and transparent with us during the search process," Hocutt said.
 
"We spoke with many people, including her athletic director, about the incident and am satisfied she learned from the incident and has continued to grow as a coach, role model and mentor to her student athletes."
 
"I was forthright about the incident throughout the interview process," Gerlich said. "I've shared it with my team as an example of a growing experience to acknowledge that we aren't all perfect and that everyone makes mistakes."
 
Gerlich's success in the head coaching ranks hasn't been exclusive to her time in Arlington, as she led West Texas A&M to stellar 168-53 overall record, four consecutive South Division Lone Star Conference titles and three consecutive Lone Star Conference championships in seven seasons leading the Lady Buffs.
 
The quickest coach in WTAMU history to reach each of the 100, 125 and 150-win benchmarks, Gerlich led the Lady Buffs to NCAA Tournament appearances in five of her seven years leading the program, including the team's first Elite Eight appearance in 11 years in 2009. She was named the Lone Star Conference South Division Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2010.
 
Prior to taking her first head coaching position, Gerlich spent three years in Lubbock as an assistant coach under Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp at her alma mater. She helped guide the Lady Raiders to two NCAA tournament appearances, including a 24-8 overall record, a 12-4 Big 12 mark and a spot in the Sweet 16 during the 2004-05 campaign. Gerlich was heavily involved in almost every aspect of the program as she instructed preseason individual workouts, coached the perimeter players, reviewed film and handled game day preparations for the Lady Raiders. Throughout the school year she also assisted in the academic progress of the Lady Raider student-athletes.
 
Before returning to coaching with Texas Tech during the 2003-2004 season, Gerlich took some time off to start a family; she spent the 2002-2003 year teaching math at Hereford High School, where her husband, Bryan, was the athletic director and head football coach.
 
After graduating from Texas Tech in 1993 with a degree in exercise and sports science, Gerlich got her first coaching job at Lockney High School as the head girls' basketball coach.
 
From 1994-1997, she was the head girls' coach at Taft High School in San Antonio, Texas. Gerlich entered the college ranks as an assistant at UTSA from 1997-1999. Gerlich followed her position at UTSA by accepting the head coaching job at San Antonio Reagan High School from 1999-2000. In the inaugural season at Reagan, the team posted a 20-5 mark.
 
Lady Raider fans are more than familiar with Gerlich's long resume as a player at Texas Tech. Aside from helping guide Tech to the 1993 NCAA title, she racked up three All-Southwest Conference accolades, and was named to the 1993 SWC All-Tournament team, the 1993 West Regional All-Tournament team and the 1993 Final Four All-Tournament team.
 
Named to the All-Time SWC team and one of the Panhandles Top 100 Athletes of the Century, Gerlich was named an honorable mention All-American in 1993. She ranks third in school history in career assists (553), third in career three-point field goals (220), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.417) and 13^th in career scoring (1,324). Her No. 21 was retired by the Lady Raider program on Dec. 5, 1993, making her one of only three former Lady Raiders to have their numbers retired.
 
Born in Spearman, Texas, Gerlich was a three time all-state selection in basketball while attending Sudan (Texas) High and Spearman High School. She was a member of the 1987 state championship basketball team at Sudan HS, where her father, Jim Kirkland, was her high school basketball coach. In 1988, she helped Spearman HS claim the cross country state championship and was a four time all-state selection in cross country. She placed third at the 1989 state track meet in the 1600 meters.
 
Gerlich is married to Bryan Gerlich, who is also a Texas Tech graduate and a former linebacker on the Red Raider football team (1987-1992). The couple has a daughter, Bryn, and a son, Brayden.

What Others Are Saying…

Jeff Walz – Head Women's Basketball Coach, Louisville
"Krista is a great hire for Texas Tech women's basketball.  Not only does she do a great job teaching the game and getting the most out of her players, she has a personal stake in Lady Raider Basketball.  She is a proven winner as a player and has proven herself as a coach.  I'm excited to see where she takes Texas Tech women's basketball."

Brian Agler – Head Coach, Dallas Wings
"Krista is a great coach and person. She is part of the Marsha Sharp legacy and their 1993 championship team. Krista did an exceptional job at UTA and will carry all her positive traits back to Lubbock."

Chris Ogden – Head Men's Basketball Coach, UT-Arlington
"Coach Gerlich is built for Texas Tech.  She loves west Texas and the people that make it so great.  Both her coaching style and ability to build strong relationships within her locker room as well as the community will bode well for her. We are going to miss having her around but know she will do great things."

Zenarae Antoine – Head Women's Basketball Coach, Texas State
"Krista Gerlich is an outstanding hire for Texas Tech and it goes well beyond her impressive paper resume.  She coaches with passion, integrity and pride in the programs that she has built.  I have appreciated our "on court battles" in the Sunbelt Conference and I look forward to her continued success in the Big 12."

Erin Grant - Former Lady Raider; Current Assistant Coach, USC
"Coach Gerlich is a winner. I'm elated she has the opportunity to go back to Lubbock and revive the Lady Raider tradition.  She will do an outstanding job of cultivating relationships and developing young women. Krista will be a bright star in the Big XII."

Devin Griffin – Former UTA player
"Coach Gerlich is a phenomenal coach and an even better person she has been a mentor a friend and family to me. She is exactly what Lady Raider basketball needs and what young women can look up to for the future. I have so much respect for her and am extremely proud of her and what this means for Lubbock. I can't wait to bring my team out to support Coach Gerlich and Lady Raider Nation!"

Cierra Johnson - Former UTA player
"Texas Tech is being blessed with THE best and most loyal coach. It's bittersweet to see her leave UTA but it's nice to see her going back home to her alma mater. Her time with UTA has come to an end but she has definitely left her mark. I am so happy for you and I know Tech will do amazing things because they have a GOAT on their hands. I love you Coach Gerlich!"

Rebekah VanDijk – Former UTA player
"I am so excited for Coach Gerlich and the opportunity to coach at her alma mater. She is such a great addition to Texas Tech. Coach Gerlich is not only an amazing basketball coach, she is an amazing woman. You're not going to find someone more passionate about the game of basketball and helping her players become great women. She has made a name for herself as both a player and a coach. I was so blessed to have her as my coach at UTA and am so excited to see her do amazing things at Texas Tech."

Emily (Brister) Cooper - Former WTAMU player
"This is a well-deserved position for Coach Gerlich. Krista is not only a phenomenal coach and motivator, but she is an amazing role model for the young women that she coaches. She is very passionate and competitive, while still being relatable and understanding toward her athletes! I'm overjoyed to see her back coaching in the Texas Panhandle! I can't wait to see how she grows the Lady Raider program!"