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After a strong showing at the World University Games representing Team USA, the Texas Tech women’s basketball team has returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Led by the breakout season of junior Jalynn Bristow and the veteran leadership of senior Bailey Maupin, the Lady Raiders have rebuilt their program’s culture and reputation to earn a spot in the Big Dance. Head coach Krista Gerlich, a member of Texas Tech’s 1993 national championship team, has worked to restore the program’s past success and expectation of tournament appearances.

Why it matters

Texas Tech women’s basketball was once a powerhouse program, winning a national title and making the NCAA Tournament consistently. But the team fell on hard times, missing the tournament for 13 straight years before this season’s return. This year’s accomplishment represents a major milestone in the program’s rebuilding efforts under Gerlich, as the Lady Raiders have regained respect and reestablished themselves as a tournament-caliber team.

The details

The Lady Raiders’ breakout season was sparked by their strong showing at the World University Games over the summer, where they won a silver medal while playing with a short roster. Junior forward Jalynn Bristow emerged as a star, finishing fourth in rebounding and tenth in 3-point percentage at the event. Bristow has carried that momentum into the college season, averaging a double-double while leading the Big 12 in blocked shots. Meanwhile, senior guard Bailey Maupin has provided veteran leadership as the team’s leading scorer and the fourth all-time leading scorer in Texas Tech history.

Texas Tech won the silver medal at the World University Games in July 2025, representing Team USA.The Lady Raiders opened the 2025-26 season in June with a practice video emphasizing the need to “Defend the culture.”
The players

Jalynn Bristow

A junior forward who emerged as a star player for Texas Tech this season, averaging a double-double while leading the Big 12 in blocked shots.

Bailey Maupin

A senior guard and the only four-year Lady Raider on the roster, Maupin is the fourth all-time leading scorer in Texas Tech history and has provided veteran leadership to the team.

Krista Gerlich

The head coach of the Texas Tech women’s basketball team, Gerlich was a member of the Lady Raiders’ 1993 national championship team and has worked to restore the program’s past success and tournament expectations.

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What they’re saying

“When we got in Germany, we locked in so quick on the court. When we got out there, it was definitely like, ‘Yeah, this team is really good.’”

— Jalynn Bristow (on3.com)

“I’ve been here four years, and through those four years we’ve had ups and we’ve had downs. But being able to end my career going into the tournament and hoping to make a long run is the perfect way to go out, and I couldn’t have asked for a better story or a better ending to my college career.”

— Bailey Maupin (on3.com)

“When you are a Lady Raider and you walk into a room with a Double T on your chest, that used to mean something. The hardest thing for me when I got here was that the brand wasn’t respected anymore for Lady Raider basketball.”

— Krista Gerlich, Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

Texas Tech will face 10th-seeded Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If the Lady Raiders win, they will advance to face either Jacksonville or host seed LSU in the second round.

The takeaway

Texas Tech’s return to the NCAA Tournament after a 13-year drought represents a major milestone in the program’s rebuilding efforts under head coach Krista Gerlich. The team’s success this season, fueled by the breakout of Jalynn Bristow and the veteran leadership of Bailey Maupin, has helped restore the Lady Raiders’ reputation and expectation of tournament appearances – a standard the once-dominant program aims to maintain going forward.