Todd Petty resigns as Texas Tech women's tennis coach

The Texas Tech Athletic Department announced Thursday that Todd Petty has resigned as head coach of the women's tennis team.

A national search for the new coach will begin immediately, according to the release. Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt accepted Petty's resignation.

Petty has been the head coach of the Red Raiders since 2009 and led the team to the NCAA Tournament on a regular basis. During his 14-year tenure — 13 as the head coach — Texas Tech won three Big 12 regular-season titles, a Big 12 Championship, advanced to the Sweet 16 four times and the Elite Eight three times.

In the release, Petty cited a desire to spend more time with his family and to transition away from coaching in the college ranks for his resignation.

"I want to thank my players, staff and Texas Tech Athletics for the past 14 years," Petty said in the release. "It's been a wonderful journey. I look forward to the future and what it holds but will always support the Red Raiders."

Petty, who hails from San Angelo, Texas, was named Big 12 Coach of the Year three times in his career (2011, 2012 and 2017). He is the winningest coach in program history, compiling a record of 229-106.

Back in 2017, Petty and Texas Tech agreed on a contract extension that was for five years and a total of $925,000 — with a yearly salary at $185,000 — per a previous Avalanche-Journal story.

Petty was an All-Southland Conference performer at UTSA as a player in 1999 and 2000. He transferred to Midwestern State and was selected an ITA All-American and Lone Star Conference All-Academic honoree in 2002.

Petty started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for Midwestern State, where he was involved in all facets of the men’s and women’s tennis programs. The men’s team qualified for the Division II NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004.

Texas Tech football

Waxahachie's Calvin Simpson-Hunt decommitted from Texas Tech before pledging to Ohio State an hour later Thursday in a quick change of heart for the four-star Class of 2023 athlete.

“Committed to THE Ohio State University,” he wrote on Twitter following his flip.

The Red Raiders were in a tug-of-war with the Buckeyes for the 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback, according to recruiting services.

Tech was the first school to offer Simpson-Hunt a scholarship, and he pledged to the Red Raiders in late November. He subsequently has received offers from more than two dozen schools, including Alabama, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Texas. He now is a consensus national top-200 recruit.

Simpson-Hunt is regarded for his speed, running the 100 meters in 10.67 seconds as part of the track and field team in the spring.

Texas Tech lost a commitment early Tuesday when Canutillo running back L.J. Martin switched his pledge to Stanford. Martin, a consensus state top-100 prospect, committed to Tech in late April.

Texas Tech football

The Red Raiders also added a season-opening game for the 2028 campaign.

Texas Tech is scheduled to host Missouri State on Sept. 2, 2028 at Jones AT&T Stadium — tentatively completing the non-conference slate for the Red Raiders.

The contest was moved from the original date of Sept. 16, 2023 to a season opener while the game guarantee stays the same: $525,000 from Tech to Missouri State.

Texas Tech men's golf

Texas Tech rising senior Ludvig Aberg is set to compete in at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup this weekend at the Golf Club de Geneve in Switzerland. Aberg, who helped the International Team win last year’s Arnold Palmer Cup, returns to the prestigious competition after a season at Tech where he won the Ben Hogan Award and secured All-American honors for the second straight season.

The 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup is set to be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The selections for the teams were made in April based on rankings. Aberg is currently back at No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking after finishing fifth at The Amateur Championship and in the top-20 at the European Amateur Championship earlier this month. He won the 2022 Big 12 Championship individual title and was 11th at the NCAA Championship to earn All-American honors.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Todd Petty resigns as Texas Tech women's tennis coach