Thunder in Lubbock: Krista Gerlich Lures 6‑1 SEC Sharpshooter Snudda Collins—Lady Raiders’ 2025‑26 Backcourt Just Went Nuclear

The summer transfer portal rarely sleeps, but even seasoned Texas Tech fans felt the ground shake this week when head coach Krista Gerlich reeled in one of the SEC’s most coveted graduate talents. Former Ole Miss wing Snudda Collins, a 6‑foot‑1 two‑way menace who has tormented defenses in Oxford for four seasons, officially signed with the Lady Raiders on June 8.

Collins leaves Ole Miss ranked fifth in program history for three‑pointers made (227) and eighth in career steals (168). Her blend of length, quick‑trigger perimeter scoring and defensive range made her the rare plug‑and‑play veteran every Power‑Five staff desperately chased once her name hit the wire. SEC coaches privately dubbed her “the amber‑alert shooter”: lose sight of her for two seconds and watch the scoreboard start flashing. That reputation is precisely what Gerlich’s rebuilt roster lacked after last year’s gritty but offensively streaky campaign.

Texas Tech’s staff pounced the moment Collins entered the portal, hosting her on a whirlwind 48‑hour visit that included a sold‑out baseball Super Regional, a private tour of the “Womble” practice palace, and a dinner with Lady Raider legends Sheryl Swoopes and Alesha Robertson. By Sunday afternoon, Collins’ Instagram timeline was drenched in black‑and‑scarlet emojis. At 7:14 p.m. local time, the university blasted out the news release: “SIGNED.”

Landing Collins is more than a simple talent acquisition—it is the loudest proof yet that Gerlich’s slow‑build in Lubbock has shifted into win‑now mode. Two seasons ago the Lady Raiders finished 14‑17, hamstrung by injuries and a brutal Big 12 slate. Last season, Tech snuck into the WNIT and rattled off three electric wins before running out of gas in the quarterfinals. Now, with Collins joining returning All‑Big 12 guard Jazmaine Lewis and 6‑5 rim‑protector Ayoka Lee (another portal coup from Kansas State), Gerlich finally owns the length, spacing and veteran depth to chase the program’s first NCAA berth since 2013.

Snudda brings an SEC edge—she’s faced South Carolina’s traps, LSU’s pace, Tennessee’s size. That’s invaluable. But it’s her fearlessness that sold me. She wants the ball when it matters, and she wants that responsibility in front of 15,000 screaming folks at United Supermarkets Arena.”

Corner Assassin – Collins shot 38.9 percent from three last season, with 44 percent of those makes coming from the short‑corner pocket, an area Tech’s motion offense generates on “floppy” staggers for its wings. Expect Gerlich to feature her in early‑clock drag screens with point guard Khy Henderson, forcing defenses to chase over the top and surrender the driving lane or risk death by dagger.

Switchproof Defender – At 6‑1 with a 6‑3 wingspan, Collins guarded SEC 1‑through‑4s—posting a 0.77 points‑per‑possession allowed rate, per Synergy. That versatility lets Tech keep its best shooters on the floor without sacrificing stops, a frequent late‑game dilemma last winter.

Fast‑Break Catalyst – Ole Miss thrived when Collins crashed the defensive glass, grabbed‑and‑go, and pitched hit‑ahead passes. Tech ranked just 203rd nationally in transition frequency; Gerlich believes Collins can ignite the Lady Raiders’ tempo and create four to six extra possessions a night.

Texas lost its top two wings to the WNBA draft. Baylor and Kansas are rebuilding under first‑year coaches. Oklahoma State graduated 64 percent of its scoring. Suddenly the Lady Raiders—once an afterthought in women’s hoops power rankings—own arguably the league’s deadliest three‑level scoring trio. If Collins replicates her SEC averages (12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 spg), Tech’s predictive metrics vault into top‑25 territory. Caesars Sportsbook has already trimmed the Lady Raiders’ Final Four odds from a distant +4000 to a tantalizing +1800 overnight, according to a West Texas radio segment.

Within minutes of the announcement, GunsUpNation’s X (formerly Twitter) post topped 1.9 million impressions—shattering the program’s previous social record set when Gerlich signed Australian phenom Lara King last summer.

 Senior guard Brynn Gerlich (yes, the coach’s daughter) fired off a sequence of flame emojis, while redshirt freshman post Emma Needham posted, “Those summer scrimmages just got SPICY.” It was the type of organic locker‑room electricity that no NIL collective can engineer.

Classes begin August 25, but Collins plans to arrive in Lubbock by July 10 to join pre‑season weight sessions. She is eyeing a master’s in sports management and hinted she might leverage Tech’s burgeoning Big 12‑wide NIL collective, RAIDER REWARDS, to launch a branded skills clinic for elementary‑age girls across the South Plains.

Meanwhile, Team USA’s 3×3 committee reportedly reached out about Collins’ availability for its late‑July training camp in Colorado Springs. Gerlich confirmed Tech would support the opportunity if it materializes, noting the half‑court format “spotlights the exact downhill‑equal‑spacing reads Snudda excels at.”

Texas Tech hasn’t enjoyed this level of preseason buzz since Cheryl Swoopes dropped 47 in the 1993 national title game. Twenty‑three‑year‑old Snudda Collins will not shoulder that mythical burden alone, but she instantly reshapes the Lady Raiders’ trajectory. Her arrival signals to recruits, boosters and Big 12 rivals alike that Krista Gerlich’s revival project is over. The engines are roaring, the runway is clear, and the 2025‑26 Lady Raiders are prepared for liftoff.