BLOCKBUSTER BREAKING: Krista Gerlich Hires Star Assistant, But Fans Fume Over 5-Year Struggles — “Are We Building or Just Spinning Wheels?”

Texas Tech women’s basketball head coach Krista Gerlich made headlines this week by adding a prominent name to her coaching staff, hoping to inject new life into a program mired in mediocrity. But the announcement has stirred more frustration than celebration among fans, many of whom are questioning whether this move marks a genuine turning point — or just another chapter in a seemingly never-ending rebuild.

On paper, the addition of [insert assistant coach’s name if available] to the Lady Raiders bench looks like a win. Known for her elite recruiting connections and tactical mind, she brings a strong resume that includes postseason experience and success at Power Five programs. Gerlich’s move appears to be a clear attempt to upgrade her staff and reset the direction of a team that has failed to live up to expectations.

For a program with the proud legacy of Texas Tech — the same one that produced NCAA champion Sheryl Swoopes and won a national title in 1993 — another year of mediocrity simply won’t do. And that’s precisely what Gerlich’s five-year tenure has delivered: a record of inconsistency, underachievement, and near-total irrelevance in a Big 12 that’s only growing stronger.

Since taking the reins in 2020, Gerlich’s teams have amassed a losing record in conference play, with just one winning season overall. Despite occasional flashes of promise — including a few notable upsets and individual player standouts — the Lady Raiders have never made the NCAA Tournament under her watch. Even with the transfer portal and NIL creating new opportunities, Texas Tech continues to hover around the middle or bottom of the Big 12 standings.

Many had hoped that Gerlich, a former Lady Raider herself and member of the 1993 national championship team, would bring a jolt of culture, passion, and identity back to Lubbock. But now, halfway through the decade, nostalgia is running dry, and the scoreboard doesn’t lie.

The new assistant coach hire is being viewed by some as a last-ditch effort to reverse course before the 2025 season spirals into familiar territory. It’s also being interpreted as a subtle acknowledgment from Gerlich herself that change is needed — and fast.

Texas Tech’s administration has been publicly supportive of Gerlich, emphasizing patience and the challenges of modern roster management. But with attendance dwindling and fan engagement slipping, patience is becoming a scarce commodity.

People want to see wins. Period, said one former Tech player, now turned analyst. “Culture and heart are great, but they’re not enough. This is a results-driven business, and right now the results are unacceptable.”

Optimists believe that the new assistant could be the missing piece, bringing recruiting momentum and a fresh system to an offense that has too often stagnated. A few key returning players and incoming transfers do provide some hope that the Lady Raiders could finally make a legitimate postseason push.

With the 2025 season looming, all eyes will be on how this latest staff change translates into wins on the court. The Lady Raiders face a grueling schedule, and early losses could send the already-frustrated fanbase into full revolt.