Texas Tech softball confident, clicking ahead of Lubbock Regional

In the new landscape of college athletics where the transfer portal and name, image and likeness rule the day, it has become commonplace for athletes to change schools, then meet up with their previous teammates down the road.

Ahead of Sunday’s selection show for the 2025 NCAA softball tournament, the prevailing thought from bracketologists was that it would be Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady who would see her old team. It had all the makings to be the most noteworthy story for the opening round. Putting Stanford — which can’t host a regional due to construction at its stadium — in the Lubbock Regional is stuff that broadcast partners like ESPN, reporters and fans all salivate over.

When the Red Raiders were revealed as the No. 12 overall seed, though, it wasn’t Canady who got the “oohs” from her teammates. It was Alana Johnson, the first team all-Big 12 outfielder, who got a few extra smiles, hugs and pats on the back.

That’s because Johnson’s former school, Washington, will be headed to Rocky Johnson Field along with Brown and Mississippi State this weekend.

“Obviously I have lots of love and respect for that program, Coach (Heather) Tarr and just everybody that’s there still,” Johnson said. “I started out there and I grew a lot as a person and a player there. Just super amount of respect for that program and that staff. Just super excited to get to see some of my old teammates that are still there and get to compete.”

The Huskies were the last team included in the tournament field, according to the selection committee.

Texas Tech will be hosting a regional for the first time in program history, another feather in the cap of Gerry Glasco’s team in his first year as head coach. The Red Raiders capped off a near perfect run through the Big 12 when they won all three games of the conference tournament via shutout — much of it due to Canady, who earned most outstanding player and a nifty WWE-style belt/trophy for her exploits in Oklahoma City.

“To see it come true here in our first year,” Glasco said, “it’s just overwhelming to get to host a regional. The number one goal here is to build a program that develops passionate fans and develop the fan base that’ll be fun for the players to be able to play in front of for years to come. I think it’s a huge step.”

By earning the No. 12 national seed, Texas Tech’s region is matched up with the Tallahassee Regional, which consists of 5th-overall seed Florida State, Auburn, South Florida and Robert Morris. FSU winning its regional would ensure the winner of the Lubbock Regional heading to Tallahassee for the Super Regional next week.

While the Red Raiders will take on Brown in the first round, they’ll see either Johnson’s former Washington team or get a rematch with SEC foe Mississippi State, which beat Texas Tech 3-1 in the second game of the season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, on Saturday. That game went eight innings, and Glasco said both teams are very different from that first matchup.

“The girls worked really, really, really hard since the fall,” Glasco said, “and they’ve improved in so many ways. Up and down the lineup, in the bullpen, everybody’s peaking. We’re healthy. I think we’re just going into this regional absolutely cooking and we’re hitting on all cylinders, as my dad would say. Just really pumped.”

Lauren Allred — a second team all-Big 12 selection, who followed Glasco from Louisiana — and Johnson said the Red Raiders have worked steadily to get to this point.

“I think the biggest thing is growing,” Allred said. “We continue to grow. We never were satisfied even when we were in a good spot. We continue to strive to do better and I think we’re starting to peak at the right time.”

Getting to host a regional at all was the main goal for the Red Raiders, Glasco said. Fans have gravitated toward Texas Tech this year, breaking numerous attendance records during the historic season, and he’s excited to see the turnout for this weekend’s festivities.

“We had to get this regional here to get the fans out to get to see the athleticism and the talent that our team has,” Glasco said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that once the community comes out and they see the talent in the girls, the way they play, with speed, with hustle that we’re going to have, it’s going to be a building moment for our program and take it to heights that has never been seen.”

2025 NCAA Softball Tournament: Lubbock Regional

Games Friday-Sunday at Rocky Johnson Field

All times Central

FRIDAY

Game 1 — (12) Texas Tech (45-12) vs. Brown (33-15), 4:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Game 2 — Washington (34-17) vs. Mississippi State (37-17), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

SATURDAY

Game 3 — Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 1 p.m. (TV TBD)

Game 4 — Lower of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 3:30 p.m. (TV TBD)

Game 5 — Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m. (TV TBD)

SUNDAY

Game 6 — Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 2 p.m. (TV TBD)

Game 7 — If necessary, 4:30 p.m., (TV TBD)