“This isn’t just a season, it’s our legacy, it’s our shot at forever.”

Those were the words Texas Tech junior superstar NiJaree Canady said as the voiceover in the team’s opening year promo video and it’s a sentiment head coach Gerry Glasco echoed when talking about how far they have come from the start of the season to now.

“You start work in august and that’s your dream is you really really want to be a host if you can,” Glasco said beaming following the Selection Show on Sunday. “The girls have worked really hard since the Fall and are hitting on all cylinders. I’m really pumped and just want to get in my office and start looking at the film!”

I think fans would agree this team in many ways has already etched their names into Texas Tech history books forever. No one can ever take away the fact they are the FIRST to win a regular season Big 12 Championship, Big 12 Tournament Championship and to host a NCAA Regional amongst so many other records broken.

They will be remembered. But now they have a chance to reach legend status as postseason play begins May 18-20 at Rocky Johnson in Lubbock. Fans can find ticket information here.

This past week the team went to the ‘Softball Capital of the World’ Oklahoma City and played as close to their ceiling as we have seen this year over a three day span as they ran through the competition to win the Big 12 Tournament title while outscoring their opponents 26-0.

“I thought we had a chance to speak to the committee through our play,” said Glasco following the team’s Big 12 Championship win on Saturday. “I thought we were a dominating team on the field.”

Dominating they were as Tech became only the third team all-time to win the Big 12 tournament title without giving up a run. Oh and they also threw in a record-breaking semifinal performance over Arizona State when they scored 18 runs, the most in the history of the Big 12 Tournament in a single game.

Can I get a sheeeeeeeesh?!

“I think we started kind of slow [to the season] because it was a new team and we needed to get used to each other but it’s really coming together now.” First-Team All-Big 12 Mihyia Davis answered when asked about the team’s offensive performance in Oklahoma City.

This element of trusting each other on the field is a sentiment many of the players brought up in their media availability this past week. Including, true freshman shortstop Hailey Toney who broke out of a seven-game hitless streak to go bananas in OKC and find her way onto the All-Tournament team. After her 3-for-3, 4-RBI performance in the historic 18-0 semifinal game she had this to say on what helped her break through.

“I’ve been struggling but I’ve been focused on trusting the process….coming in as a freshman and just knowing everyone has my back.”

Even in the team’s quarterfinal game win it took until the fifth to break through for four runs against Baylor, Canady was never stressed in the circle.

“I feel like this lineup is so good that eventually we're going to figure it out.” said Canady following the game. “It might take one time through the order but being a pitcher, I always have confidence in them, so I knew we were going to figure it out.”

When asked about this element of trust directly, junior Lauren Allred was quick to agree the team’s chemistry is clicking at the right time in line with their play.

“I think the team chemistry is remarkable and I think that has a lot to do with the trust we have in each other,” explained Allred. “Going out there and knowing I have full faith in each of my teammates beside me makes me play more free because you’re playing for them rather than yourself.”

Going into last week the question was would Texas Tech host at all since their RPI was just outside the Top 16. While most felt they would be given the host nod still the team's play in OKC left zero doubt and ended up jumping all the way up to the Number 12 overall national seed.

Still too low for conventional thinking for fans that see regular season and tournament Big 12 champion next to Tech’s name I know…but given a 15/16 was sounding like the ceiling a week ago it was a nice “surprise” for some to see the Red Raiders called at 12.

“I look at the RPI, the live rankings every night to where we moved after game days,” said Allred. “So seeing how we jumped so far it was a nice surprise because we were kind of predicting a little bit lower. Seeing where we were it was like ‘oh all the hard work is paying off.’”

Also true to this team’s nature and blend of personalities that makes them so much fun to follow, junior Alana Johnson shared an opposite perspective on the RPI and rankings of it all. She just wants to ball y’all.

“I’m a bit different, I’m not someone that looks at the RPI and all that,” said Johnson. “I just go out there and compete each day the same way if I’m ranked 50th or one.”

Say it again, read it again - Texas Tech is hosting a NCAA Softball Regional for the first time in school history and you as fans can be a part of that so be there and be loud. If you need any further motivation, just listen to the head man himself Gerry Glasco.

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