Women's Tennis
Petty, Todd
Todd Petty
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- todd.petty@ttu.edu
| Todd Petty Career Record | |||
| Year | Overall | Big 12 | Finish |
| 2009 | 10-14 | 4-7 | T-7th |
| 2010 | 11-12 | 5-6 | T-6th |
| 2011 | 18-8 | 7-4 | 4th |
| 2012 | 19-6 | 8-1 | 1st |
| 2013 | 20-7 | 8-1 | T-1st |
| 2014 | 17-9 | 6-3 | T-3rd |
| 2015 | 21-7 | 7-2 | T-2nd |
| 2016 | 25-6 | 6-3 | T-2nd |
| 2017 | 27-5 | 8-1 | 1st |
| 2018 | 23-7 | 7-2 | T-2nd |
| 2019 | 17-9 | 6-3 | 4th |
| 2020* | 5-7 | 0-2 | -- |
| 2021 | 16-9 | 6-3 | 3rd |
| Totals | 229-106 | 78-38 | |
Petty is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2011, 2012, 2017) and three-time Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year (2012, 2016, 2017). He has led Texas Tech to program-long streak of nine-straight NCAA Tournament bids, and the Lady Raiders have notched an Oracle/ITA Top 25 final ranking during six of the last nine seasons.
Under his tutelage, the Lady Raiders finished the season in the Top 10 in two of the last four full seasons and reached as high as No. 5 in the country.
Petty is the winningest coach at Texas Tech with 229 wins and a .684 winning percentage over his 13 seasons. Following the 2017 season, Petty surpassed Harrison “Mickey” Bowes career win total of 156 wins (1980-89).
COACHING ELITE ATHLETES
Under his guidance, Gabriela Talaba was named ITA All-American twice. She qualified for the NCAA Singles Championship for the third straight season as a senior in 2018 and became the first Lady Raider in school history to advance to the Round of 16. Talaba opened the 2018 season as the No.2-ranked player in the Oracle/ITA Rankings, marking the highest individual preseason ranking in program history. A few months later, she was ranked No. 5 in the nation which marked the highest ranking during the regular season for a singles player.
Talaba clinched a point for the Lady Raiders during the Sweet 16 match as she took down the Top-ranked player in the country. The win was the first over the No. 1 player for an individual in school history. After a successful senior season, Talaba was named the ITA Texas Region Senior Player of the Year and was named All-Big 12 First Team singles for the fourth-straight season.
Talaba became the program’s first All-American following her 25-7 junior season. She finished the 2017 season in the Oracle/ITA Rankings at No. 8, the highest individual ranking in school history. Talaba was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, marking the program’s first student-athlete to receive the award.
Felicity Maltby became the second Lady Raider to earn All-America status when she advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2019 after being named Big 12 Player of the Year. The 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year and unanimous All-Big 12 first-teamer finished the final season of her collegiate career with a 22-9 overall record and a 17-7 mark in dual matches. Playing the entire season at the No. 1 position, Maltby posted an 8-1 record in Big 12 action and was named the Big 12 Individual Champion at the No. 1 singles position. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Sunnyvale, Calif., native was named the ITA Texas Region Senior of the Year and Most Improved Senior after she defeated nine nationally ranked opponents.
After a phenomenal four years wearing scarlet and black, her 17 wins at the No. 1 position and 21 doubles wins ranks second in the school record book. Additionally, her .757 career win percentage ranks fifth among all Red Raiders in program history.
Ten players have secured All-Big 12 singles accolades with Gabriela Talaba (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) as a four-time honoree, Felicity Maltby (2016, 2017, 2019) as a three-time honoree, and Samantha Adams (2012, 2013), Sarah Dvorak (2015, 2016), and Sabrina Federici (2017, 2018) and as two-time honorees. Adams (2011), Dvorak (2015) and Alex Valenstein (2016) also have captured the ITA Texas Region Rookie of the Year award with Adams (2012) and Felicity Maltby (2017) being named an ITA Texas Region Player to Watch during Petty’s tenure.
Federici has earned three ITA Texas Region awards in the last two seasons including Most Improved Senior (2018), Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award (2018) and the Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship (2017).
Adams and Kenna Kilgo are one of Texas Tech’s most decorated doubles tandem in program history. The duo earned three All-Big 12 doubles picks from 2012-14 in addition to punching tickets to the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Doubles Championships.
In 2017, Dvorak and Federici became the first doubles pair to qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championships since the 2013 season. The duo returned to the NCAA Doubles Championship for the second straight season. They earned back-to-back All-Big 12 doubles picks (2017, 2018) and back-to-back Big 12 All-Tournament selections (2017, 2018). The pair reached as high as No. 8 in the Oracle/ITA Rankings.
ANOTHER HISTORIC SEASON
Texas Tech posted the fifth 20-win season under Petty and finished tied for second in the Big 12 regular season in 2018. The Lady Raiders played their way to the fourth straight Big 12 Tournament championship match.
Texas Tech earned its seventh straight NCAA Tournament bid after ranking in the Top 15 all season. With two wins over Army West Point (4-0) and No. 19 Illinois (4-2), the Lady Raiders advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. The Lady Raiders wrote their names into the record books once again with the second-straight trip to the NCAA Elite Eight after taking down No. 6 Texas (4-1) in the Round of 16. However, the Lady Raiders season came to an end there as they fell to No. 3 Duke.
NATIONAL RANKS
Texas Tech was ranked inside the ITA’s Top 20 for the entire season in 2016, a program first. The Lady Raiders were ranked as high as No. 5 on March 1 during a program-best five consecutive weeks among the ITA’s Top 10. Tech registered a program-high No. 15 ITA final ranking and returned to the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to No. 1 seed California. The Lady Raiders dismissed Boston University and No. 21 Mississippi State at home during the 2016 NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds.
Texas Tech dialed up eight wins over opponents from its fellow Power Five conferences in 2016 which include the ACC (No. 11 Miami), Big 10 (No. 36 Northwestern, No. 58 Illinois, Wisconsin), Pac-12 (No. 33 Washington, No. 60 Oregon) and SEC (No. 13 Alabama, No. 21 Mississippi State).
The Lady Raiders qualified for the ITA National Indoor Championships for the first time in 2016, while Lynn Kiro and Valenstein claimed the ITA Texas Regionals doubles crown and the program’s first trip to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships in November 2015.
SUCCESS AT HOME
The McLeod Tennis Center has become one of the nation’s toughest home courts. Prior to Petty’s arrival, Texas Tech was 39-39 at home. The Lady Raiders have racked up a 97-16 home record during the last 10 seasons and emerged with wins in 85 of their 93 home matches since 2011.
ACADEMIC POWERHOUSE
Petty’s student-athletes have been just as impressive in the classroom. The Lady Raiders have produced 49 All-Big 12 Academic and 32 ITA Scholar-Athlete selections. Texas Tech has been listed as an ITA All-Academic Team in eight of the last 10 seasons, and the Lady Raiders have consistently been among the athletic department’s best NCAA APR program.
RECRUITING PROWESS
Petty has elevated Tech’s recruiting efforts where he has signed nine five-star recruits and a pair of blue chip recruits. He has come away with four Top 20 recruiting classes fueled by three straight in 2013 (No. 16), 2014 (No. 14) and 2015 (No. 19).
Besides bringing in top American talent, Petty also has been able to successfully grow Texas Tech’s brand internationally. He has landed two Top 100 players and six of his nine international recruits have been ranked inside the Top 500 in the world. The nine international recruits have hailed from eight countries on five continents.
LEADING THE LADY RAIDERS
The Lady Raiders set the bar higher after setting another program record with 27 victories during yet another historic season in 2017. Tech captured the Big 12 regular season title with an 8-1 record and defeating No. 7 Oklahoma State in Lubbock. The Lady Raiders went on to beat the Cowgirls in the championship match of the Big 12 tournament to capture the program’s first tournament title.
The Lady Raiders picked up two wins over Quinnipiac (4-0) and No. 44 Denver (4-2) to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third straight year. Tech captured a 4-2 victory over No. 11 Auburn, who they fell to earlier in the season, to punch the program’s first ticket to the NCAA Elite Eight. However, the Lady Raiders season would end there as they fell to No. 2 Ohio State.
Texas Tech stayed ranked inside the ITA’s Top 15 the entire 2017 season. The Lady Raiders were ranked as high as No. 5 on Feb. 21 after defeating No. 3 Pepperdine, the highest ranked opponent in school history. Tech finished the year at No. 7, the highest final ranking for the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Raiders fired out to a 17-2 start and amassed a program-record 25 victories during a historic 2016 season. It marked the first time in program history that Texas Tech has piled up 20-plus wins in back-to-back seasons. The Lady Raiders finished tied for second place in the Big 12 standings and avenged regular season losses to No. 24 Texas and No. 35 TCU to appear in the program’s second straight championship match at the Big 12 Tournament.
The Lady Raiders began their accent up the Big 12 standings during Petty’s third season in 2011 when Texas Tech finished with an 18-8 record and 7-4 mark in Big 12 action. At the time, the 18 wins were the most for Tech since the 1987 season which enabled Petty to tuck away Big 12 Coach of the Year accolades. After finishing tied for fourth in the Big 12 standings, the Lady Raiders collected a then-school record No. 48 ITA final ranking but narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament field. Texas Tech logged four wins over ranked opponents and snapped a 38-match losing streak to Texas with a 4-3 triumph over No. 23 Longhorns on April 1.
The Lady Raiders took the next step and weren't to be denied of the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid in 2012. Texas Tech won seven of its first eight matches en route to a 19-6 record and jumped to No. 32 in the ITA rankings after an upset of No. 23 Ole Miss. Then, the Lady Raiders took down No. 12 Baylor by a 4-3 margin on March 1 to set the stage for the program’s first Big 12 regular season title. Tech ended Baylor’s streak of seven straight seasons with a share of the Big 12 crown and finished with an 8-1 Big 12 mark. Once again, Petty was named Big 12 Coach of the Year. Another key victory for the Lady Raiders was a 4-3 road triumph at No. 20 Texas A&M on April 13. Texas Tech traveled to Coral Gables, Fla. for the NCAA Tournament but were handed a 4-3 loss by No. 37 Utah in the first round. The Lady Raiders capped the season with a then program-high No. 22 ITA final ranking
Texas Tech served up a remarkable encore performance and reached the 20-win plateau for the second time in program history during the 2013 season. Petty’s squad handled the high expectations well after being ranked No. 21 in the ITA preseason. The Lady Raiders rattled off a nine-match winning streak ignited by five victories over ITA Top 50 opponents from March 17 to April 19. Tech reached as high as No. 15 in the ITA rankings and garnered its second straight 8-1 Big 12 finish claim a share of another conference championship. The Lady Raiders were rewarded with the program’s first host site for the NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds. Texas Tech swept College of Charleston for the program’s first NCAA victory before falling 4-3 to No. 15 Duke in the Round of 32. The Lady Raiders ended the season with then season’s best No. 18 ITA final ranking.
Texas Tech posted a solid 17-9 record and tallied another Big 12 Top 3 regular season finish with a 6-3 mark in 2014. The Lady Raiders recorded 10 victories over ranked opponents aided by road wins over No. 17 Oklahoma and No. 25 Nebraska. Tech made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance but dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 35 Ole Miss during the opening round.
The Lady Raiders put forth an impressive showing with 15 of their then program single-season record 21 victories versus ranked opponents in 2015. Texas Tech knocked off No. 11 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Baylor on back-to-back weekends, the first time the program captured consecutive wins over Top 15 opponents. The Lady Raiders secured a tie for second-place in the Big 12 standings and defeated No. 11 Oklahoma State for a second time to make the program’s first Big 12 Tournament title match. Tech broke through to its first NCAA Sweet 16 courtesy of NCAA Tournament home wins over New Mexico State and No. 22 LSU. The Lady Raiders fell to No. 1 Southern Cal but finished the 2015 campaign with a then program-record No. 16 ITA final ranking.
Petty took over the reigns of the Texas Tech program in April 2009 after he served as interim coach. The Lady Raiders turned in a 10-14 record and picked up a seventh-place finish in the Big 12. Tech checked in with a No. 73 ITA final ranking sparked by the program’s first Top 25 win with a 4-3 decision over No. 21 TCU on Feb. 26. Texas Tech improved to 11-12 and moved up to sixth place in 2010.
Petty came to Lubbock from a successful head coaching stint at Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas. He mentored several student-athletes to state tournament qualifying berths highlighted by three picks in 2003 and the state’s 4A singles champion in 2006. Petty’s teams came away with a trio of Top 5 state finishes from 2004-06, while the 2006 squad notched a third-place finish.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Petty was an All-Southland Conference performer at UTSA as a player in 1999 and 2000. He transferred to Midwestern State where he 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.
Petty graduated cum laude from Midwestern State in 2002 with a political science degree. He and his wife, Angie, have two sons: Colt and Cruz.
The Todd Petty File
Hometown: San Angelo, Texas
Alma Mater (Year): Midwestern State (2002)
Twitter: @ToddPetty1
NCAA Tournament Appearances (Seasons): 8 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
NCAA Sweet 16 Appearances (Seasons): 4 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
NCAA Elite Eight Appearances (Seasons): 2 (2017, 2018)
Big 12 Regular Season Championships (Seasons): 3 (2012, 2013, 2017)
Big 12 Tournament Championships (Seasons): 1 (2017)
Petty’s Coaching Awards
2011, 2012, 2017 Big 12 Coach of the Year
2012, 2016, 2017 Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year
Highlights vs. Boston U (NCAA First Round)
Friday, May 02
Postmatch Press Conference - NCAA First Round
Friday, May 02
Tennis Educational Video
Thursday, May 01
Tic-Tac-Toe Serving Game
Thursday, May 01
