Texas Tech University Athletics
Gerald Myers to be honored Friday with the Heritage Award
November 04, 2025 | General
Texas Tech Director of Athletics Emeritus will be recognized during the Hall of Fame Ceremony on Friday
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Director of Athletics Emeritus Gerald Myers will be honored Friday during the Texas Tech Hall of Fame Ceremony with the prestigious Heritage Award. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening inside the banquet center of the YWCA.
Since its creation in 2005, the Heritage Award has been considered one of the highest honors a former letterwinner can receive. It is designated to honor a former letterwinner who has been exemplary in their chosen field, while displaying qualities of sportsmanship, character and integrity, all traits that resonate with Myers, who served Texas Tech as a student-athlete, then head men's basketball coach and finally as Director of Athletics.
Myers has dedicated most of his adult life to Texas Tech as he was a basketball student-athlete in the 1950s, a basketball coach in the `70s, `80s and `90s, and an administrator in the new millennium. He has spent more than 50 years at Texas Tech and continues to actively serve the university as Director of Athletics Emeritus.
During his tenure as Director of Athletics from 1996-2011, Myers oversaw tremendous growth in the department, increasing the annual budget from $12 million in 1996 to $50 million in 2010. Texas Tech's increase in revenue allowed the university to boast some of the best facilities in the country as the Red Raiders transitioned from the Southwest Conference to their new home in the Big 12.
United Supermarkets Arena and the Marsha Sharp Center for Student-Athletes were both built during Myers' tenure, while significant upgrades were made to Jones AT&T Stadium, raising the capacity to over 60,000 seats with the addition of club and luxury suites on both the east and west sides of the stadium.
Myers' success at Texas Tech resulted in national recognition and responsibilities as well. He served as a member of the NCAA men's basketball selection committee, as president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, on the NCAA golf committee and on the NCAA men's basketball rules committee.
Myers was also a recipient of the Gen. Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletic Director Award by the All-American Football Foundation and the Metropolitan Award by the NABC for his contributions to college basketball.
Prior his success in athletics administration, Myers spent 20 years leading the Red Raider basketball program where he remains the winningest coach in school history. After taking over midway through the 1970-71 season, Myers posted a 326-261 record and led the Red Raiders to 16 winning records, two conference championships and four NCAA Tournament berths during his tenure.
Myers also earned three letters as a member of the Texas Tech basketball team from 1956-59. His 86.9 free throw percentage in 1957-58 is still second in the all-time Texas Tech career record book. He earned his degree in education from Texas Tech in 1959 and a master's degree from the university in 1965. Myers is already a member of the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor, the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame and the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame.
The Texas Tech Hall of Fame will officially welcome eight new members Friday night in record-setting quarterback B.J. Symons, national champion high jumper JaCorian Duffield and Olympic gold medalist Janine Beckie. Symons will be joined as part of the 2025 class by former teammates Aaron Hunt and Ryan Aycock, who starred on the defensive side of the ball during the early stages of Mike Leach's tenure as head coach. The 2025 class also includes All-American golfer Gabriella Dominguez, Big 12 champion sprinter Cierra White and baseball All-American outfielder Matt Kastelic.
Texas Tech will honor each member of the 2025 class as well as Myers at halftime Saturday when the Red Raiders host BYU inside Jones AT&T Stadium.
