1993 National Champions inducted into Ring of Honor

LUBBOCK, Texas – Thirty-two years ago, history was made. Texas Tech earned its first ever national championship in any sport. That team who brought home the hardware was the 1993 Lady Raiders, etching their names in the history books with the 84-82 win over Ohio State on April 4, 1993.

This historic team will be permanently immortalized in the Texas Tech Basketball Ring of Honor, with the induction and celebration taking place at United Supermarkets Arena during the Lady Raiders' game against Arkansas on Nov. 16.

"Our 1993 women's basketball national championship team forever changed the trajectory of Texas Tech Athletics," Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. "Their historic achievement brought national recognition to our university and inspired generations of Red Raiders. To induct them in the Ring of Honor is a celebration of their championship season and also a lasting tribute to the legacy they built."

The Texas Tech Basketball Ring of Honor consists of an elite group of players and coaches that have made outstanding contributions to Texas Tech Basketball. Legendary head coach, Marsha Sharp, as well as Sheryl Swoopes also find themselves in the Ring of Honor, but now the entire 1993 team, who put Lady Raider Basketball on the map, will forever be enshrined at United Supermarkets Arena.

The 1993 team consisted of #3 Kim Pruitt, #13 Diana Kersey, #15 Nikki Heath, #20 Stephanie Scott, #21 Krista Kirkland, #22 Sheryl Swoopes, #23 Noel Johnson, #24 Janice Farris, #30 Michelle Thomas, #33 Patrice Conwright, #34 Cynthia Clinger, #50 Melinda White and #55 Michi Atkins. They were led by Sharp, assistant coaches Linden Weese and Roger Reding, graduate assistant Terri White, athletic trainer Natalie Steadman and manager Lance White.

It's hard to find a more dominant team than the '93 Lady Raiders. In the 1992-93 season, they went 31-3 and 13-1 in the Southwest Conference, earning a regular season and conference tournament title sweep. In the NCAA Tournament, Tech took down Washington in the second round by a 70-64 score. Then, the Lady Raiders defeated Southern California, 87-67, in the third round before beating Colorado, 79-54, in the quarterfinals. The Lady Raiders once again dominated their opponent in the Final Four, this time during the semifinals with a 60-46 victory over Vanderbilt. Against Ohio State in the finals, Tech outlasted the Buckeyes by an 84-82 score to bring home the school's first ever national championship.

To this day, the 1993 team holds 10 Texas Tech women's basketball records, including the most points per game average in a single season (86.0), the largest average margin of victory (23.0) and Swoopes' five program records – most points in a season (955), most points per game (28.0), most field goals made (356), most field goal attempts (652) and most free throws made (211). In addition, Farris still ranks second all-time in field goal percentage (.617), Scott ranks fifth all-time in three-point percentage (.448), and Kirkland ranks eighth in both 3-pointers made (71) and in assists (181).

There are so many memories that come to mind when thinking about the '93 team – from the first regular-season win over Texas in Austin, to cutting down the nets in Atlanta or to the image of the Lady Raiders returning home to 40,000-plus fans waiting at Jones AT&T Stadium to congratulate them. The list is highlighted by Swoopes, who went on to be the face of women's basketball for years to come after her NCAA record 47-point performance in the national championship game.

Additional details regarding Texas Tech's Ring of Honor celebration for the 1993 team will be announced in the weeks leading up to the season.

1993 National Champions inducted into Ring of Honor

Related Videos