The Texas Tech women’s tennis team collected a trio of Wilson/ITA Texas Region awards announced Monday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
 
Todd Petty and Ric Mortera picked up Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year honors, while Alex Valenstein secured the program’s third ITA Texas Region Rookie of the Year award.
 
Petty and Mortera have already guided the Lady Raiders to a program single season record 23 wins. Texas Tech has been ranked inside the ITA’s Top 20 for the entire season, a first in program history. The Lady Raiders also notched a runner-up finish at the Big 12 Tournament and the No. 16 national seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. It marks the second time that Petty has won ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year while at Texas Tech. He was the 2012 recipient.
 
Valenstein joins Samantha Adams (2011) and Sarah Dvorak (2015) as Tech’s ITA Texas Region Rookie of the Year recipients. She has dialed up a 14-5 dual match record and won nine of her 12 decisions at the No. 3 singles position. Valenstein ripped off a season’s best eight-match winning streak from Feb. 22 to April 8. She tallied five match-clinching points which was tied for second on the team fueled by the quartet of NCAA Tournament teams in then No. 13 Alabama (Feb. 7), No. 33 Washington (Feb. 22), No. 36 Northwestern (March 25) and No. 35 TCU (May 1).
 
Texas Tech will take on Boston University during Friday’s opening round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. First serve is set for 5 p.m. CT from the McLeod Tennis Center. Fans can purchase tickets for $5 (adults) and $3 (youth – 12 and under). Mississippi State and Virginia Tech will begin the four-team regional with a 2 p.m. CT first serve on Friday. The two winners will battle Saturday at 4 p.m. CT with the advancing team securing their spot in the NCAA Round of 16 in Tulsa on Thursday, May 19.
 
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the women’s tennis program. Fans also can follow the program and live match updates on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/TechWomensTennis and @TexasTechTennis on Twitter.
 
2016 NCAA Lubbock Regional
Friday, May 13 – First Round
Match 1: Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech – 2 p.m. CT
Match 2: No. 16 Texas Tech vs. Boston University – 5 p.m. CT
 
Saturday, May 14 – Second Round
Match 3: Match 1 winner vs. Match 2 winner – 4 p.m. CT
 
(Press Release Provided by Texas Tech Athletics)