The 2019-20 season for Louisiana Tech Athletics was memorable, to say the least. It was a season full of reasons to be proud. Review the year that was with us:
LA Tech Athletics
- Unveiled the renderings in November for the new baseball, softball, and soccer facilities which are scheduled to be completed by February of 2021.
- Construction began in March on the new baseball, softball, and soccer facilities.
- Brianna Hood (Women’s XC) and Ma’Asa Gay (Womens T&F) earned the C-USA Spirit of Service Awards.
- Kaylee Zettler (soccer), Brianna Hood (XC), Conner Killian (XC), and Mubarak Muhammed (MBB) were named to the C-USA All-Academic Teams.
- 199 student-athletes earned a spot on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
- 44 student-athletes named C-USA Academic Medalists.
- LA Tech Athletics enshrined the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 during an October ceremony, including Chelsea Hayes (track and field), Eddie Holman (baseball), Ryan Moats (football), Joe Raymond Peace (football), J.W. Slack (football), Lori Scott (women’s basketball), Amberly Waits (softball) and Randy White (men’s basketball).
- Former Lady Techster player and coach Kim Mulkey was announced as part of the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class.
- Phil Robertson (outdoorsman) and Angela Turner (women’s basketball) were announced as part of the 2020 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class.
- Bowling and women’s cross country were both honored by the NCAA for their multiyear Academic Progress Rates (top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sport).
Men’s Basketball
- Posted a 22-8 overall record, marking the seventh time in the last eight seasons with 20+ victories.
- The 22 wins was the most of any other Conference USA and Louisiana Division I team.
- Went 15-1 at home for a second straight season, marking the fifth time in the last six seasons with 15+ home victories.
- Went 13-5 in conference play and finished in a tie for second in the league standings.
- Defeated Mississippi State in Starkville in non-conference action, putting an end to State’s SEC-leading 26-game non-conference home winning streak.
- Eric Konkol was named the C-USA Coach of the Year, Louisiana Coach of the Year by the LSWA, and became sixth head coach in program history to reach 100 career wins.
- Senior DaQuan Bracey was named First Team All-Conference USA, First Team NABC All-District, and First Team All-Louisiana.
- Junior Kalob Ledoux became the second player in program history to be selected as the Conference USA Sixth Man of the Year.
- Senior Derric Jean became the 42nd member of the 1,000 Point Club and was selected to the C-USA All-Defensive Team.
- Senior Mubarak Muhammed was named to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
- Was one of only eight teams in the country ranked in the top 40 in field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense.
Tennis
- Registered 10 dual victories despite the shortened spring season to mark the fourth time in the last five seasons with double-digit wins.
- Amanda Stone became the all-time winningest head coach in program history when she notched career victory No. 41.
- Ana Jover earned First Team All-Louisiana honors after leading the team in dual singles and doubles wins.
Soccer
- Recorded a 13-4-3 overall record, marking the fourth straight season with 13+ victories.
- Qualified for the Conference USA Tournament for a sixth straight year, one of only three programs to do so.
- Set a new program record with seven straight road victories.
- Defeated regular season champion Florida Atlantic 1-0 in overtime.
- Kevin Sherry was named LSWA Louisiana Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his coaching career at LA Tech.
- Autumn Woodard was named Louisiana Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference USA and broke single-season program records for most points (39) and goals (17).
- Kaylee Zettler was named to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
Women’s Basketball
- Raizel Guinto was named the Conference USA Co-6th Player of the Year by a vote of the league coaches.
- LA Tech pulled the upset in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament over UAB (12 seed defeating the 5 seed), marking the first time in 10 years that the 12 seed had defeated the 5 seed in the C-USA Tournament.
Softball
- Maria Winn was named the new head coach of the Lady Techsters in September, replacing Mark Montgomery, who was hired by Maryland.
- Lindsay Edwards was named the Preseason Conference USA Player of the Year by the league coaches.
- Marilyn Rizzato was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Team, one of only two C-USA players and two state of Louisiana players to earn the recognition.
Football
- Recorded a 10-3 overall record, the first 10-win season in the program since 1984.
- Went a perfect 6-0 at home, marking the first time a LA Tech football team posted a 6-0 record at The Joe since 1973.
- Put together an eight-game winning streak, the longest since 1999.
- Became only program in the nation to win six consecutive bowl games in the past six years with the win over the Miami Hurricanes in the 2019 Walk On’s Independence Bowl.
- The 14-0 victory against the Hurricanes was the first shutout in Independence Bowl history and the only shutout of the 2019 bowl season.
- Defensive back Amik Robertson earned First Team All-American honors from both the FWAA and PFF; the junior corner earned second team honors from the Associated Press and The Athletic.
- Defensive backs L’Jarius Sneed and Amik Robertson were taken with back-to-back picks in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
- Quarterback J’Mar Smith was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and finished his college career ranked in the top five in touchdowns and passing yardage at Tech.
- Running back Justin Henderson became the 13th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a single season with 1,062 yards.
- Placed 21 Bulldogs on C-USA’s postseason teams, including two first-team, six second- team, and two all-freshman selections
Volleyball
- Posted the program’s best record in 15 years in Amber McCray’s first season as head coach.
- Earned tournament titles at both the Sam Houston State Invitational and the LA Tech Invitational.
- Opened the season 11-3 and won their conference opener for the first time since 2011.
Bowling
- Registered a 64-34 record to finish the year ranked 11th in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Coaches Poll.
- Earned a tournament championship at the Jackson State Sonic Boom Invitational.
- Qualified for ITC Sectionals for the first time in school history.
- Freshman Allie Leiendecker earned NTCA Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-American honors.
- Honored by the NCAA for their multiyear Academic Progress Rates (top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sport).
Golf
- The Bulldogs opened the year by placing third in the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate and continued their strong play throughout the year, routinely outpacing teams ranked among the best in the nation.
- Mac Murphy earned Louisiana Sportswriters Association (LSWA) Newcomer of the Year honors and was named to the All-Louisiana First Team.
- Murphy also earned Conference USA Golfer of the Week honors after placing third in the Tiger Invitational, the ‘Dogs final tournament of the season.
Baseball
- Recorded an 11-6 overall record in their shortened season, including a perfect 5-0 mark at home.
- Went 5-1 against in-state schools, including an opening weekend sweep of ULL and Southeastern Louisiana.
- Tied program records for home runs in a game and runs in a series in a sweep of Maine at Ruston High School.
- Steele Netterville earned CoSIDA Academic All-District Honors for his performance on the field and in the classroom.
- Had two players – Jarret Whorff and Steele Netterville – earn Conference USA weekly honors.
Cross Country
- Conner Killian was the recipient of the Jimmy Collins Award from the Greater New Orleans Sports Awards Committee sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and presented to an outstanding individual who made an impact in their own special way.
- Brianna Hood earned the C-USA Spirit of Service Award for fall sports.
- Brianna Hood and Conner Killian were named to the C-USA All-Academic Teams.
- Women’s cross country was honored by the NCAA for their multiyear Academic Progress Rate (top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sport).
Track & Field (Outdoor and indoor)
- Outdoor season was cancelled.
- Denzel Harper qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the long jump.
- Ma’Asa Gay earned the C-USA Spirit of Service Award for winter sports.
- Denzel Harper, Maurice Moore, Tim Fitzgerald, and Johannon Murray earned Louisiana Sports Writer Association All-State honors.