 "Photo: Kerry Lentz")
Tech volleyball coach Nancy Todd stepped down as head coach Monday, two days after the completion of the worst season in the program's history.
Tech finished the season Saturday with a loss to No. 16 Kansas State to bring its record to 5-26, 0-20 in Big 12 Conference play. The loss extended the Red Raiders' Big 12 losing streak to 39 matches.
"I have enjoyed my time while at Texas Tech and the relationships I have built," Todd said, according to a press release. "I feel my family needs to become my priority at this time in my life. I thank Texas Tech and Gerald Myers for the opportunity and wish the team the best of luck."
Tech lost 11 of its last 14 matches in straight sets which brought the total to 16 0-3 losses.
The Red Raiders lose three seniors from this year's team in middle blocker Brandi Hood and outside hitters Michelle Flores and Amanda Sbragia.
Returning are 12 players for the 2009 season. One of those players is middle blocker Amanda Dowdy, who was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team Monday. She led the Red Raiders with 301 kills, 66 total blocks and a .286 hitting percentage.
Myers, Tech's athletics director, said Todd informed the athletics department prior to the announcement that she would step down at season's end.
"Nancy (told) us privately about a month ago that she was going to be stepping down as the coach to spend more time with her family and to pursue other interests," he said. "So, we've known that for a few weeks that she's going to be stepping down. She didn't wanna announce it until the season was over."
Myers said the team's performance was not discussed leading up to the resignation.
Todd was 56-126 in her six years at Tech, including a 17-93 record in Big 12 play.
A preliminary search for coaching candidates was conducted privately after Todd informed the athletics department she would resign at the end of this season, Myers said.
"We've started the search," he said. "We're looking at some candidates and we'll have some candidates in for a visit eventually, and hopefully we will find a really good coach to come in and take over our volleyball program. I'm confident that we will find a good coach for our team - for our girls."
The search will not include any current assistant coaches, Myers said.
"We're gonna go outside for the head coach," he said. "We're gonna get a coach with a proven record with head coaching experience."
Myers said there is no timetable for the naming of a new coach, but he expects the decision to be made in the near future.
"I don't anticipate anything within the week," he said, "but I think it will be within the next two or three weeks."
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