Whitaker begins new role as Texas Tech coach

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Candi Whitaker’s favorite spot on campus while attending Texas Tech was in the basketball arena.

Whitaker was introduced as the new women’s coach on Wednesday, nearly 11 years after her final game as a Lady Raider. She succeeds Kristy Curry, who took the job at Alabama this month.

As the starting point guard from 2000-2002, Whitaker twice helped lead the Lady Raiders reach the NCAA round of 16.

Whitaker was an associate coach at Oklahoma State last season. She was an assistant coach at Valparaiso and Missouri-Kansas City.

She took over as head coach of the UMKC program in 2007.

Whitaker’s return marks the second time in the past six months the school has hired a former athlete as a coach. In December, Kliff Kingsbury became Texas Tech’s football coach.