The first seven seasons of Texas Tech Lady Raider basketball led to seven mediocre seasons under three different head coaches. Prior to the 1982-1983 season the Lady Raiders made a coaching change that would forever change the culture of women’s basketball at Tech. A future Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach, Marsha Sharp, was promoted from an assistant coach position to the head coach position.
Success came fast and it came often for the Lady Raiders during Coach Sharp's tenure at Texas Tech. In just her second year as head coach she led the Lady Raiders to the first NCAA Tournament berth in the program’s history, a feat that would be accomplished 17 times under reign.