Spirit | Sisterhood | Tradition | Leadership | Service
High Riders is a women's Spirit Student Organization dedicated to promoting and supporting Texas Tech women's athletics by upholding the principles of Service, Spirit, Leadership, Tradition and Sisterhood. We attend women's basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer, and tennis.
OUR STORY
The history of High Riders is not unique in beginning in that all endeavors must first begin with an idea. The uniqueness of High Riders lies in the idea itself. High Riders represents the desire for college women to serve the students and athletes at Texas Tech with the help and the guidance of God. This relationship with God is a vital and inspirational aspect of the organization that will remain as longs as High Riders continues to function within its guidelines.
Nancy Neill (Hughes), High Riders’ first president, attended some Saddle Tramp smokers as a hostess in the fall of 1975, and questioned why there was no women’s organization to support Texas Tech women’s athletes. Nancy researched and discovered there had been several attempts to start a women’s organization, but they had failed due to lack of organization. She became excited about the idea of starting a new organization, but this time she was determined to learn from the mistakes of other attempts.
Nancy sought the aid of a friend, Lyn Morris (Travis), who became High Riders’ first pledge trainer. They began tossing ideas back and forth, talking to other students, and especially praying. They were inspired by a strong interest shown among the women students at Texas Tech. The two founders realized the need for more help in organizing High Riders and sought the aid of a friend, Kathy Pate (Scott), who became High Riders’ first Vice President. Addition two sponsors were chosen: Joyce Arterburn, of the P.E. Department, and Dr. B.J. Marshall, of the physics department.
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Though the three founders had similar beliefs and ambitions, each had some unique abilities to offer to the founding of High Riders. Nancy offered strong leadership and the ability to organize. Lyn had the ability to foresee a future with confidence and to take High Rider ideas and bring them into reality. Kathy was very practical and had the ability to deal with contingencies. Together they formed a strong bond of hard work, dedication, and faith.
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On February 2, 1976, the University accepted High Riders as an official campus organization.