Sports Notebook: April 16-25

Transfer portal reinforcements arrive for basketball teams

By Andersen Pickard     4/25/25 3:11pm

Rice men’s and women’s basketball programs each secured several transfer portal commitments last week. 

The men’s first addition of the offseason came Thursday when redshirt junior center Stephen Giwa announced on Instagram that he was transferring from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to Rice. Giwa averaged 20.9 minutes, 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds through 27 games this past season. 

Two days later, the men’s team secured another major commitment from Prairie View A&M University junior guard Nick Anderson, who also announced his decision via Instagram. Anderson started all 12 games he played this past season, averaging 31.6 minutes, 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists. During his Dec. 22 game against Rice, he posted season-highs in free throws made (six) and rebounds (10). 

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Additionally, head coach Rob Lanier’s program received a commitment Tuesday from Mount St. Mary's University sophomore guard Dallas Hobbs. He made 26 starts through 30 games last season, averaging 12.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He hit a buzzer-beater shot to increase the Mountaineers’ lead during their NCAA tournament game March 19. 

The women’s team made its first additions since being defeated in the American Athletic Conference championship March 12. Head coach Lindsay Edmonds announced the signings — both transfers from the Atlantic Coast Conference — in a press release April 18.

Sophomore guard Louann Battiston joins the program from Duke University, where she averaged just 3.4 minutes throughout 12 games this past season. Battiston previously played on the Belgium U20 Women’s National Team.

Rice also signed freshman center Myah Hazelton from Virginia Tech University. She appeared in eight games off the bench last season, scoring six points and grabbing three boards over 354 minutes. Prior to committing to Virginia Tech in 2022, Hazelton had offers from schools such as Boston College, Harvard University, the University of Mississippi, Syracuse University and the University of Virginia.

Football lands major QB commitment

Rice football added a significant playmaker Friday as quarterback Aiden Smalls committed to the Owls, according to an Instagram post.

Smalls completed 130 of 214 passes for 1,948 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions at Clayton High School in Clayton, N.C., last season. He also rushed 150 times for 1,006 yards and an additional 12 touchdowns on the ground. 

Many recruiting databases list Smalls at the “athlete” position, highlighting his versatility on the field. He has played wide receiver before, too, but Rice views him as a quarterback. 

Smalls had previously been linked to North Carolina State University, which offered him an athletic scholarship to play quarterback. He also received offers from other Atlantic Coast Conference programs such as Duke University, Boston College and Virginia Tech University.

A member of the 2026 recruiting class, Smalls runs a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, according to his X bio. He was the 2024 Greater Neuse River Conference Offensive Player of the Year and has been designated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com. 

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