Sports

Scott Abell named football head coach

Rice football has hired Scott Abell as the program’s 20th head coach, according to an announcement from director of athletics Tommy McClelland, who led a national search to fill the position. 

12-04-2024 Owl-American

12-04-2024 Score updates & what’s next

Scores from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3

Dust settles on football’s 2024 season

Rice football concluded its 2024 season Nov. 30 with a 35-28 victory over the University of South Florida, treating home fans to one final win. The Owls finished the season at 4-8 overall (3-5 AAC), failing to win any of their six road games.

Athletics revs up Porsche collaboration

Porsche, the luxury sports car brand, has made appearances in Rice football and women’s basketball social media posts, home football games and even on the court in Tudor Fieldhouse. These promotions are due to a recent partnership between Rice Athletics and Porsche River Oaks, located on Southwest Freeway and Greenbriar. 

Owls prepare for midseason meet with championship mindset

As the swim team reaches the midpoint of their season, the Owls are focused on refining their approach, embracing a culture of accountability and pushing themselves to excel at the AAC Championships and NCAA competitions, according to senior swimmer Arielle Hayon. 

11-20-2024 Owl-American

11-20-2024 Score updates & what’s next

Scores from Nov. 13 to 19

Booster offers $10,000 to break attendance record

On the second day of the 2025 spring semester, Jan. 14, Rice men’s basketball will play their first home game of the semester against the University of Texas at San Antonio. As with most athletics events, there will be prizes given out to entice student attendance, but this time around it is a little different. 

New basketball props amplify student energy

As the basketball season begins, fans may find the student section filled with new chants, signs and a larger-than-life foam cutout of Shrek’s face. Megan Vila, assistant director of marketing for Rice Athletics, has developed new props to raise school spirit and increase the energy at games, she said. 

Sports Mini #5

Intellectual brutality renewed: How Rice can still achieve bowl eligibility

Rice football lost another American Athletic Conference matchup last Friday, falling to the University of Memphis on the road, 27-20. The Owls’ defeat dropped them to 3-7 on the year, and with two games left, the best they can finish is 5-7.

11-13-2024 Owl-American

11-13-2024 Score updates & what’s next

Scores from Nov. 6 to 12

Meet the Powderpuff playoff contenders

As the Powderpuff regular season comes to a close, six colleges vie for the coveted championship scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 23. With the most players of any intramural sport, Powderpuff is not taken lightly. Each team practices weekly, coached by members of the Rice community, to prepare for weekend games. Representatives from each team shared their regular season highlights and memories in preparation for the postseason.

Intellectual brutality renewed: How Rice can still achieve bowl eligibility

Rice football lost another American Athletic Conference matchup last Friday, falling to the University of Memphis on the road, 27-20. The Owls’ defeat dropped them to 3-7 on the year, and with two games left, the best they can finish is 5-7.

Worth the wait: Rice football drowns Navy in rain-soaked victory

During a normal Rice football game, junior quarterback E.J. Warner doesn’t usually tell jokes from the locker room while the offense is in the red zone. Interim head coach Pete Alamar doesn’t usually spend an hour waiting for his clothes to dry while preparing for a five-yard touchdown run. The support staff doesn’t usually sprint to the Rice Stadium Chick-fil-A stand to buy out their entire supply of sandwiches. 

11-6-2024 "Owl-American"

Nine hours in the press box with assistant sports editor

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sit in the Rice Stadium press box for nine hours, drinking Diet Coke and watching raindrops slowly slide down the windows? Let’s revisit the commotion of Rice’s weather-delayed win over Navy on Saturday from the perspective of assistant sports editor Andersen Pickard.    

Women’s cross country achieves breakthrough third-place finish

The Rice women’s cross country team has made significant strides this season, improving from a sixth-place finish at the 2023 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship to third place this past weekend. Women’s cross country head coach Jim Bevan said he attributes the success to the dedication of returning athletes and new talent.