I have often heard it said that Rice is not a “sports school.” Supposedly, Rice is a place where students value academics while the athletic program operates in the background, quietly raising money for the school while students toil away in Fondren.
The Rice baseball team has won its conference championship every year since 1996. Over the weekend, the Owls began their quest to continue this streak when they traveled to San Antonio to play a three-game series against the University of Texas, San Antonio.
It is easy for Rice varsity athletic teams to gain campus-wide recognition for their achievements.
Two weekends from now, Houston will host the biggest college basketball event of the year: the Final Four.
Junior pitcher Jon Duplantier never considered himself a baseball player until midway through high school. Now, just five years later, he is one of the best college baseball players in the country and is projected to be a top-100 pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft.
Last Wednesday, both of the Rice basketball teams were in action fighting to keep their seasons alive in the Conference USA tournament in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Rice men’s and women’s track and cross country teams along with the women’s soccer team have seen recent increases in conference success.
The Rice baseball team entered the season with the hopes of reaching the College World Series. With a strong pitching rotation including All-American senior Blake Fox and a lineup featuring returning stars such as junior outfielders Charlie Warren and Dayne Wunderlich, the Owls appeared poised for a great season.
If you’re reading this it’s too late: You are already invested in Rice sports, and there is no need for me to convince you that they are worth your time.
After a dominating victory over Florida International University on Saturday afternoon, Rice head coach Mike Rhoades marched off the court and waved a gracious “Thank you” to the student section like he does after every home game this year.
Back in 1986, Baseball Digest Magazine published an article explaining how to play the game of baseball “the right way” or in a manner that preserved and respected the great history of what has become known as “America’s Pastime.” Titled “The Book of Unwritten Baseball Rules,” the article covered rules that would not be found in an MLB or NCAA rule book but rather those that are generally known or, in some cases, not even spoken of.
What’s the only thing better than 20 consecutive conference championships? 21. This season, the Rice University baseball team will look to earn its 21st successive Conference USA title.
As we approach the end of the basketball season, there is little interest surrounding both the men’s and women’s teams.
This past week I was tasked with writing the 2016 Rice Owls baseball season preview for the Thresher.
One particular trait resides inherently within each and every person regardless of who they are, where they come from or what they have been through.
Recruiting students is not a problem for Rice University. Rice is one of the top academic institutions in the nation and boasts some of the best resources and facilities of any school in the country.
The Rice University football team added 18 players to its program, with athletes from around Texas signing their National Letters of Intent on Feb.
Despite an up-and-down year, scoring has been one thing the Rice University men’s basketball team has done consistently throughout this season. Yet again, on Saturday night, the Owls showcased their offensive firepower. Freshman guard Marcus Evans starred as the Rice University men’s basketball team won a shootout against the University of North Texas Saturday night at Tudor Fieldhouse by a score of 95-87. Evans, the leading freshman scorer in the country, poured in 25 points to lead the Owls to their seventh victory and earn his fifth Conference USA Freshman of the Week award. According to Evans, the Owls’ offensive success was a product of their confidence.
Last Tuesday, the Rice Owls baseball team and I took a trip to Shriners Hospital for Children located just down Main Street. If you read the first sentence again you will realize that I purposefully separated myself from the remainder of the team. It is “the Rice Owls baseball team” and then there is “I.” This mentality has been instilled in me and will probably never leave me; growing up with cerebral palsy, there was always just me. I had no team because I was different, I was the outcast who was picked last, the one who could never contribute worth a darn. That was until I came to Rice University.
Rice has recently demonstrated a commitment to increasing its athletic fan base. Specifically, they’ve been focusing on increasing student support and turnout at games, and I commend them for that.
