Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916

Friday, March 29, 2024 — Houston, TX

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The Final Kauntdown: 2003 National champions a tough act to follow

(04/19/16 5:50am)

The flag in left field flies every night; its end beginning to fray. The words on its bright white background — “2003 National Champions” — commemorate the greatest achievement in the history of Rice Athletics. Although great athletes, legendary coaches and successful teams have passed through Rice University, the 2003 baseball team remains the only team to have ever won a national title.


Tennis enters C-USA tournament as no. 1 seed

(04/19/16 5:48am)

The Rice men’s tennis team began the season ranked No. 58 in the country. Over the course of their winningest season in 12 years, however, the Owls have moved all the way up to No. 26 and entered the Conference USA tournament as the top seed. This weekend, Rice will host the conference championships with a chance to claim their first Conference USA title since 2010. According to head coach Efe Ustundag, the team has received improved contributions from each of its players.


The Final Kauntdown: Baseball team has improved in all phases of the game

(04/12/16 3:26am)

At the beginning of the season, the Rice baseball team looked like it was destined for an unspectacular year. After losing all three games at the Shriners College Classic, the Owls’ record was 3-5. Five games later, they remained just 6-7 after a series-opening loss to East Carolina University. Now, however, Rice is ranked No. 19 in the country by Baseball America and holds a 20-11 record after going 14-4 in their last 18 games.


Lang wins C-USA Spirit of Service Award

(04/12/16 3:16am)

Women’s basketball senior forward Alyssa Lang logged heavy minutes for the Owls this season, playing 26 minutes per game and averaging 5.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. What she did off the court, though, was arguably more impressive. Throughout her time at Rice, Lang has been heavily involved in different philanthropic endeavours. Last week, Lang was honored with the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award for her work with numerous nonprofit organizations. According to Lang, the award was a surprise.



NCAA President Mark Emmert discusses state of college athletics

(04/06/16 2:01am)

The Final Four has attracted all kinds of celebrities, public figures and fans to Houston this weekend. For most, it is a time to sit back and enjoy watching basketball. For NCAA President Mark Emmert, however, the tournament is his job. On Friday, Emmert stopped by Rice University to speak with President David Leebron about his role as NCAA president.




The Final Kauntdown: From John to Wayne

(03/22/16 11:44pm)

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. For many, this may be true. Most students do not attend athletic events, visit the athletic department website or read this section of the Thresher. But to think the athletic program insignificant is to ignore its history, tradition and current prowess.


Baseball opens conference play with series win

(03/22/16 11:43pm)

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. Rice won two of the three games to bring its record to 10-9 on the season and 2-1 in Conference USA.




The Final Kauntdown: Difficult start to the baseball season is no reason to panic

(03/08/16 3:37am)

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. Instead, through 12 games, Rice’s record stands at a mediocre 6-6.


The Final Kauntdown: If you're reading this it's too late

(02/23/16 4:24am)

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. You have deemed that this column is worth your time. Well, maybe you’re reading this because you saw the first line and thought I was writing about Drake. Sorry about that. I’m not.


The Final Kauntdown: Men's and women's basketball face long rebuilding processes

(02/16/16 5:25pm)

As we approach the end of the basketball season, there is little interest surrounding both the men’s and women’s teams. While either team could string a few wins together in the Conference USA tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament, this is highly unlikely considering their struggles this season. Men’s basketball sits in 12th place in Conference USA with a record of 9-16 (4-8 in C-USA). Women’s basketball’s plight is similar as the team currently holds tenth place in Conference USA with a record of 5-18 (4-8 in C-USA). No amount of Shia LaBeouf emails can put a positive spin on this lackluster season.


The Final Kauntdown: NCAA has power imbalance

(02/09/16 3:20am)

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. Recruiting student-athletes, however, has not been as easy. This year, according to Rivals.com, Rice ranks outside the top 100 football recruiting classes of 2016 after national signing day. It is the second straight year Rice has not been ranked on the list.



Basketball breaks losing streak

(02/03/16 3:18am)

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.


Women's basketball continues four-game losing streak

(01/26/16 5:07am)

Rice women’s basketball continued its losing streak this week with its third and fourth consecutive conference losses. The Owls fell to the University of Alabama Birmingham (64-55) and Middle Tennessee State University (61-60). In their past four games, the Owls have started slowly–at halftime, Rice trailed against Western Kentucky University (27-19), Marshall University (42-24), UAB (32-21) and Middle Tennessee (30-26).