Students concerned over Tudor seating
In a dramatic redistricting of Autry Court, the new student section at Tudor Fieldhouse has moved from the right courtside location to one behind the south baseline. This location, which was converted from a back gym, is out of sight of the main scoreboard, a frustration for many students who attended the first games at the fieldhouse on Saturday. Since the student section is located behind the main scoreboard, students can only see the auxiliary scoreboard, which does not display information like player statistics, Assistant Director of Athletics Chuck Pool said.
Wiess College junior Chris Fraser said he enjoyed the new isolated student section, but found it difficult to hear the music and the commentators in the student section because the speakers were not loud enough.
Pool said he was working to address these problems.
"We had a lot of feedback in a lot of areas which you expect when you're opening a new facility with a lot of new features," Pool said. "That's why you have your period to make the alterations and get it up and running in a way that allows everyone to enjoy the game."
He said there are plans to make additions to the auxiliary scoreboard so that it would provide more detailed information.
Previously, the student section was part of a larger area on the right side of the court and the Marching Owl Band was in a separate section on the upper level. Now, the section includes a place for the MOB, as well as for approximately 1,000 students.
Pool said the section intended to include the band as well as basketball fans.
"The idea was to bring the band down courtside and to incorporate students in there," Pool said, "And [to] have one area for the student population and create a really great area for them to all be together and just ... support the team and create some energy.
More from The Rice Thresher
Jones wins men’s and women’s Beer Bike races, GSA snags alumni
Jones College won both the women’s and men’s Beer Bike 2024 races, while the Graduate Student Association claimed the alumni team win. Hanszen College bike teams were the runner-up in the alumni and men’s races, while Brown College was the runner-up in the women’s race. Martel and McMurtry Colleges did not bike in the alumni race, according to the Rice Program Council’s final report, and the GSA was disqualified from the men’s race for accidentally sending out two bikers simultaneously.
Super Smash Bros. ultimate tournament sees smashing success
The Super Smash Bros. Club held their second annual ultimate tournament Friday, April 12. Club president Jashun Paluru said all Smash players were welcome, regardless of ability, experience or involvement in the club. The event was held in collaboration with Owls After Dark, a late-night activity series headed by the Rice Student Center, at the Rice Memorial Center’s Grand Hall.
‘Off the beaten track’: Commencement speakers through the years
A former American president, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Nobel laureates and the founder of Khan Academy. All may share similar traits or levels of fame, but there’s another, quieter, common ground: They’ve all spoken at Rice’s commencement.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.