Sports

Farewell to C-USA, the conference that was never supposed to last this long

There’s a trophy in the Rice baseball offices. It’s from 2006, the Owls’ first season in Conference USA. On the front, it reads “C-USA 2006 Baseball Tournament Champions.” On either side are the logos of nine schools.

04-19-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Women’s tennis sweeps on Senior Day, men’s falls to SMU

Both Rice tennis teams held their annual Senior Days this weekend. On Saturday, the men’s team took a 4-2 loss at home against Southern Methodist University, putting their season record at 12-9. The following day, the women’s team swept Prairie View A&M University, to move to 11-8.

Mckyla Van der Westhuizen’s last name is long, her philosophy isn’t

There are 280 McDonald’s stores in Africa. 230 of them are in South Africa, according to freshman javelin thrower Mckyla Van der Westhuizen.

MBB’s Reed Myers: I hope to be an example for future Asian-American hoopers

The road to being a Division I basketball player is hard. It is even harder when you are an Asian-American. According to the most recent data from the 2019-2020 NCAA basketball season, players of Asian descent make up 0.4% of Division I Men’s basketball players. But growing up, that number never even came into my mind for a second. I just wanted to hoop. 

04-12-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Grace Forbes comes to terms with losing her sport

Grace Forbes has a sweatshirt that she would wear before every race. Her grandfather, who died when she was young, bought it as a souvenir at the 1998 Rose Bowl, before it was passed on to her.

‘I want to win’: Ikenna Enechukwu eyes the NFL Draft

There are currently six Rice football alumni on an active roster in the National Football League, and former Owl Ikenna Enechukwu is looking to make it seven. For the decorated defensive end from Kansas City, Missouri, his dreams of getting drafted to an NFL roster are getting closer while, according to Enechukwu, the intensity leading up to the NFL draft is increasing.

Rice Track & Field throw themselves to the top

The Rice Owls men’s and women’s track and field continued to put together a strong outdoor season this past weekend when they traveled to San Diego to compete in the Triton Invitational. The events, which were only for throwers, saw the women’s team record four top-five finishes while the men’s team ended the meet with five top-10 finishes.

Peter Chung talks new position, time at Rice

After hearing Peter Chung (Baker ’22), fawn over Rice football highlights or discuss his hometown Dallas Cowboys’ chances at winning a Super Bowl,  it becomes obvious that his life’s passion is football.  However, unlike others who find football as a hobby, Chung is building a career in the sport. 

04-05-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Students, staffers talk work behind the scenes at Final Four

When San Diego State University guard Lamont Butler hit a corner jumpshot with time expiring – the first buzzer beater in Final Four history hit while trailing – to beat Florida Atlantic University in the men’s college basketball national semifinal, the Owls weren’t the only ones whose plans he foiled.

Wosika, Slinkman highlight strong weekend at Texas Relays

This past weekend, while most Rice students watched or participated in bike relays, several Rice track and field athletes took the stage at the Texas Relays in Austin. Competing against some of the best athletes in the nation, several Owls finished top-ten in their events, highlighted by golds from junior vaulter Alexander Slinkman and junior distance runner Caitlin Wosika. Men’s head coach Jon Warren believes that, despite only sending a few athletes, the team still performed well. 

Baseball drops series to FAU despite Smith shutout

While the Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team came to Houston for the Men’s Final Four, the Rice baseball team swapped places with them for a weekend series in Boca Raton. Despite shutting out FAU in the first game, Rice dropped the next two games by a combined score of 24-11, losing the series and bringing their season record to 14-14. 

Owls’ throwers shine at Victor Lopez Classic

More than 2,000 fans packed into the stands at Holloway Field this past weekend to watch some of the best high school and collegiate track and field athletes in the area compete an the 40th Victor Lopez Classic. Amid the weekend’s festivities, several Owls were able to win their events and set personal records, setting themselves near the top of conference and national rankings. 

03-29-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Baseball drops back-and-forth series to first-place UTSA

When the Rice baseball team entered their series against the University of Texas at San Antonio, they were a game over 0.500 and undefeated in conference. At the end they were neither. The Roadrunners took the first and third games off the Owls at Reckling Park, bringing the home team to a 12-12 overall record and a 4-2 record in conference. According to head coach Jose Cruz Jr., however, the series was not entirely a disappointment.

Fresh off of NCAAs, Hayon talks competive nature, future goals

All families share a commonality, whether it’s a genetic trait like dimples or habits passed down from parents. For Arielle Hayon, that commonality is swimming. Starting with her parents, who both grew up near the water in Israel, Hayon is now the third of her siblings to swim at the collegiate level.

Yo-yo accident leads Manny Garza to baseball stardom

When sophomore catcher Manny Garza broke his family’s TV as a child, his father decided to punish him. Little did he know at the time, his father’s discipline would  accidentally introduce him to his greatest love: baseball. 

UTSA’s Hallmark, a longtime Owl, talks return to Reckling

Patrick Hallmark has walked out of the Reckling Park dugout some 250 times, but the last nine have been from the visitor’s side. Hallmark, who played for Rice before returning to coach the Owls, served as an assistant under former head coach Wayne Graham from 2006 through 2016. Now the head coach of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Hallmark said returning to Rice feels different.