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Sports

SPORTS 10/20/20 9:50pm

Experienced Linebackers to lead Owls’ Defense

By Pavithr Goli

When Rice football takes the field this Saturday, it will mark the second latest start to a season in school history. This year’s team will beat the record by only two days, which was set back in 1912, when the Owls opened their season on Oct. 26. 

SPORTS 10/20/20 9:46pm

Owls revamped offense looks to bounce back

By Daniel Schrager

When the football team opens its season against Middle Tennessee State University on Saturday afternoon, the offense will look a little different than it did last season. In what will be the team’s third season under the direction of Bloomgren and offensive coordinator Jerry Mack, the scheme may be slightly different as well. According to Mack, the coaching staff’s familiarity with the players and the ability to adapt could prove crucial this year. 

SPORTS 10/13/20 11:13pm

Owls name Collins starting quarterback

By Ben Baker-Katz

Football head coach Mike Bloomgren has named his starting quarterback less than two weeks before their first game: Mike Collins, a graduate transfer from Texas Christian University, will be under center when the Owls take the field on Oct. 24.  

SPORTS 10/13/20 11:03pm

Jack Fox punts his way from the Owls to the Lions

By Pavithr Goli

Although their season has not started yet, one bright spot for the Rice Owls football program has been former Rice punter and current NFL player Jack Fox. As the starting punter for the Detroit Lions, Fox has made waves in football due to his performance so far this season. An undrafted rookie, Fox is a star for the Lions, impressing football fans and pundits across the nation.  

SPORTS 10/6/20 9:20pm

Fall sports adjust to new schedule, regulations

By Daniel Schrager

In a normal year, Rice’s volleyball, soccer and cross-country teams would all be in the midst of their seasons right now. Instead, due to schedule changes, cancellations and postponements, they are currently preparing for their respective upcoming seasons amidst an unprecedented level of uncertainty. 

SPORTS 9/29/20 10:39pm

Football resumes full practices

By Daniel Schrager

The Rice football team returned to practice on Thursday, after a month-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to head coach Mike Bloomgren, after all of the obstacles going into the season, Thursday’s return to the field was triumphant for the team. 

SPORTS 9/29/20 10:31pm

MLB Owls finish regular season

By Ben Baker-Katz

The MLB regular season came to a close on Monday, marking the first major U.S. sport to start and finish an entire, albeit shorter, regular season in the midst of the pandemic. Down to 60 games from the usual 162, this MLB season had its share of excitement. Three former Owls saw playing time this summer: Tyler Duffey of the Minnesota Twins,  Anthony Rendon of the Los Angeles Angels and Brock Holt of the Washington Nationals.  

SPORTS 9/22/20 8:27pm

Former Rice star runner turned ultramarathon champion

By Cadan Hanson

Think, for a moment, about how far 45 miles is. 15 times the distance around the outer loop. Almost the distance from Houston to Galveston. Not only did Rice alumna Nicole Mericle run 45 miles at the Grand Traverse Run Ultramarathon on Sept. 5, but she also won the entire female race in her first-ever ultramarathon race. 

SPORTS 9/22/20 8:22pm

IM sports adjust to distancing protocols

By Derrick Kagwanja

 At Rice, weekends in fall are typically rife with uproarious cries from flag football players draped in their college’s colors. Camaraderie, competition and championship hopes brew amongst the teams as each game marks a new memory for the students to share. Although this year is marked by the absence of traditional intramural sports due to COVID-19, the passion students harbor for sport is still ever-present.  

SPORTS 9/15/20 9:23pm

Football freshmen adjust to student-athlete life

By Pavithr Goli

With numerous college football programs across the nation starting their season this past weekend, there has been an increased focus on freshmen football players who are transitioning to the rigor and toughness of college football while also trying to navigate through the precarious situation presented by the coronavirus pandemic.  

SPORTS 9/15/20 9:21pm

Why is football being played if other sports aren’t?

By Ben Baker-Katz

Over the past couple of months, talks about restarting athletic programs have centered on one thing: college football. Even though Rice announced earlier this week that the start of their season would be delayed until Oct. 24, other programs across the country started their seasons this past weekend.  

SPORTS 9/8/20 9:19pm

Rice Football stands up: Players lead march across campus

By Daniel Schrager

More than 100 players from the Rice football team marched silently from Rice Stadium to the Aacademic Quad to protest racial injustice on Friday afternoon. While roll was not taken, head coach Mike Bloomgren said he believes that every member of the team and the coaching staff was present. Players spoke in the quad about the importance of effecting positive change, before the march concluded with a moment of silence to honor those killed as a result of racial discrimination. 

SPORTS 9/1/20 5:21pm

Football season to start season Oct. 3 at Marshall

By Ben Baker-Katz

In a summer that was full of uncertainty, the return college sports has been one of the biggest unknowns. As the school year begins and decision making windows shrink, it appears that Conference USA will move forward with the plan to play football this fall. Head coach Mike Bloomgren praised his team’s commitment throughout an extraordinarily strange summer. 

SPORTS 8/25/20 7:24pm

C-USA moves volleyball, soccer seasons to the spring

By Ben Baker-Katz

When Rice officially canceled the remainder of its spring sports seasons on March 12 of this year, all eyes turned to the fall. As the COVID-19 situation evolved in Houston, the question shifted from how we would finish the spring season to whether we would be able to play at all in the fall. Five months later, we finally have an answer: Conference USA announced on Friday that all fall sports, with the exception of football, have been postponed until the spring, meaning that there will be no conference championships this season. 

SPORTS 8/25/20 7:20pm

Alldredge is poised for a blazing senior year

By Daniel Schrager

No matter where he is on the football field, Blaze Alldredge always stands out with the help of his long blond hair. “When my parents finally let me grow out, I never looked back,” Alldredge said. “I don’t know who I would be without it.”

SPORTS 6/14/20 7:59pm

Fall student-athletes return to campus for summer workouts

By Daniel Schrager

After a three month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rice athletics have taken the first steps towards their much-anticipated return. In a statement issued Thursday, Director of Athletics Joe Karlgaard announced that Rice is beginning the process of returning its student-athletes to campus.

SPORTS 4/21/20 9:01pm

After three enter transfer portal, Pera looks past tourney loss to next season

By Rachel Carlton

Rice men’s basketball ended their season early with a first-round Conference USA tournament exit, falling 76-85 to the No. 5 Florida International University Panthers on March 11. Three starters from that game have entered the transfer portal since that loss: sophomore Trey Murphy III, who was officially announced as a University of Virginia addition on April 16, as well as sophomore Drew Peterson and redshirt junior Josh Parish, both of whom are still in the portal.

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