Sports

A despondent fan’s guide to Rice football

On Sept. 2, the Owls played their first football game as members of the American Athletic Conference. They lost to their 109-year rivals the University of Texas at Austin, just like they have in every meeting but two since 1963. In that time, much has changed about how those teams relate to each other: Texas is in a “power five” conference, and Rice is not; Texas has won four national championships, and Rice has won none. The Owls have gone from playing the Longhorns in a mid-October rivalry match to being a season-opening tune-up game. 

Volleyball head coach Genny Volpe discusses family, journey to Rice

After 20 years at Rice, Genny Volpe seems to have her routine down to a science. Her day begins with a large coffee, a workout or some emails and then the inevitable commute to downtown Houston.

Challenging roads: Soccer evens record after lackluster start

The Owls won both of their games this past week to bounce back after two straight defeats to open their season. After a 6-0 loss against No. 9 Texas in Austin, the Owls returned to Houston to play at Texas Southern University on Friday, Aug. 25 hoping to turn their luck around for their first win of the season. 

Bring out the brooms: Rice sweeps No. 22 USC, jumps to No. 18

Sophomore setter Darby Harris celebrates winning a point. The Rice Owls swept the University of Southern California, ranked No. 22 in the nation, Saturday night. 

Soccer shoots for successful AAC season debut

As Rice looks to soar to new heights with its introduction to the American Athletic Conference, the Rice soccer team has spent its offseason preparing for a season filled with unfamiliar beginnings.

Football prepares for season-opening game at Texas

Football looks to kick off their new season this upcoming weekend when they travel to Austin to take on the University of Texas Longhorns, who are ranked No. 11 in the nation. A year of new beginnings, the Owls will play their inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference after spending 18 years in Conference-USA. 

08-23-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

08-23-2023 Sports Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Nia McCardell defines her own name

On the court, you can see Rice’s senior libero Nia McCardell tapping the floor four times with her nails before receiving each serve. Off the court, you can find McCardell behind the camera, filming a vlog for her new YouTube channel “niaaanicole.”

Volleyball optimistic for season

The 2022 season was full of firsts for the Rice volleyball team. The Owls lost just four matches the entire season on a run that saw them ranked in the top-20 in the nation for the first time in program history. Their wonder season ended at the hands of No. 17 Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Waco. 

Tommy McClelland joins Rice as athletic director

Tommy McClelland will join Rice as its newest athletic director, following Joe Karlgaard’s departure in July. McClelland, currently the deputy athletic director at Vanderbilt, will start Aug. 14, according to President Reggie DesRoches’ July 30 announcement. 

Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard leaving Rice in July

Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard will be departing Rice at the end of July, according to an email sent by President Reggie DesRoches on June 20. Karlgaard will assume a new position as CEO of GSV Summit LLC, a privately-owned investment company. “Joe Karlgaard has led and benefited our athletics programs across several periods of exceptional growth and challenge, including, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic,” DesRoches wrote.

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.