Rice University Athletics Student-athletes at Rice University are committed to excellence both on the playing fields and courts as well as in the classroom.
In celebrating 100 years of intercollegiate athletics, the Owls have won championships as members of three different conferences – Southwest Conference (1915-96), Western Athletic Conference (1996-2005) & Conference USA (2005-Present).
Rice University’s rich history includes winning the 2003 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The Owls have played in the NCAA baseball tournament 17 straight years. A bevy of former Rice players dot Major League Baseball rosters including MLB All Star Lance Berkman (St. Louis Cardinals). Tampa Bay Rays’ pitcher Jeff Niemann, Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop Paul Janish and New York Yankee pitcher Philip Humber were all members of the Owls’ 2003 national championship team.
Football’s accolades include three Cotton Bowl victories as well as an Orange Bowl title. The Owls won the 2008 Texas Bowl. The Rice men’s tennis team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament the past nine seasons while the golf program had two of its alums compete in major championships in 2011 – Michael Whitehead (U.S. Open) and Brad Lardon (PGA Championship).
Rice has had student-athletes advance to compete on the world’s biggest stages including long jumper Funmi Jimoh who placed 12th at the Beijing Olympics and is preparing for the 2012 Olympics in London.
Conference USA has recognized Rice student-athletes’ success in the classroom with six straight Institutional Excellence Awards which is given annually to the C-USA institution with the highest grade point average.
Rice fields 16 intercollegiate teams which all compete for Conference USA titles – baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track & field (indoor and outdoor) and women’s volleyball. For more information regarding Rice Athletics you can visit their website here: www.riceowls.com
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