(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

I'm thinking I was one of those "well rounded" kids when I matriculated. I had good grades in high school, but they weren't 4.0. Although I did somehow manage to snag the third-place trophy in the Texas Junior Engineering Technical Society physics contest at Texas A$M the year I was a senior. And that was without having been in any accelerated classes in high school. Alas, the other guys ahead of me also went to Rice. Tough competition.

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

Probably 90% of our applicants are "gifted" kids. Probably more than half of those are "well-rounded". We try tyo pick 9% from that 45%. I used to be an alumni interviewer. Never once asked a kid his SAT score.

The one I remember was a kid from a neighboring town who both played football and played trumpet in the band. I asked him how he did that. He said he played in his football uniform. he was also Student body President. I recommended him. He went to West Point.

Rice has never just taken kids from the top of a list of scores. IIRC,, we have routinely turned down applicant with perfect SATs.

(09-08-2026 07:28 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

Probably 90% of our applicants are "gifted" kids. Probably more than half of those are "well-rounded". We try tyo pick 9% from that 45%. I used to be an alumni interviewer. Never once asked a kid his SAT score.

The one I remember was a kid from a neighboring town who both played football and played trumpet in the band. I asked him how he did that. He said he played in his football uniform. he was also Student body President. I recommended him. He went to West Point.

Rice has never just taken kids from the top of a list of scores. IIRC,, we have routinely turned down applicant with perfect SATs.

Good. Now, I must say that the young ladies I saw on Saturday night were all highly attractive. There's something extra special about a girl that looks great and has a sharp brain. Rice definitely has that part of the admissions process down.

(09-08-2026 08:20 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 07:28 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

Probably 90% of our applicants are "gifted" kids. Probably more than half of those are "well-rounded". We try tyo pick 9% from that 45%. I used to be an alumni interviewer. Never once asked a kid his SAT score.

The one I remember was a kid from a neighboring town who both played football and played trumpet in the band. I asked him how he did that. He said he played in his football uniform. he was also Student body President. I recommended him. He went to West Point.

Rice has never just taken kids from the top of a list of scores. IIRC,, we have routinely turned down applicant with perfect SATs.

Good. Now, I must say that the young ladies I saw on Saturday night were all highly attractive. There's something extra special about a girl that looks great and has a sharp brain. Rice definitely has that part of the admissions process down.

Way different than when I was a student. They all had sharp brains, but...

(09-08-2026 08:54 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 08:20 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 07:28 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

Probably 90% of our applicants are "gifted" kids. Probably more than half of those are "well-rounded". We try tyo pick 9% from that 45%. I used to be an alumni interviewer. Never once asked a kid his SAT score.

The one I remember was a kid from a neighboring town who both played football and played trumpet in the band. I asked him how he did that. He said he played in his football uniform. he was also Student body President. I recommended him. He went to West Point.

Rice has never just taken kids from the top of a list of scores. IIRC,, we have routinely turned down applicant with perfect SATs.

Good. Now, I must say that the young ladies I saw on Saturday night were all highly attractive. There's something extra special about a girl that looks great and has a sharp brain. Rice definitely has that part of the admissions process down.

Way different than when I was a student. They all had sharp brains, but...

Rice has now officially shattered that stereotype. You guys have unbelievably gorgeous women.

Obviously, the big question is whether Reggie is offered the job as President of Georgia Tech, and if offered, does he accept that job and leave Rice after three years.

I've heard that there will be quick movement on the AD front once there is a determination of whether Reggie is making the hire. IMO, I certainly hope he stays at Rice for a few more years and continues the job as he has done.

(09-08-2026 09:57 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 08:54 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 08:20 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 07:28 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 07:45 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Right, and I'm not suggesting that we bend too much, but damn, give some other gifted kids a chance.

Probably 90% of our applicants are "gifted" kids. Probably more than half of those are "well-rounded". We try tyo pick 9% from that 45%. I used to be an alumni interviewer. Never once asked a kid his SAT score.

The one I remember was a kid from a neighboring town who both played football and played trumpet in the band. I asked him how he did that. He said he played in his football uniform. he was also Student body President. I recommended him. He went to West Point.

Rice has never just taken kids from the top of a list of scores. IIRC,, we have routinely turned down applicant with perfect SATs.

Good. Now, I must say that the young ladies I saw on Saturday night were all highly attractive. There's something extra special about a girl that looks great and has a sharp brain. Rice definitely has that part of the admissions process down.

Way different than when I was a student. They all had sharp brains, but...

Rice has now officially shattered that stereotype. You guys have unbelievably gorgeous women.

I've noticed. I'm not dead yet.

TBF, though, I attended Rice when there were no women's athletics. The volleyball team alone has mor lookers than we had on campus back then, although we had a few.

This will not be politically correct so if you are easily offended , skip now. Yes when I was at Rice there were very few women. We had Harold Solomon aka the human backboard, who had just gone pro in tennis. He drove around campus his last few months in a convertible. The four beautiful blondes on campus were riding around sitting on the closed top and all we could do was dream while wearing our bell bottomed jeans.
Rice had very few women, I don’t think any women’s sports , slim pickings.

(09-08-2026 01:45 PM)Uteowl Wrote:  This will not be politically correct so if you are easily offended , skip now. Yes when I was at Rice there were very few women. We had Harold Solomon aka the human backboard, who had just gone pro in tennis. He drove around campus his last few months in a convertible. The four beautiful blondes on campus were riding around sitting on the closed top and all we could do was dream while wearing our bell bottomed jeans.
Rice had very few women, I don’t think any women’s sports , slim pickings.

Tragic

As a Rice graduate, a four-year letter winner, former assistant coach at Rice, former corporate executive and more recently a college AD, I have a few thoughts on this.

The university and board have already made a serious commitment. Gateway makes that pretty clear, and the people who made it happen deserve credit. The next AD needs to build on that, not come in pretending nobody has done anything.

We also have to be honest about Rice. A lot of our alumni love the university but couldn’t care less about Saturday’s score. We have former athletes who give generously, but we can’t build the whole effort around them. There’s a much bigger Rice community we need to connect with.

My suggestions:

1. Recruit for the school we are and focus of Texas athletes (Either High School or those from other Universities in the portal)

Rice isn’t going to admit somebody just because they can play. We need talented athletes who can handle the academics, and coaches who know how to find and develop them. Get academic questions answered early, recruit those families hard, and show them why Rice is worth choosing. Hiring someone whose plan depends on Rice becoming a different school doesn’t make much sense.

2. Give our athletes someone in their corner beyond their coach.

I’d love to see more alumni take an athlete under their wing. Rice already does some of this, but I’d make it a bigger part of the experience. Not just lunch once a year. Someone who gets to know them, makes introductions, helps them find internships and stays involved after graduation.

That should include legal and financial guidance from qualified alumni who aren’t trying to sell them something. Whether an athlete goes pro or takes a regular job, knowing how to handle money and choose good advisers matters. Our alumni can make a real difference here without knowing a thing about sports.

3. Stop assuming everybody needs the same reason to support athletics.

Some people want to help us beat whoever is on the schedule. Others would rather help a student become a doctor, start a company or get their first job. There’s room for both.

My business experience tells me you start by understanding what matters to the other person. The AD needs to get out and have those conversations, working with the people raising money for the rest of Rice. We need dependable annual support, and we won’t get there by making the same ask of the same people forever.

4. Make sure our athletes give something back to Rice.

This has to go both ways. We want the campus to support our athletes, but our athletes also need to be part of campus life. Show up for classmates. Participate in the residential colleges. Get involved in things that have nothing to do with their sport. Coaches need to make room for that, too.

Then stay connected after graduation. Mentor another student. Hire a Rice grad. Come back and help. People are more likely to support athletics when they know the athletes and see what they contribute to the university.

5. And yes, win.

None of this is an excuse for losing. It should help us recruit better athletes, keep them and build better teams. We still need competitive athlete compensation, good coaches and the resources to develop players. Gateway’s opportunities also need a real sales effort behind them. Those seats and sponsorships won’t sell themselves.

Support the coaches who deliver, including in sports that don’t get much discussion here. Make changes when reasonable time and support aren’t producing progress. We should expect winning seasons, conference championships and NCAA appearances.

I don’t expect every Rice alum to become a sports fan. But I do think we can give more of them a reason to care about our athletes and feel good about what Rice is investing in them.

When we win while wearing the R we give the university, former athletes, and alum reasons to be proud. That’s a program worth getting behind.

LOL Purdue

(09-12-2026 05:19 PM)Owlman49 Wrote:  As a Rice graduate, a four-year letter winner, former assistant coach at Rice, former corporate executive and more recently a college AD, I have a few thoughts on this.

The university and board have already made a serious commitment. Gateway makes that pretty clear, and the people who made it happen deserve credit. The next AD needs to build on that, not come in pretending nobody has done anything.

We also have to be honest about Rice. A lot of our alumni love the university but couldn’t care less about Saturday’s score. We have former athletes who give generously, but we can’t build the whole effort around them. There’s a much bigger Rice community we need to connect with.

My suggestions:

1. Recruit for the school we are and focus of Texas athletes (Either High School or those from other Universities in the portal)

Rice isn’t going to admit somebody just because they can play. We need talented athletes who can handle the academics, and coaches who know how to find and develop them. Get academic questions answered early, recruit those families hard, and show them why Rice is worth choosing. Hiring someone whose plan depends on Rice becoming a different school doesn’t make much sense.

2. Give our athletes someone in their corner beyond their coach.

I’d love to see more alumni take an athlete under their wing. Rice already does some of this, but I’d make it a bigger part of the experience. Not just lunch once a year. Someone who gets to know them, makes introductions, helps them find internships and stays involved after graduation.

That should include legal and financial guidance from qualified alumni who aren’t trying to sell them something. Whether an athlete goes pro or takes a regular job, knowing how to handle money and choose good advisers matters. Our alumni can make a real difference here without knowing a thing about sports.

3. Stop assuming everybody needs the same reason to support athletics.

Some people want to help us beat whoever is on the schedule. Others would rather help a student become a doctor, start a company or get their first job. There’s room for both.

My business experience tells me you start by understanding what matters to the other person. The AD needs to get out and have those conversations, working with the people raising money for the rest of Rice. We need dependable annual support, and we won’t get there by making the same ask of the same people forever.

4. Make sure our athletes give something back to Rice.

This has to go both ways. We want the campus to support our athletes, but our athletes also need to be part of campus life. Show up for classmates. Participate in the residential colleges. Get involved in things that have nothing to do with their sport. Coaches need to make room for that, too.

Then stay connected after graduation. Mentor another student. Hire a Rice grad. Come back and help. People are more likely to support athletics when they know the athletes and see what they contribute to the university.

5. And yes, win.

None of this is an excuse for losing. It should help us recruit better athletes, keep them and build better teams. We still need competitive athlete compensation, good coaches and the resources to develop players. Gateway’s opportunities also need a real sales effort behind them. Those seats and sponsorships won’t sell themselves.

Support the coaches who deliver, including in sports that don’t get much discussion here. Make changes when reasonable time and support aren’t producing progress. We should expect winning seasons, conference championships and NCAA appearances.

I don’t expect every Rice alum to become a sports fan. But I do think we can give more of them a reason to care about our athletes and feel good about what Rice is investing in them.

When we win while wearing the R we give the university, former athletes, and alum reasons to be proud. That’s a program worth getting behind.

Well said, 49. Great to see you contributing.

(09-12-2026 05:19 PM)Owlman49 Wrote:  As a Rice graduate, a four-year letter winner, former assistant coach at Rice, former corporate executive and more recently a college AD, I have a few thoughts on this.

The university and board have already made a serious commitment. Gateway makes that pretty clear, and the people who made it happen deserve credit. The next AD needs to build on that, not come in pretending nobody has done anything.

We also have to be honest about Rice. A lot of our alumni love the university but couldn’t care less about Saturday’s score. We have former athletes who give generously, but we can’t build the whole effort around them. There’s a much bigger Rice community we need to connect with.

My suggestions:

1. Recruit for the school we are and focus of Texas athletes (Either High School or those from other Universities in the portal)

Rice isn’t going to admit somebody just because they can play. We need talented athletes who can handle the academics, and coaches who know how to find and develop them. Get academic questions answered early, recruit those families hard, and show them why Rice is worth choosing. Hiring someone whose plan depends on Rice becoming a different school doesn’t make much sense.

2. Give our athletes someone in their corner beyond their coach.

I’d love to see more alumni take an athlete under their wing. Rice already does some of this, but I’d make it a bigger part of the experience. Not just lunch once a year. Someone who gets to know them, makes introductions, helps them find internships and stays involved after graduation.

That should include legal and financial guidance from qualified alumni who aren’t trying to sell them something. Whether an athlete goes pro or takes a regular job, knowing how to handle money and choose good advisers matters. Our alumni can make a real difference here without knowing a thing about sports.

3. Stop assuming everybody needs the same reason to support athletics.

Some people want to help us beat whoever is on the schedule. Others would rather help a student become a doctor, start a company or get their first job. There’s room for both.

My business experience tells me you start by understanding what matters to the other person. The AD needs to get out and have those conversations, working with the people raising money for the rest of Rice. We need dependable annual support, and we won’t get there by making the same ask of the same people forever.

4. Make sure our athletes give something back to Rice.

This has to go both ways. We want the campus to support our athletes, but our athletes also need to be part of campus life. Show up for classmates. Participate in the residential colleges. Get involved in things that have nothing to do with their sport. Coaches need to make room for that, too.

Then stay connected after graduation. Mentor another student. Hire a Rice grad. Come back and help. People are more likely to support athletics when they know the athletes and see what they contribute to the university.

5. And yes, win.

None of this is an excuse for losing. It should help us recruit better athletes, keep them and build better teams. We still need competitive athlete compensation, good coaches and the resources to develop players. Gateway’s opportunities also need a real sales effort behind them. Those seats and sponsorships won’t sell themselves.

Support the coaches who deliver, including in sports that don’t get much discussion here. Make changes when reasonable time and support aren’t producing progress. We should expect winning seasons, conference championships and NCAA appearances.

I don’t expect every Rice alum to become a sports fan. But I do think we can give more of them a reason to care about our athletes and feel good about what Rice is investing in them.

When we win while wearing the R we give the university, former athletes, and alum reasons to be proud. That’s a program worth getting behind.

Sounds good to me.

(09-12-2026 05:19 PM)Owlman49 Wrote:  As a Rice graduate, a four-year letter winner, former assistant coach at Rice, former corporate executive and more recently a college AD, I have a few thoughts on this.

The university and board have already made a serious commitment. Gateway makes that pretty clear, and the people who made it happen deserve credit. The next AD needs to build on that, not come in pretending nobody has done anything.

We also have to be honest about Rice. A lot of our alumni love the university but couldn’t care less about Saturday’s score. We have former athletes who give generously, but we can’t build the whole effort around them. There’s a much bigger Rice community we need to connect with.

My suggestions:

1. Recruit for the school we are and focus of Texas athletes (Either High School or those from other Universities in the portal)

Rice isn’t going to admit somebody just because they can play. We need talented athletes who can handle the academics, and coaches who know how to find and develop them. Get academic questions answered early, recruit those families hard, and show them why Rice is worth choosing. Hiring someone whose plan depends on Rice becoming a different school doesn’t make much sense.

2. Give our athletes someone in their corner beyond their coach.

I’d love to see more alumni take an athlete under their wing. Rice already does some of this, but I’d make it a bigger part of the experience. Not just lunch once a year. Someone who gets to know them, makes introductions, helps them find internships and stays involved after graduation.

That should include legal and financial guidance from qualified alumni who aren’t trying to sell them something. Whether an athlete goes pro or takes a regular job, knowing how to handle money and choose good advisers matters. Our alumni can make a real difference here without knowing a thing about sports.

3. Stop assuming everybody needs the same reason to support athletics.

Some people want to help us beat whoever is on the schedule. Others would rather help a student become a doctor, start a company or get their first job. There’s room for both.

My business experience tells me you start by understanding what matters to the other person. The AD needs to get out and have those conversations, working with the people raising money for the rest of Rice. We need dependable annual support, and we won’t get there by making the same ask of the same people forever.

4. Make sure our athletes give something back to Rice.

This has to go both ways. We want the campus to support our athletes, but our athletes also need to be part of campus life. Show up for classmates. Participate in the residential colleges. Get involved in things that have nothing to do with their sport. Coaches need to make room for that, too.

Then stay connected after graduation. Mentor another student. Hire a Rice grad. Come back and help. People are more likely to support athletics when they know the athletes and see what they contribute to the university.

5. And yes, win.

None of this is an excuse for losing. It should help us recruit better athletes, keep them and build better teams. We still need competitive athlete compensation, good coaches and the resources to develop players. Gateway’s opportunities also need a real sales effort behind them. Those seats and sponsorships won’t sell themselves.

Support the coaches who deliver, including in sports that don’t get much discussion here. Make changes when reasonable time and support aren’t producing progress. We should expect winning seasons, conference championships and NCAA appearances.

I don’t expect every Rice alum to become a sports fan. But I do think we can give more of them a reason to care about our athletes and feel good about what Rice is investing in them.

When we win while wearing the R we give the university, former athletes, and alum reasons to be proud. That’s a program worth getting behind.

You're hired even though I know you've retired....

(09-12-2026 09:02 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(09-12-2026 05:19 PM)Owlman49 Wrote:  As a Rice graduate, a four-year letter winner, former assistant coach at Rice, former corporate executive and more recently a college AD, I have a few thoughts on this.

The university and board have already made a serious commitment. Gateway makes that pretty clear, and the people who made it happen deserve credit. The next AD needs to build on that, not come in pretending nobody has done anything.

We also have to be honest about Rice. A lot of our alumni love the university but couldn’t care less about Saturday’s score. We have former athletes who give generously, but we can’t build the whole effort around them. There’s a much bigger Rice community we need to connect with.

My suggestions:

1. Recruit for the school we are and focus of Texas athletes (Either High School or those from other Universities in the portal)

Rice isn’t going to admit somebody just because they can play. We need talented athletes who can handle the academics, and coaches who know how to find and develop them. Get academic questions answered early, recruit those families hard, and show them why Rice is worth choosing. Hiring someone whose plan depends on Rice becoming a different school doesn’t make much sense.

2. Give our athletes someone in their corner beyond their coach.

I’d love to see more alumni take an athlete under their wing. Rice already does some of this, but I’d make it a bigger part of the experience. Not just lunch once a year. Someone who gets to know them, makes introductions, helps them find internships and stays involved after graduation.

That should include legal and financial guidance from qualified alumni who aren’t trying to sell them something. Whether an athlete goes pro or takes a regular job, knowing how to handle money and choose good advisers matters. Our alumni can make a real difference here without knowing a thing about sports.

3. Stop assuming everybody needs the same reason to support athletics.

Some people want to help us beat whoever is on the schedule. Others would rather help a student become a doctor, start a company or get their first job. There’s room for both.

My business experience tells me you start by understanding what matters to the other person. The AD needs to get out and have those conversations, working with the people raising money for the rest of Rice. We need dependable annual support, and we won’t get there by making the same ask of the same people forever.

4. Make sure our athletes give something back to Rice.

This has to go both ways. We want the campus to support our athletes, but our athletes also need to be part of campus life. Show up for classmates. Participate in the residential colleges. Get involved in things that have nothing to do with their sport. Coaches need to make room for that, too.

Then stay connected after graduation. Mentor another student. Hire a Rice grad. Come back and help. People are more likely to support athletics when they know the athletes and see what they contribute to the university.

5. And yes, win.

None of this is an excuse for losing. It should help us recruit better athletes, keep them and build better teams. We still need competitive athlete compensation, good coaches and the resources to develop players. Gateway’s opportunities also need a real sales effort behind them. Those seats and sponsorships won’t sell themselves.

Support the coaches who deliver, including in sports that don’t get much discussion here. Make changes when reasonable time and support aren’t producing progress. We should expect winning seasons, conference championships and NCAA appearances.

I don’t expect every Rice alum to become a sports fan. But I do think we can give more of them a reason to care about our athletes and feel good about what Rice is investing in them.

When we win while wearing the R we give the university, former athletes, and alum reasons to be proud. That’s a program worth getting behind.

You're hired even though I know you've retired....

I second that.

(09-07-2026 06:27 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 05:14 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Interesting. Good take.

When I was at UH, there were classmates of mine that could have done very well at Rice, but they'd never get the chance to show it, because they weren't in the top 5% of their high school graduating class.

Don't get me wrong here, because I love Rice students, but I wish the university placed emphasis on a more "well-rounded" student, rather than only those with the perfect 4.0 GPA.

My sister is a good example of this. She was saludatorian at Galveston Ball in 1991, and she was also a cheerleader and a member of the newspaper. Rice didn't accept her, for some reason. Three weeks later, in the second round, they accepted her, but she had already decided to go to Texas A&M. Rice could have benefitted from accepting my sister, and others like her.

A student's GPA only tells part of their story. There are other measures of achievement and depth that Rice doesn't care much about. That needs to change.

Rice used to look for well rounded people who ALSO had high academic credentials, and I think they still do. But increasing our student body to say, 30-40K by letting in more second tier students makes us not be Rice anymore, just TCU or Texas State- easy to be average. Now in my eighties, people are still impressed that I am a Rice Owl. No need to give that up to become Average State.

Actually I would like to see Rice not “be Rice” anymore. There are plenty of brilliant students out there who would jump at the chance to be Rice students and graduates, except the university doesn’t accept them. So they attend other schools. ?‍♂️

(09-07-2026 04:55 PM)WFO Wrote:  Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Looking at Notre Dame, and the military academies, for example, they have huge “affinity groups”. Casual fans who identify positively with the schools just because of some common perceived bond. Rice does have an affinity group. Smart people. Who couldn’t care less about football, baseball, or basketball, or any of the other major sports, except for maybe tennis. I find myself wondering how many students are enrolled at a place like, say, John’s Hopkins….perhaps we really don’t need div 1 football….just this evening we drove right by TCU to see several construction cranes adding yet more infrastructure to their campus. Living in or near Fort Worth I’ve watched a sleepy small university become a major power, at least athletically. And they’re attracting more and better qualified students because of it. While Rice slowly grows. Yeah Rice is building buildings too. But not really growing the university, like they could. My take. Rice should have 20000 enrollment by now. When I graduated almost fifty years ago enrollment was 4500 give or take. A mere 3% increase in student body annually would have us there.