Admittedly off a low base, but so far football and volleyball improved, 2018 when compared to 2017, men's and women's basketball are almost sure to do so also; only women's soccer was down in 2018, from 2017 results.

It depends how you count your major sports, but if you use those 5 and with only baseball left, it was a better year for Rice athletics.

I'd say that was true but football's improvement level wasn't that significant (and up until the final game, you could make a strong argument that it hadn't improved at all). Thankfully the last one gave us hope.

I want to see improvement in every sport, major or not. And if not improvement, I want to see us maintain the status quo. Golf is down this year, but that makes sense because we lost two great seniors. Track and field/cross country is also down which is puzzling.

I'm not sure "low base" captures it sufficiently. 2017-18 was an annus horribilis, certainly the worst-performing year relative to level of competition in my Rice life, which stretches back to the '80s. But anyway your observation is empirically unassailable. Hopefully we are not witnessing a "dead cat bounce."

(02-03-2019 09:49 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I'd say that was true but football's improvement level wasn't that significant (and up until the final game, you could make a strong argument that it hadn't improved at all). Thankfully the last one gave us hope.

I want to see improvement in every sport, major or not. And if not improvement, I want to see us maintain the status quo. Golf is down this year, but that makes sense because we lost two great seniors. Track and field/cross country is also down which is puzzling.

Indoor Track and Field has been going on for less than a month, and the conference meet is really the only basis for comparison.

Men's cross country was better in the fall (2018) than the fall (2017). The women lost 2 key runners from 2017, so they regressed - but everyone is back for 2019.

Another point of debate is which team has been the most successful on campus in 2018-19 (so far). Obviously the two ones to debate are volleyball and women's basketball, and it's scary how similar the two seasons have been to this point.

VB ended up 24-7, winning the CUSA regular season and post-season tournaments. They were undefeated in CUSA play up until the final weekend when they lost at FAU and FIU. Of course the main goal was making the NCAA's which they did only to lose to Texas State in a very close 4-game match in Austin.

I'd say the volleyball non-conference record was more impressive than the women's basketball. Volleyball defeated South Carolina in 4, and that was a team that flirted with the top 25 for much of the season. They also beat Ole Miss (bottom tier SEC team) and had four quality losses at top-25 Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas State and SFA (all but Tech were NCAA teams).

CUSA is definitely stronger at the top in women's basketball than volleyball, so that's where Rice women's basketball gets the edge. Wins over MTSU, UAB, ODU, etc., are more impressive in basketball than the VB win over Western Kentucky. Non-conference only had 3 losses compared to 4 in VB, and all 3 are to potential NCAA teams. But the best NC win (Little Rock) isn't as strong as South Carolina.

Both teams' RPIs have been similar I believe. The bottom line is probably that if women's basketball gets to the NCAA tournament, then their season has been more successful since they have a harder path in conference play. Win an NCAA tournament game, and the debate is over. But if they fall short of an NCAA bid, I have to give the nod to volleyball.

It is nice to see sports other than baseball flirting with the top 25 and actually or potentially making the ncaa tournament.

I do think Women Swimming deserves at least some recognition. Unfortunately, since we don't compete in diving (arghhhh!), it's virtually impossible for us to win meets, but our swimmers won numerous individual honors.

(02-03-2019 05:06 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  I do think Women Swimming deserves at least some recognition. Unfortunately, since we don't compete in diving (arghhhh!), it's virtually impossible for us to win meets, but our swimmers won numerous individual honors.

I've been reading that "diving costs us" nonsense for years. It's total nonsense. If you have a choice between a great swimmer and a so-so diver, you get the swimmer.

It's analogous to conference track and field meets. While there are dinosaurs on the Parliament who bemoan our lack of sprinters, it just doesn't make sense to have many of them (not too many fast ones could get into Rice, plus other schools load up on the sprint events, leaving openings in pole vault, distance, etc.).

So, I'm sure that our swimming coaches have done the math and are maximizing points. I trust our outstanding coaches more than second-guessing morons in the peanut gallery.

(02-03-2019 11:59 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 05:06 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  I do think Women Swimming deserves at least some recognition. Unfortunately, since we don't compete in diving (arghhhh!), it's virtually impossible for us to win meets, but our swimmers won numerous individual honors.

I've been reading that "diving costs us" nonsense for years. It's total nonsense. If you have a choice between a great swimmer and a so-so diver, you get the swimmer.

It's analogous to conference track and field meets. While there are dinosaurs on the Parliament who bemoan our lack of sprinters, it just doesn't make sense to have many of them (not too many fast ones could get into Rice, plus other schools load up on the sprint events, leaving openings in poker vault, distance, etc.).

So, I'm sure that our swimming coaches have done the math and are maximizing points. I trust our outstanding coaches more than second-guessing morons in the peanut gallery.

Bravo- Early nominee for spell-check typo of the year.

I mean, I’ve heard of running with scissors, but this is ridiculous!

(02-04-2019 02:20 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 11:59 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 05:06 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  I do think Women Swimming deserves at least some recognition. Unfortunately, since we don't compete in diving (arghhhh!), it's virtually impossible for us to win meets, but our swimmers won numerous individual honors.

I've been reading that "diving costs us" nonsense for years. It's total nonsense. If you have a choice between a great swimmer and a so-so diver, you get the swimmer.

It's analogous to conference track and field meets. While there are dinosaurs on the Parliament who bemoan our lack of sprinters, it just doesn't make sense to have many of them (not too many fast ones could get into Rice, plus other schools load up on the sprint events, leaving openings in poker vault, distance, etc.).

So, I'm sure that our swimming coaches have done the math and are maximizing points. I trust our outstanding coaches more than second-guessing morons in the peanut gallery.

Bravo- Early nominee for spell-check typo of the year.

I mean, I’ve heard of running with scissors, but this is ridiculous!

A deck of cards is not quite as dangerous ...

(02-04-2019 10:33 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(02-04-2019 02:20 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 11:59 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 05:06 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  I do think Women Swimming deserves at least some recognition. Unfortunately, since we don't compete in diving (arghhhh!), it's virtually impossible for us to win meets, but our swimmers won numerous individual honors.

I've been reading that "diving costs us" nonsense for years. It's total nonsense. If you have a choice between a great swimmer and a so-so diver, you get the swimmer.

It's analogous to conference track and field meets. While there are dinosaurs on the Parliament who bemoan our lack of sprinters, it just doesn't make sense to have many of them (not too many fast ones could get into Rice, plus other schools load up on the sprint events, leaving openings in poker vault, distance, etc.).

So, I'm sure that our swimming coaches have done the math and are maximizing points. I trust our outstanding coaches more than second-guessing morons in the peanut gallery.

Bravo- Early nominee for spell-check typo of the year.

I mean, I’ve heard of running with scissors, but this is ridiculous!

A deck of cards is not quite as dangerous ...

It can be...

In any case, I am interested in hearing about this sport.

(02-04-2019 10:35 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-04-2019 10:33 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(02-04-2019 02:20 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(02-03-2019 11:59 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  I've been reading that "diving costs us" nonsense for years. It's total nonsense. If you have a choice between a great swimmer and a so-so diver, you get the swimmer.

It's analogous to conference track and field meets. While there are dinosaurs on the Parliament who bemoan our lack of sprinters, it just doesn't make sense to have many of them (not too many fast ones could get into Rice, plus other schools load up on the sprint events, leaving openings in poker vault, distance, etc.).

...

Bravo- Early nominee for spell-check typo of the year.

I mean, I’ve heard of running with scissors, but this is ridiculous!

A deck of cards is not quite as dangerous ...

It can be...

In any case, I am interested in hearing about this sport.

Calling Wade Townsend! :-)