R I C E F A C T S · 1 9 9 7 - 9 8
Rankings - Champions - Olympians - Clubs - Intramurals - Facilities
Rice is a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and is
in NCAA Division I-A. WAC, the largest collegiate
conference in the nation, consists of 16 schools and spans nine states and five
time zones. Rice closed its 1997 varsity football season with a 7-4 overall record and a
5-3 mark in the Western Athletic Conferenceís Mountain Division. It was
the Owls' second consecutive 7-4 mark, representing the best back-to-back
seasons at the school since the 1960-61 squads also went 7-4.
They also gained more yards rushing and more yards per rushing attempt
than any previous Rice squad ever.
U.S. Air Force Academy, Brigham Young University, Colorado State University, Fresno State, University of Hawaii, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of New Mexico, Rice University, San Diego State University, San Jose State University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Tulsa, University of Utah, and University of Wyoming.
| Sport | Won-Lost | Ranking |
| Men's | ||
| Baseball | 47-16 | 1st (College World Series); 6th NCAA |
| Basketball | 12-15 | 7th |
| Cross-Country | N/A | 12th |
| Football | 7-4 | 2nd (tie) |
| Golf | N/A | 14th |
| Indoor Track & Field | * | 4th |
| Outdoor Track & Field | * | 3rd; 47th NCAA |
| Swimming | 3-5 | 10th |
| Tennis | 13-11 | 73rd by ITA |
| Women's | ||
| Basketball | 16-11 | 2nd (tie) |
| Cross-Country | N/A | 8th |
| Indoor Track & Field | * | 3rd; 18th NCAA |
| Outdoor Track & Field | * | 3rd; 28th NCAA |
| Swimming | 3-5 | 10th |
| Tennis | 13-11 | 73rd by ITA |
| Volleyball | 16-18 | 4th (tie) |
Baseball '97
Basketball (Men's) '35, '40, '42, '43, '44, '45, '49, '54, '70
Cross-Country Track (Men's) '26, '28
Cross-Country Track (Women's) '94
Football '34, '37, '46, '49, '53, '57, '94
Golf (Men's) '29, '30, '39
Outdoor Track (Men's) '28, '31, '38, '39, '64, '65, '67, '71
Tennis (Men's) '58, '59, '62, '64, '65, '66, '68, '69, '70, '71, '72
Indoor Track (Men's) '95
Baseball '96
Claude Bracey, 100-Yard Dash ('28), 220-Yard Dash ('28)
Bryan Bronson, 400-Meter Hurdles (Outdoor, '93)
Regina Cavanaugh, Shot Put (Indoor, '84 -'86; Outdoor, '85 -'87)
Bill Christopher, Long Jump ('43)
Bill Cummins, 120-Yard Hurdles ('43); 220-Yard Hurdles ('43)
Frank Guernsey, Men's Tennis Singles ('38, '39)
Gawain Guy, 1000 Meters (Indoor, '85)
Fred Hansen, Pole Vault ('62)
Claudia Haywood, Triple Jump ('93)
Wilbur Hess, Men's Tennis Singles ('35)
Gabriel Luke, 400 Meters (Indoor, '90, '91; Outdoor, '91)
Sam Match and Bobby Curtis, Men's Tennis Doubles ('47)
Bobby May, 110-Meter Hurdles ('64)
Vern McGrew, High Jump ('50)
David Roberts, Pole Vault ('71, '72, '73)
Kareem Streete-Thompson, Long Jump (Indoor, '95; Outdoor, '95)
Valerie Tulloch, Javelin (Outdoor, '92, '94, '95)
Fred Wolcott, 120-Yard Hurdles ('38, '39); 220-Yard Hurdles ('38 -'40)
Trevor Cobb, '91
The Rice Hall of Fame inducted four new members in 1997: football standouts Bill Burkhalter and Dick Dwelle, tennis great Jim Parker, and track star Tanya McIntosh Justice. Burkhalter was a running back on Rice's 1949 Cotton Bowl team and was an all-SWC selection a year later. Dwelle was an all-SWC tailback in 1942 and helped guide the Rice Owls to a cumulative record of 20-7-2 from 1940-42. Parker, an all-American in 1964, led the Owls to the SWC team championship. He also won two singles and two doubles titles in SWC play. Justice was an eight-time all-American, who holds six track and field records at Rice. She also won six SWC individual championships during her stay at Rice.
Football trophy namesake John Heisman was the athletic director and head football coach at Rice from 1924 to 1927.
Claudia Haywood, Triple Jump (Indoor, '92; Outdoor, '93)
Kareem Streete-Thompson, Long Jump (Indoor, '94)
Tanisha Mills, Melissa Straker, Vonda Newhouse, Pam Brooks, 4x400
Meter Relay (Indoor, '94)
1928, Amsterdam
Claude Bracey '30 (U.S.A.), 100 Meters, Track & Field
1940 (Olympics cancelled)
Fred Wolcott '41 (U.S.A.), 100-Meter Hurdles
1948, London
Vern McGrew '50 (U.S.A.), High Jump
1952, Helsinki
Jim Gerhardt '51 (U.S.A.), Triple Jump
1964, Tokyo
Fred Hansen '63 (U.S.A.), Pole Vault - Gold Medal
Walter Edward Reed '65 (U.S.A.), Javelin
1976, Montreal
David Luther Roberts '73 (U.S.A.), Pole Vault -
Silver Medal
1984, Los Angeles
Gawain Guy '86 (Jamaica), 1,500 Meters, Track & Field
Regina Cavanaugh '87 (U.S.A.), Shot Put (alternate)
1988, Seoul
Courtney Brown '90 (Canada), 200 Meters, 1,600-Meter Relay,
Track & Field
Maureen Stewart '90 (Costa Rica), 800 Meters, Track & Field
Regina Cavanaugh '87 (U.S.A.), Shot Put (alternate)
1992, Barcelona
Rosey Edeh '90 (Canada), 400-Meter Hurdles, 1,600-Meter
Relay, Track & Field
Kareem Streete-Thompson '95 (Cayman Islands), Long Jump
1996, Atlanta
Bryan Bronson '95 (U.S.A.), 400-Meter Hurdles
Rosey Edeh '90 (U.S.A.), 400-Meter Hurdles
Heather McDermid '89 (Canada), Rowing - Silver Medal
Melissa Straker '97 (Barbados), 400 Meters, 4 x 400 Relay
Andrea Blackett '97 (Barbados), 400-Meter Hurdles
Cherita Howard '98 (Barbados), Long Jump
Club sports have nonscholarship athletes and volunteer coaches. Clubs compete with similar teams from other universities. In 1996-97, 20 clubs (badminton, cricket, cycling, fast pitch softball [women's], fencing, field hockey [women's], karate, lacrosse [men's], Outdoors Club, Rice Dance Theater, rugby [men's and women's], sailing, shooting, soccer [men's, women's, and graduate], ultimate frisbee, rowing [Crew],, and volleyball were registered at rice with a total of 857 participants.
In 1997-98, 43% of undergraduates, 18% of graduate students, and members of the Rice faculty and staff participated in organized intramural sports activities involving 14 sports (badminton, basketball, billiards, cross country, flag football, floor hockey, racquetball, soccer, softball, table tennis, tennis, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and wallyball) and 302 teams.
| Stadia | Sport | Seating |
| Rice Stadium | Football | 70,000 |
| Autry Court | Basketball | 5,000 |
| Rice Track Stadium | Track & Field | 5,000 |
| Cameron Field | Baseball | 2,500 |
| Jack Hess Stadium | Tennis | 1,000 |
Basketball (5), volleyball (9), tennis (20), squash (3), badminton (3), handball/racquetball (10)
Soccer/lacrosse fields (3), softball fields (3), rugby field, bicycle
track, indoor swimming/diving pool, weight rooms (2), dance studio
Last updated 4 February 1998.
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