The source for Rice sports news

Rice Basketball Recruiting: Kansas State transfer Seryee Lewis commits to Owls

By

The first new addition of the offseason for Rice basketball has been announced. Kansas State transfer Seryee Lewis has committed to the Owls.

The Transfer Portal has become a fixture in college athletics and has become particularly entrenched in college basketball. Rice basketball knows the ebbs and flows of the portal all too well, but they’ve largely been able to down out the somber news with the exciting announcements. This week’s signing falls in the latter category. Kansas State transfer forward Seryee Lewis has committed to the Owls.

A former prep basketball product from Arizona, Lewis committed to Kansas State out of high school, turning down offers from Georgetown, Saint Louis, Illinois-Chicago and others. The three-star prospect was a top 400 player in the nation and the No. 20 player from the state of Arizona. This time around Lewis was pursued by UNLV, Depaul and Cal Berkley, eventually choosing Rice basketball.

Lewis told The Roost Rice was “the place I wanted to be,” voicing his support of what he called “the future plan with the program.”

Coming off the bench during his freshman season with the Wildcats, Lewis played in 18 contests including nine conference games. He’s scored a career-high nine points against No. 2 Baylor in 2021 and is a career 62.5 percent shooter from the floor. Lewis missed the entirety of last season after suffering a preseason injury.

Lewis said the year off has given him time to “recover and work on my game” and that his return would be “something very special to see.” Practically, that means another top-flight rebounded for the Owls. Lewis touts that as one of the strongest aspects of his game along with his versatility.

Head coach Scott Pera announced Lewis had signed his grant-in-aid paperwork on Wednesday, saying Lewis “checks all of the boxes we look for in a student-athlete. He is motivated in the classroom and on the court. He will add value to everything we do as a program.”

Excluding the incoming freshman signees, Lewis is the first new addition to the Rice basketball roster for the upcoming season. You can follow all offseason roster moves with our Rice basketball roster tracker here.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Peyton Farmer commits to Owls

By

The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class keeps adding in the trenches. Offensive lineman Peyton Farmer has committed to the Owls.

The good times keep rolling for the 2023 Rice football recruiting class. The Owls have been reeling in commit after commit after a productive set of visits this spring and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Rice has now landed its second commitment of the day. Ridge Point offensive lineman Peyton Farmer has committed to the Owls.

Continuing a theme that has become fairly commonplace around South Main in recent years, Rice was the first to offer Farmer and led wire-to-wire from that point onward in his recruitment. His only other offer would come in mid-April from San Diego State. At that point, the Owls’ had already built a strong relationship and gotten him on campus for Junior Day.

Farmer made the move from defense this past season. Despite his newness to the position, he impressed, allowing one sack throughout the length of the entire season. Unsurprisingly, Farmer says pass protection is one aspect of his game of which he’s most proud.

The Ridge Point product marks the third offensive line commitment announced in the 2023 Rice Football Recruiting class this week. This trio — Farmer, Luke Needham and Nate Bledsoe — will form the nucleus of blockers around quarterback Chase Jenkins, the only non-lineman in the class so far.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Farmer stands out as the big guy among the big guys on his high school film. Primary spending time at right tackle his junior season, he showcased an ability to create good position with his feet and drive defensive lineman back with his strength. He seems to be a relatively balanced player, showcasing an ability to pick up pass rushers and open up running lanes downfield as well.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Luke Needham commits to Owls

By

The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class continues to pick up steam, adding another impact player up front in the form of offensive lineman Luke Needham.

The great week for Rice football recruiting has only continued to pick up steam. Fresh off several official visits and a spring game that saw dozens of recruits flock to South Main, Rice has added another new player to the fold. Germantown, TN offensive lineman Luke Needham has committed to the Owls.

Needham makes the second commitment announced this week and recent conversations indicate the Owls might have more waiting in the wings. For now, Needham joins fellow offensive lineman Nate Bledsoe and quarterback Chase Jenkins as the first three members of the 2023 Rice Football Recruiting class.

Needham seemed to first get noticed on the recruiting front last fall, pickup up his first offer from Western Michigan in November. Austin Peay, UT Martin and Murray State would follow in the early portions of the spring before Rice swooped in this April.

Needham attended the spring game and was offered that weekend. Shortly after leaving campus, Needham described Rice as being “part of [his] top choices.”  Not long after, he pulled the trigger and officially committed to the Owls. Among the reasons for his choice, Needham said he had a great time meeting with the coaches and staff and was very interested in the “incredible” education.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Needham is a fun prospect to watch. He can line up on either side of the line, meeting an oncoming lineman in the trenches and turn his around on the spot. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound blocker can move bodies in the trenches and doesn’t allow much to get past him without delivering an emphatic blow first. His highlights feature play after play of him putting his opposing defender in the dirt.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Nate Bledsoe commits to Owls

By

The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class added a big newcomer up front, securing a commitment from offensive lineman Nate Bledsoe.

What good is a quarterback without protection? A few weeks ago the 2023 Rice football recruiting class secured its signal-caller, picking up a commitment from Alief passer Chase Jenkins. Now they’ve got the first big body up front to keep their quarterback safe. Offensive lineman Nate Bledsoe has committed to the Owls.

Bledsoe chose Rice over more than a dozen other offers, ranging from AAC programs (Memphis, Tulane), Sun Belt schools (Appalachian State, Arkansas State) as well several Ivies and military academies.

For Bledsoe, the decision was pretty straightforward. “When you know, you know,” he said, adding that “exactly how he felt with Rice.” He praised the people and the coaching staff, noting the environment on campus was “second to none.”

Rice took two scholarship offensive lineman in their 2022 class, making Bledsoe the first of what is likely to be several more men in the trenches. The Owls hope he’ll be the next in a wave of several up-and-coming men in the trenches which currently includes players like Braedon Nutter and Ethan Onianwa, two underclassmen expected to start for the team this fall.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Bledsoe is fairly quick on his feet for a man his size, something that jumps out quickly when you look through his highlights. His attitude backs it up. “I love to pull across the line and obliterate whatever is in front of me,” Bledsoe said, further reinforcing his commitment to play with, as he calls it, “ruthless tenacity.”

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2022: What we learned from the defense this spring

By

It was a productive spring for the Rice Football defense. Here are five things we learned from the unit over the course of the six weeks of practice.

The defense started strong and carried its moment through more than a month during Rice football spring practices. A mix of up-and-coming stars-to-be joined up with several well-known veterans and combined to give the offense fits. Who stood out the most and what did we learn from this unit as a whole during the spring?

Get Caught Up

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special updates like this are reserved for our subscribers. Get access to all Rice football practice notes, features and more insights like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts