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Conference USA: Scheduling changes coming soon

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Conference USA athletics scheduling changes are on their way with modifications to the upcoming fall sports calendar expected soon.

The extended offseason has been a busy one for Conference USA and its member institutions and conversations among league officials and athletic directors about the structure of future schedules have been at the forefront.

“I don’t think there’s any question that our geographic stretch is a challenge for us,” Rice Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard said. “Pre-pandemic it was something that we made work. I think post-pandemic it’s something that we are really looking closely at.”

Ideas have been tossed around from sources inside and outside of Conference USA. Basketball is expected to end bonus play and could consider moving to a divisional structure to reduce travel. Olympics sports, in particular, are taking a hard look at more regionalized scheduling.

Administrators are also keeping an eye on what’s happening across the nation. The MAC cut postseason tournaments in several sports. Those changes reflect the historical Ivy League model, which traditionally awarded regular-season champions with any relevant postseason bids.

What will those changes look like? Karlgaard said the scope was far-reaching. “All of that is on the table for us to evaluate going forward.”

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This is not smoke and mirrors. Karlgaard has already been in discussion with Athletic Directors at schools in close geographic proximity. “They’re all interested [in regionalized scheduling],” he said. “What form and shape that takes, I think, is going to take longer for us to hash out.”

Long term scheduling adjustments will take time to play out, but changes to the upcoming seasons are imminent. Karlgaard indicated that he expects Conference USA to address fall scheduling as soon as this week, particularly with athletes now allowed to return to campus at several member schools. Rice had not yet set a timetable for the return of their own student-athletes.

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Rice Football: Making the case for AAC Membership

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When AAC football lost UConn to the Big East a potential opening appeared in the conference. What stands in the way of Rice football making the move?

The college sports world seems like it’s careening toward chaos. Programs have been cut. Football season is in doubt. No one is in charge and no one has definite answers regarding what the future will hold. That lack of clarity is time to ask questions. Among them, where does Rice football fit in the college football landscape?

Will Conference USA be the Owls’ forever home or could there be an opportunity to make the move to the ACC in the future?

What stands in the way?

Let’s start a rung higher with the Big 12. Money has been the reason the Big 12 hasn’t expanded since it’s stopgap measure to add TCU and West Virginia. Adding another team would mean splitting the pie in yet another slice. The same rationale is true for the AAC and other conferences as well.

Unless the new member is going to bring enough revenue to make each current member’s slice bigger, the new addition would “cost” the current members money. That’s especially concerning in the current economic climate.

But that’s assuming stability. If the makeup of the membership of the AAC changes further, there could be opportunities to lay claim to a spot. And if for any reason the Big 12 went through a change in its membership and began looking toward the AAC, the ensuing musical chairs that followed might benefit Rice.

What if, for instance, Houston finally got the call? Wouldn’t the AAC consider replenishing its ties to the Houston market by adding Rice?

Why it makes sense

When UConn left the AAC was left with 11 football members. The conference had an easy opportunity to pursue expansion at that time, but chose not to do so. The 11-member schedule scraps divisions, creating a modified round-robin style of scheduling, or at least that’s the purported plan.

Rice will surely tout its academic prestige as a reason for admission. The Owls would easily sit atop the conference in that regard. Adding that widely accepted asset with a strong narrative on the field could get the Owls a seat at the table when the madness starts.

What does Rice need to do now?

If Mike Bloomgren can take Rice football to a few consecutive bowl games and push for a C-USA title over the next couple of seasons, selling the story of an up-and-coming program in a top national market becomes a little easier. For Rice, winning will be the prerequisite for any vertical ascent.

Stability is no longer the norm, especially not for college sports. Changes to the conference landscapes are coming. Rice could do a lot to bolster their attractiveness by winning, and winning now. Strong academic and strong athletics sell. Rice has half of that covered and has done extremely well in other sports like volleyball and women’s basketball.

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If football joins the ascent, Rice could have a chance. At this point, it would still be a sizable jump, but what seams feasible in today’s climate could change drastically from what made sense yesterday. For the time being, win.

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College Sports Realignment: What’s next for Olympic sports?

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COVID-19 has already begun to change the college sports landscape as we know it and more adjustments could be on the way soon.

Change is coming for college sports and several programs have already reached the “worst-case scenario”. Old Dominion wrestling, FIU men’s track and field, Cincinnati men’s soccer and Bowling Green baseball have all been eliminated. More cuts are likely in the coming weeks as the financial ramifications of the shutdown persist. If football seasons are impacted, things could get much worse.

With that bleak backdrop, cost savings have become increasingly important. Could schools consider splitting their sports across multiple conferences in an effort to save costs? It’s plausible.

Why it makes sense

Football is the engine that makes college athletics go. Without the revenue from the gridiron, and in some cases men’s basketball, athletic programs operate in the red. Olympic sports are a prime example of athletic competitions that don’t make money. An alternative to slashing programs from the start could be a bifurcation of conference play by sport.

College football could continue to operate in much the same way. The revenue it derives from television contracts can support a few cross country flights and the various costs associated with fielding a team. But why does Rice volleyball need to fly to Charlotte or FAU? The Owls might be better suited taking a bus to play Texas State, Sam Houston or Lamar.

More regionalized scheduling in non-football sports would cut costs and provide matchups with more appeal to local fans.

What stands in the way?

Having one school span multiple conferences wouldn’t be a first, but it would be a departure from the norm. Schools like Wichita State, a basketball member of the American Conference, don’t participate in football with the AAC schools. Notre Dame is a pseudo-football member with ACC but has retained its independent status.

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Playing football with one group of teams and other sports might seem unusual, but its far from unprecedented. Budget crunch or not, this is a solution that seems plausible and palatable for the future.

And the people say…

When the idea of regionalized scheduling started to be discussed, Rice football fans said it would change their attendance patterns. 58 percent of fans said a more regionalized schedule would cause them to attend more games, with 47 percent saying they would attend more away games if more Texas teams were added to the schedule.

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Rice Soccer: Owls set big goals for future

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Head coach Brian Lee has high expectations for the future of Rice soccer and he’s leaning on those nearby to help him reach those new heights.

The 2019 season was a positive step for Rice soccer. The Owls saw their win total rise from seven to 10 as the team adjusted well to the new leadership of coach Brian Lee. The modest improvement was an encouraging sign, but Lee didn’t sign up for 10 wins. He’s looking to turn Rice into a power on the national stage.

Lee’s strategy is two-fold. Recruit the best players and develop those on campus into the best versions of themselves. “I thought last fall was just fantastic evidence of that,” he said. “A huge percentage of [the players] maximized how good they could be in the short term.”

The Roost Podcast: Listen now to our Extended Offseason Interview Series

Those are the markers Lee uses to gauge where the program is headed. He doesn’t get too caught up in landmarks — win a Conference Title by Year X, win an NCAA Tournament Game by Year Y — instead he focuses on the micro level to influence those macro goals.

“Developmentally we’re seeing kids get better and better every day,” Lee said. Using that as a spring board for the Owls’ next steps.

Lee doesn’t have to look far for examples of recruiting and talent development done well. He cited the recent success of Rice Volleyball under Genny Volpe and Rice Women’s Basketball under Tina Langley. He hopes “to get where volleyball and basketball are on a Conference USA level. And to establish that for 12 months, for 24 months, as the norm.”

Volleyball has been to consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Basketball went to the NCAA’s last year and was on pace to do it again before their season was halted by COVID-19.

That’s a high standard, but Lee sees the success of those programs as proof that it’s more than possible.

“I think this is the best place to be a female student-athlete, or certainly one of the best places,” he said in praise of Rice Unversity. “it’s pretty awesome”

For now, Lee is working to emulate the successes of Volpe and Langley. He’s raising the talent level. He’s equipping the ladies on his roster right now. And most importantly, he’s elevating the brand of a program he believes has all it needs to take soar. In his eyes, there’s no better time to be an Owl than the present.

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“She’s Good”: Rice soccer has high hopes for senior Haley Kostyshyn

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Rice soccer senior Haley Kostyshyn turned heads in her first full collegiate season. Healthy and ready, her final season could be spectacular.

There was excitement when Ontario-native Haley Kostyshyn arrived in Houston.  A member of the 2015 Rice soccer recruiting class, her journey at South Main began somewhat quietly. Kostyshyn came off the bench in her first two seasons, earning two starts as a reserve before an injury stole her entire junior season.

That’s how Kostyshyn, in her senior year, saw her first extended action as a full-time player. The results were spectacular. Even though she was eighth on the team in minutes played, she led the team in points. Despite ceding time to other players, she tied for the team-lead in goals with Louise Stephens, who played 213 more minutes — nearly two and a half full games.

The stellar season was a pleasant surprise for Rice soccer coach Brian Lee. “I didn’t even know if she would actually play,” he admitted.

Not only did she play, she made the most of her time on and off the pitch. Lee said she worked hard and remained committed to “becoming the best player she can be.” Kostyshyn showcased some of that this fall, setting the stage for a terrific finale in 2020.

The Roost Podcast: Listen now to our Extended Offseason Interview Series

Kostyshyn is expected to lead the Owls next season. No longer on the mend, she’ll contend for All-Conference honors with a ceiling that Lee describes as “very high”, reaching into the professional ranks. For her, so much has changed in such a short time. It’s been quite a transformation, but all it took was a chance.

Lee wasn’t bashful when it comes to talks of Kostyshyn’s future. “She certainly can do even more,” he said. “She’s good.” If Kostyshyn’s can be that good in her first full season, the future is certainly bright indeed.

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