2025 was filled with highs and lows for Rice Athletics. The Roost picked out 10 moments that stood out the most along the way.
10. Rice Football defeats Louisiana in Scott Abell’s debut
On the road as double-digit underdogs against a team that played for a conference championship the season prior, Abell’s track record of overcoming tall odds got off to a tremendous start. The new-look offense did just enough as the defense slammed the door to secure a program-defining debut win in a season in which every victory mattered.
9. Rice Women’s Basketball upsets 1-Seed UTSA in Conference Tournament
These Owls were made for March, it seems. Following a disappointing regular season in which the program had to settle for the No. 9 Seed, Rice knocked off top-seeded UTSA in the quarterfinals on their way to a second consecutive championship game appearance.
8. Rice Soccer finishes runner-up in American Conference Tournament
Sticking with the theme of postseason runs, Rice soccer nearly capped off a strong 10-4-6 season with an NCAA Tournament berth, but fell just short in the championship game, dropping a 1-0 decision to Rice. Still, a penalty kick win over South Florida in the semifinals proved thrilling.
7. Rice Baseball hires David Pierce midseason
In an unprecedented move, Rice fired head coach Jose Cruz Jr. and hired David Pierce, all in the matter of a few weeks. Pierce got right to work, starting midseason and guiding the Owls to a .500 finish over his last 20 games of the season — Rice had a .190 winning percentage before he arrived.
6. Rice Football beats UConn in 20T
The theory entering the year was that the uniqueness of the gun option system would give Rice football an element of surprise at least once, leading to an upset of a team oddsmakers projected to be much better than the Owls on paper. It turns out that came against a surprising nine-win UConn team. Rice rallied from a modest halftime deficit to stun the Huskies with a walk-off touchdown by Quinton Jackson in double overtime.
5. Rice Men’s Tennis takes home two titles
The men’s tennis program hit an upswing this year, securing multiple titles along the way. The team won the American Conference Championship as a team, defeating host (and No. 2 Seed) Memphis. They also took the doubles crown with the tandem of Petro Kuzmenok and Santiago Navarro defeating No. 2 Seed Charlotte’s top pair in the title match.
4. Rice Swimming and Diving Conf. Champ.
A year ago, Rice added diving to its portfolio of NCAA sponsored sports. The thinking at the time was that the Owls could be title contenders if they played with the full allotment of resources permitted. Fast-forward to 2025 and Rice did indeed win it all, clinching a conference championship in Swimming and Diving for the first time since 2013-2014.
3. Rice Volleyball wins 17 in a row enroute to NCAA Tournament
It took a few weeks to get going as the Owls battled it out with a vigorous non-conference schedule, but once conference play arrived, Rice volleyball was hard to beat. The Owls won 17 consecutive matches, clinching an American Conference Tournament Championship and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament where they would eventually lose to Florida.
2. Rice Football goes bowling
As recently as 24 hours before selection day, the odds of Rice football going bowling seemed slim. Then Kansas State opted out that Sunday morning and Rice football was Armed Forces Bowl bound. Abell made it clear he doesn’t want to get in on APR again, but he’s happy for the extra opportunity for his program and the Owls are heading to Fort Worth with the intention of bringing home a trophy.
1. Gateway Project announced
The announcement of The Gateway Project, a transformative commitment by Rice University to its football program and its athletic institutions made waves on a national scale. The project, scheduled to be completed prior to the 2028 season, will see Rice Stadium fully renovated and a new gateway to Rice Village installed.
Honorable Mentions…
How about you? Which of these moments from Rice Athletics did you enjoy the most? Cutting this down to 10 was challenging. Which Rice Athletics events should be added to the list?
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