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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 LB DJ Arkansas commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football class picked up a major commitment from Denton Ryan linebacker DJ Arkansas, the highest-rated member of the Owls’ class.

For DJ Arkansas, things have finally come full circle. The linebacker was the first defensive player offered a spot in the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class. That offer came back in October when the Owls were making their initial foray into the 2021 class.

Rice is historically choosy with its offers, making the first offer all the more important. It was noteworthy they opened their 2021 defensive class with a push to get the Denton Ryan defender on board. Rice made their overture clear and continued to build that relationship over time. That focus has paid dividends.

After receiving offers from schools across the country from San Diego State on the West Coast to Duke on the East Coast, the Texas native has made his decision. Even though he shares a namesake with Arkansas, who extended him an offer and made a push to woo him to the SEC, DJ Arkansas has committed to Rice.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

Arkansas is the third linebacker and the fifth player to join the 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class. He joins Aidan Siano and Kenny Seymour at his position as well as offensive lineman Faaeanuu Pepe and defensive lineman Blake Boenisch. Altogether, the group represents the highest-rated recruiting class in Conference USA.

This is a huge addition for the Owls. Arkansas brings a fire and focus on the field that should make him an elite defender in Conference USA. He’s aggressive but smart. He’s knowledgable enough to know when to let the play develop and when to strike. Perhaps more important than anything else, he can get to the quarterback in a hurry and put him on the turf. Arkansas is a stopper and an exciting addition to a defense that’s already trending in the right direction.

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Rice Football: Bradley Rozner granted additional eligibility

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Rice football received some good news. Wide receiver Bradley Rozner has two more years of eligibility following a waiver from the NCAA.

The upcoming 2020 Rice football season will not be the final year of eligibility for wide receiver Bradley Rozner. The NCAA has granted him a waiver for an additional year of eligibility beyond 2020. That effectively makes Rozner a redshirt sophomore entering the season ahead. He’ll now have two more years of eligibility rather than just one.

Rozner missed his freshman season with injuries before his breakout “sophomore” campaign in 2018. He led all junior college players in touchdown receptions that year, paving the way for his jump to the next level.

More: Brad Rozner – The Roost’s Rice Football newcomer of the Year 

The lanky wideout was a raw talent when he arrived at Rice. The coaching staff new he had ability, but how it would translate to the D1 level was somewhat of an unknown. Rozner took some time to assimilate, but the growth that began in fall camp continued to progress as the season went on.

He flashed some big play ability in his early games, including 100-yard outings against Wake Forest and Baylor. He caught his first D1 touchdown against UAB and followed it with a score in the Owls’ following game against UTSA.

Then his big day finally came. With Rice still in search of their first victory of the 2019 season, Rozner went off. Against Middle Tennessee No. 2 caught three touchdown passes in the first half, spotting the Owls a sizable lead on the road. Rice would go on to win 31-28, thanks in large part to the eight receptions, three scores and 130 yards racked up by Rozner.

He finished the year with, 55 catches, 770 yards and five touchdowns. He and Austin Trammell should once again be one of the better receiving duos in Conference USA this season. Keeping Rozner for another year in addition to several up-and-coming young receivers is fantastic news for the Rice offense for seasons to come.

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Rice Volleyball: Raising the bar for 2020 and beyond

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Rice Volleyball won its first NCAA Tournament match in school history in 2019. How will the Owls’ measure future success in light of that achievement?

How do you improve on the best season you’ve ever had? That’s the question hanging over Rice Volleyball this offseason. The Owls will lose several key pieces and ask new ones to help carry the load. The objective will always be to win, but the standard has been set higher than it’s ever been before.

Coach Genny Volpe has made the program’s expectations crystal clear.

“Getting to the NCAA Tournament is our expectation, and its been our expectation to continue to elevate and advance in the tournament, but for me, and more importantly, are we maximizing our potential? Are we improving when we get on the court daily? Because then all of those things fall into place.

In the midst of a world that focuses all too often on the end result, Volpe remains committed to the journey. Rather than use terms like optimist or realist, Volpe calls herself “a real process-oriented type of person.”

That mindset is apropos to the culture of Rice Athletics and it makes a lot of sense. It takes so many things to go right to reach the pinnacle of any endeavor. There can only be one national champion every year. Reaching that apex takes effort and focus, but it also takes a little bit of luck.

Volpe knows that she can train consistency and focus. If she does that, the Owls will be set up to capitalize on any breaks that do come her way. And they’ll be better prepared to navigate the obstacles that will inevitably appear as well.

Seasons are measured in wins and losses, but that’s not the metric Volpe deems most vital. “Are we maximizing our potential?” is the question that runs through her head over and over again.

Potential is much more difficult to quantify. It can’t be measured by a number, rather calculated through less tangible facets: culture, chemistry, buy-in and others.

Seamlessly integrating newcomers into a program that has already found a productive rhythm is a challenge, but one that will prove vital toward the Owls’ success on the court next fall. Volpe’s messaging is consistent in that arena as well. “Find what your role is, no matter how big or how small, and embrace it for the good of the team.” Compiling those roles into offensive and defensive strategies is the starting point for what Rice hopes will be another year of record-setting success.

“It’s going to take work. There’s no question we lost a lot of pieces to that puzzle,” Volpe said. But there was no hesitation in her voice. The talent to win exists on the roster. Her job is to assemble the pieces, something she’s excelled at in her decade-plus tenure at Rice.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 28 – JP Abercrumbie discusses Rice Athletics off the field

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The Roost Podcast returns with special guest JP Abercrumbie to talk about what Rice Athletics is doing for its current student athletes off the field.

Most who listen to this show are well aware of what Rice Athletics is doing on the field. Whether its the Rice football team, basketball team, tennis squad or somewhere in between, athletic achievement seldom goes unrecognized. But there’s so much more to the student-athlete experience at South Main.

Assistant Athletic Director for Student Development JP Abercrumbie joins the show this week to share more on what else the Owls are doing for their athletes. She gives a behind-the-scenes look at the efforts of the administration to care for these students when they step away from the field of competition.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, Give a listen to Episode 28.


Episode 28 Notes

  • Housekeeping — If you like the show, please don’t forget to rate and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. Spreading the word helps and your voice matters!
  • JP Abercrumbie joins the show — JP pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of Rice Athletics, shining a light on the programs and people working every day to make the lives’ of Rice student-athletes better. We discussed:
    • Her journey to Rice and how she first got interested in student development
    • Programs and events her department has worked on over the past several months and how those are currently impacting Rice athletes
    • How her team is responding to the current environment
    • Her officemates (Beary the Bear and Jephee the Goat) and some of her favorite funny moments at Rice so far

Jephee Beary

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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From good to great, the continued ascent of Rice Volleyball’s Nicole Lennon

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Rice Volleyball had playmakers from top to bottom of their roster, making incredible Nicole Lennon’s 2019 season that much more impressive.

There have been few seasons in Rice volleyball history as dominant as Nicole Lennon’s 2019 campaign. The Preseason C-USA Player of the Year, Lennon took home seven of 12 C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Honors. She was a first-team All C-USA selection, a finalist for Houston Sports Collegiate Player of the Year and the team MVP.

Lennon tallied her 1,000th career dig this season and led C-USA in total kills (505). She had a season-high 32-kills against Stephen F Austin and 23 in the Owls’ upset over No. 3 Texas. She always delivered in the biggest moments.

The list of accomplishments is mounting. She already belongs on the shortlist of best Rice athletes of the decade. But the best could still be yet to come. At least, that’s what coach Genny Volpe sees when she watches how Lennon works and prepares off the court.

“Her volleyball IQ keeps getting higher and higher,” Volpe said. “Every year she continues to make gains in efficiency.”

The numbers bear out Volpe’s observation. Since her freshman season in 2017, Lennon has improved her hitting percentage by 129 percentage points (.159 to .288). Her kill count has risen from by 80 (425 to 505) and her points are up 75.5 (476.5 to 552).

Lennon’s sophomore stats were better than her freshman stats. She made another jump from sophomore year to junior year. If she maintains that trajectory, we might get to witness an even better version of Lennon in 2020. That’s an incredible notion to behold.

Lennon boasts the rare combination of elite athleticism and a relentless pursuit of excellence. “She’s somebody who doesn’t ever had a bad practice,” Volpe remarked. Adding that on Lennon’s self assessed “bad days” the outside hitter will stay late, pushing herself to be the best version of herself that she can be.

It’s that level of drive, of mental focus, that makes Lennon so dominant. Every match has ups and downs. Mistakes are made, even by players as consistent as Lennon. It’s those who have the mental fortitude and the focus to put look past those mistakes and move forward that are able to ascend from good to great.

Lennon was great last season. Watching her take the next step in 202o is going to special.

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