Snubbed Schools/Rice

[50's PONY]

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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: College Sports

Feb. 28, 2004, 1:50PM


Rice



·Where they were:
Southwest Conference, 1912-1996.

·Where they are:
Western Athletic Conference.

·Where they're going:
Conference USA in fall 2005.

·What they've done:
Seven consecutive WAC baseball titles (1997-2003), four trips to the College World Series (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003) and one national championship (2003) in baseball; three WNIT appearances (1998, 1999, 2002) and one NCAA appearance (2000) in women's basketball; three WAC men's cross country titles (1999, 2001, 2002); two WAC women's cross country titles (1999, 2003); three WAC women's indoor track-and-field titles (2000, 2001, 2003); three WAC women's outdoor track-and-field titles (2000, 2001, 2003); men's tennis currently ranked No. 8 in the country.

·What they haven't:
Despite posting a 35-28 record in WAC games, Rice football has yet to win the WAC title or appear in a bowl game since leaving the SWC. Men's basketball this year is trying for its first WAC regular-season and tournament titles and first postseason appearance since leaving the SWC.

·Since the SWC:
Rice has enjoyed more success across the board in its athletic department, but its stay in the ever-changing and far-reaching WAC hasn't helped the Owls succeed at the turnstiles.
While Boise State, Fresno State and Hawaii may have strong athletic programs, they carry little appeal to the average fan in Houston. Rice's impending move to C-USA will only help in this area, as the Owls will have the chance to grow regional rivalries with Houston, Tulane and Memphis.

Rice continues to post some of the nation's highest athlete graduation rates, and its coaches have shown tremendous loyalty to the program. Men's basketball coach Willis Wilson, women's basketball coach Cristy McKinney, football Ken Hatfield and baseball coach Wayne Graham have been at the school at least 10 years and were part of Rice's SWC years.

-- BRIAN McTAGGART



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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: College Sports
This article is: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2425444