A Tradition of Excellence: The History of Rice University Baseball

The Rice Owls baseball team, representing Rice University in Houston, Texas, boasts a rich history dating back to 1913. From its early days as a founding member of the Southwest Conference to its modern-day prominence in the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference, Rice has established itself as a force in college baseball. This article explores the key moments, figures, and traditions that have shaped the Rice Owls baseball program.

Early Years and Southwest Conference Era

The Rice Owls baseball team has represented Rice University since its inception in 1913. For 83 years, Rice competed in the Southwest Conference, of which it was a founding member until the conference disbanded in 1996. Despite their long tenure, the Owls struggled for consistency during this era, finishing in the bottom half of the conference standings 72 times and ending up in last place 24 times.

The Wayne Graham Era: A New Dawn

The modern era of Rice baseball began in 1992 with the arrival of head coach Wayne Graham. Graham, who had previously led San Jacinto College to five junior college championships, transformed the Rice program into a national powerhouse. His 27-year tenure saw the Owls achieve unprecedented success, marked by consistent winning seasons and deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.

Dominance in Conference Play

From 1997 to 2008, Rice dominated its conference, winning 12 consecutive regular-season titles. Nine of these championships came in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), while the final three were won in Conference USA. This remarkable streak showcased the team's consistency and Graham's ability to maintain a high level of play year after year. Although the streak ended in 2009, Rice still captured the post-season tournament title that year, demonstrating their continued competitiveness.

National Recognition

In 2008, Baseball America recognized Rice's achievements by ranking it as the best baseball program in the nation based on a nine-year survey of all 293 Division I programs since 1999. This accolade highlighted the program's sustained excellence and its impact on the college baseball landscape.

The 2003 National Championship: A Crowning Achievement

The pinnacle of Rice baseball history came in 2003 when the Owls won their first national championship in a team sport.

Road to the College World Series

Rice entered the 2003 postseason on a high, having won 30 consecutive games early in the season and claiming the WAC regular-season championship. They swept through the regional round, defeating McNeese State and Wichita State at Reckling Park to advance to the super regionals. In a thrilling super regional matchup, Rice faced cross-town rival Houston. After defeating the Cougars, Rice advanced to the College World Series in Omaha.

Championship Series Victory

In the best-of-three championship series, Rice faced Stanford. The Owls won the first game with a walk-off victory, as Chris Kolkhorst scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the 10th inning. Stanford responded by winning the second game, but Rice dominated the final game, winning 14-2 to secure the national championship.

Celebrations and Recognition

Following their championship victory, the Owls were honored with a parade in Houston. The University commissioned a painting of the championship to sell to fans and alumni. The team also visited the White House, where then-President George W. Bush congratulated them on their achievement.

Rivalries

Rice has developed several significant rivalries over the years, adding to the excitement and intensity of their baseball program.

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University of Houston

Since their first meeting in 1948, Rice has played Houston 191 times, meeting for each of the past 37 seasons. Since 1998, the season-long series between these two teams has been known as the Silver Glove series. These games are always highly anticipated by fans and players alike.

University of Texas

Rice first played Texas in 1915, the inaugural year of the Southwest Conference. While Rice struggled against the Longhorns for many years, the rivalry has become more competitive since Wayne Graham's arrival in 1994. The two teams have met twice in the College World Series, with Texas handing Rice a first-round loss in 2002. The rivalry is considered one of the most intense in college baseball.

Reckling Park: Home of the Owls

Rice plays its home games at Reckling Park, a stadium located on the Rice campus in Houston, Texas. The stadium has a capacity of 5,368 and provides a great atmosphere for college baseball.

Notable Players

Rice has produced numerous talented players who have gone on to play in the major leagues.

Major League Talent

Rice has sent more than 20 players on to the major leagues. Some of the most notable include All-Star pitcher Norm Charlton, Gold Glover José Cruz Jr., perfect game pitcher Philip Humber, five-time All-Star Lance Berkman, and All-MLB third baseman Anthony Rendon.

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All-Time Starting Nine

An all-time starting nine for Rice would include players like Enrique Cruz, Bubba Crosby, and Dane Bubela. Allen played 219 games in a Rice uniform, which is also in the top 10 of Rice lore. He was the second in a run of speedy infielders, as Ben Matthews (84 steals) set the stolen base mark just prior to Allen. Outfield: Jose Cruz, Jr. Cruz, Jr. was a three-time All-American for the Owls, and rightfully so. His name is all over the top-10s of the Rice record books. Cruz, Jr. Here’s one day he'll always be remembered for. On Feb. 9, 1995, Cruz, Jr. went off against Southwest Texas State for 10 RBI. Of course, it helped that he had three home runs in that game. Those three home runs were part of another streak. Cruz, Jr. homered in his last at-bat against Austin State the prior game, giving him four straight home runs. File under no-brainer. Berkman was one of the best collegiate bats of his era, a perennial threat across the statistical board in average, home runs and run production. Berkman led the Owls in batting in 1996 (.398) and ’97 (.431), while still holding the lead or placing in the top five in most offensive categories. Berkman was a two-time All-American and found himself on two All-Regional teams, taking home Most Outstanding Player honors in 1997. He was also the 1997 NCBWA National Player of the Year. Berkman’s legacy will last for eternity as he was enshrined in both the Rice and College Baseball Hall of Fame. Poor Vincent Sinisi. He's certainly overshadowed by Berkman, but the "other" Rice first baseman definitely deserves a shoutout. The name Bubba alone seems worthy of all-time praise, but Crosby has the stats to claim his spot in the lineup. While seeing his name across the top 10 of nearly every run-producing category in the Rice record books is impressive, here's one better. Crosby blasted a home run in seven consecutive games from April 7-17 in 1998, including a four-homer performance on April 11 against New Mexico. But wait, there's more. Crosby's 1998 season was all about streaks, as he set the Rice mark with a 30-game hitting streak. Rendon began his career with Rice earning Baseball America's Freshman of the Year honors. His 2010 season is arguably the single-best in Rice history. Rendon took home just about every honor that season, including the 2010 Dick Howser Award as the nation's best collegiate baseball player. He hit .394 with 85 RBI in 2010 while blasting 26 home runs. That's four more home runs than times he struck out. All-American Eric Arnold was tough to overlook, as was Paul Janish from the 2003 team. But Thames' numbers were comparable in just two seasons at Rice. His .399 batting average is tops in program history as he was a hit machine, with not one but both of the top single-season marks for hits with 120 in 1998 and 118 In 1999. This wasn’t an easy choice. Austin Davis could have easily earned this spot as Rice's career leader in both hits and doubles, as well as being a key bat on the 2003 CWS championship team. Knoblauh gets the nod thanks to a 1987 All-American campaign. He started his Owls career with a home run in his first at bat and finished his career amongst Rice's all-time leaders in the categories we love most: the power numbers. Knoblauh is fourth all-time in runs (20 behind Davis with 203), ninth in RBI (185), second in triples (15) and sixth in home runs (39). Sims became a fixture behind home plate in his sophomore season and continued to improve through his final year in Houston. That 1958 season, Sims hit .327, but it was always about how he handled the pitching staff, known for his defensive and receiving skills.

Wayne Graham: The Architect of Success

Wayne Graham's impact on Rice baseball cannot be overstated. His leadership, coaching expertise, and dedication to the program transformed the Owls into a national contender.

Coaching Legacy

Coach Graham is Rice baseball. His 1,173 wins over his 27-year tenure say it all. That's not simply compiling wins over a long time, that's an average of 43.4 victories a season, highlighted by a run of 16 straight 40-win seasons. His .689 winning percentage is the best in school history and he coached more games than anyone else by a large margin. Not enough? Ok, how about the Owls' 23 straight trips to the NCAA tournament under his tutelage, third-best all-time in college baseball history? Graham's influence extends beyond wins and losses, as he instilled a culture of excellence and helped develop countless players who have achieved success both on and off the field.

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