PR Club to Honor Bernick, Ley, Simpson, ’87 XC Team
10/19/2018 9:50:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, R Association
Set for Nov. 2 in “R” Room
HOUSTON – The PR Club, Men's Track and Field's Sports Interest Group, has announced the details for its annual Fall Event. The Friday, Nov. 2 ceremony will honor Wendel Ley, Dr. Charles Bernick, Zoe Simpson and the 1987 cross-country team.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres, followed by the start of the program at 7 p.m. For all non-PR Club Members the ticket cost is $65 (proceeds benefit men's T&F, Current PR Club members receive two free tickets to the event) and seating will be limited. Interested parties may RSVP via Lizzie Yoshida (ey6@rice.edu / 713-348-2864) by Oct. 24. Reservations can also go through Rice men's T&F/XC head coach Jon Warren (jhwarren@rice.edu / 713-348-6021).
The Honorees:
Wendel D. Ley was a dominating hurdler throughout his Rice career, culminating in his leading the Owls to the SWC team title in 1931. Ley, along with his wife, Audrey Moody Ley, spent much of their post-Rice lives giving back to Rice University and the entire Houston community. At Rice, it is not only the track that bears the Ley name, but also the baseball scoreboard and the Ley Student Center as well. His impact was so great at Rice University that he received the Alumni Association's Gold Medal for Distinguished Service (he was President of the Alumni Association and a member of Rice's Board of Governors), the Distinguished "R" Award, he was a founding member of the Owl Club and, finally, he received the Maurice Hirsh Award for Lifetime Philanthropy. In the community, he has supported many organizations including, but not limited to the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, and the United Fund Board.
A vital member of the Rice 1972 NCAA Regional Championship cross country team, Dr. Charles Bernick followed his collegiate athletic and academic career by attending medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern. He continued his medical education with a neurology residency at the University of Miami, a fellowship in neurology at the University of Arizona and a master's in public health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is a recognized leader in the field of neurology, having focused his professional efforts on the treatment, research and care of Alzheimer's disease and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma). He has maintained his passion for running and, in addition to his daily medical routine; he is the track and cross-country coach at the Meadows School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A dominating sprinter, Zoe set the Rice University record in the 100 at 10.26 in 1974 and was the Southwest Conference champion in the event in 1976. He competed in the Olympic Trials in both the 100 and 200. After Rice, he joined the high school coaching and teaching profession. He had a positive influence on the lives of thousands of young people while coaching cross country, track and field and teaching English. His cross-country teams at Kingwood HS won 7 Texas State Championships, including six consecutive, along with two National Championships. In track and field, Zoe also coached 34 individual State qualifiers, 24 State medalists and 11 State Champions. Coach Simpson left the coaching ranks in 2000 to become Humble ISD Athletic Director. The Kingwood HS Invitational was renamed the Zoe Simpson Invitational in his honor. After retiring from the AD position in 2008 Zoe returned to coaching at Kingwood HS as an Assistant Coach to his daughter Christie-a highlight of his illustrious career.
Led by head coach Steve Straub, the 1987 cross-country team matched the highest NCAA Cross Country finish ever by Rice University (also 19th in 1978). The team of Tony Martinez, Jon Warren, Alfredo Gomez, Rich Dissly, Shawn Smith, Bill Barrett, and Lance Benedict represented the Owls at the NCAA Championships in Virginia. Prior to that, the group finished second at the Southwest Conference Championships to eventual NCAA champion Arkansas.
The PR Club, which is dedicated to promoting Rice University men's track & field and cross country excellence, is the Sports Interest Group of the Rice Athletics Fund that supports the Rice men's T&F and cross country programs through financial contributions. Funds raised by the PR Club cover approved costs such as equipment, travel, medical care, and much more.
-RiceOwls.com-
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres, followed by the start of the program at 7 p.m. For all non-PR Club Members the ticket cost is $65 (proceeds benefit men's T&F, Current PR Club members receive two free tickets to the event) and seating will be limited. Interested parties may RSVP via Lizzie Yoshida (ey6@rice.edu / 713-348-2864) by Oct. 24. Reservations can also go through Rice men's T&F/XC head coach Jon Warren (jhwarren@rice.edu / 713-348-6021).
The Honorees:
Wendel D. Ley was a dominating hurdler throughout his Rice career, culminating in his leading the Owls to the SWC team title in 1931. Ley, along with his wife, Audrey Moody Ley, spent much of their post-Rice lives giving back to Rice University and the entire Houston community. At Rice, it is not only the track that bears the Ley name, but also the baseball scoreboard and the Ley Student Center as well. His impact was so great at Rice University that he received the Alumni Association's Gold Medal for Distinguished Service (he was President of the Alumni Association and a member of Rice's Board of Governors), the Distinguished "R" Award, he was a founding member of the Owl Club and, finally, he received the Maurice Hirsh Award for Lifetime Philanthropy. In the community, he has supported many organizations including, but not limited to the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, and the United Fund Board.
A vital member of the Rice 1972 NCAA Regional Championship cross country team, Dr. Charles Bernick followed his collegiate athletic and academic career by attending medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern. He continued his medical education with a neurology residency at the University of Miami, a fellowship in neurology at the University of Arizona and a master's in public health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is a recognized leader in the field of neurology, having focused his professional efforts on the treatment, research and care of Alzheimer's disease and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma). He has maintained his passion for running and, in addition to his daily medical routine; he is the track and cross-country coach at the Meadows School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A dominating sprinter, Zoe set the Rice University record in the 100 at 10.26 in 1974 and was the Southwest Conference champion in the event in 1976. He competed in the Olympic Trials in both the 100 and 200. After Rice, he joined the high school coaching and teaching profession. He had a positive influence on the lives of thousands of young people while coaching cross country, track and field and teaching English. His cross-country teams at Kingwood HS won 7 Texas State Championships, including six consecutive, along with two National Championships. In track and field, Zoe also coached 34 individual State qualifiers, 24 State medalists and 11 State Champions. Coach Simpson left the coaching ranks in 2000 to become Humble ISD Athletic Director. The Kingwood HS Invitational was renamed the Zoe Simpson Invitational in his honor. After retiring from the AD position in 2008 Zoe returned to coaching at Kingwood HS as an Assistant Coach to his daughter Christie-a highlight of his illustrious career.
Led by head coach Steve Straub, the 1987 cross-country team matched the highest NCAA Cross Country finish ever by Rice University (also 19th in 1978). The team of Tony Martinez, Jon Warren, Alfredo Gomez, Rich Dissly, Shawn Smith, Bill Barrett, and Lance Benedict represented the Owls at the NCAA Championships in Virginia. Prior to that, the group finished second at the Southwest Conference Championships to eventual NCAA champion Arkansas.
The PR Club, which is dedicated to promoting Rice University men's track & field and cross country excellence, is the Sports Interest Group of the Rice Athletics Fund that supports the Rice men's T&F and cross country programs through financial contributions. Funds raised by the PR Club cover approved costs such as equipment, travel, medical care, and much more.
-RiceOwls.com-
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