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Rice University Athletics
Rice Trio Named Houston Sports Awards Finalists
12/12/2019 11:48:00 AM | Women's Basketball, Women's Volleyball
Lennon and Ogwumike College Athlete of the Year Candidates, Langley a Coach of Year nominee
HOUSTON – Rice University athletics was well represented on Thursday in the unveiling of the 2020 Houston Sports Awards nominees. Rice women's basketball head coach Tina Langley, senior guard Erica Ogwumike, and Rice volleyball junior outside hitter Nicole Lennon were selected as finalists in their respective categories.
Langley is a finalist for Coach of the Year while Lennon and Ogwumike are two of four candidates for the College Athlete of the Year.
Other finalists for Coach of the Year include A.J. Hinch (Houston Astros), Bill O'Brien (Houston Texans) and Kelvin Sampson (University of Houston). Lennon and Ogwumike are joined by Corey Davis (University of Houston men's basketball) and Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma football) as College Athlete of the Year finalists.
The trio will be a part of the awards show on Jan. 21, 2020 at the Hilton Americas.
The Houston Sports Awards, presented by Insperity, was created by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority to celebrate the most accomplished athletes, coaches, teams, contributors and moments in the Houston Sports Community.
About Tina Langley
In 2018-19, Langley and the Owls completed a historic season with a 28-4 record and swept the Conference USA regular season (16-0) and conference tournament. Rice became the first team in C-USA history to go undefeated in league play and win the conference tournament. The 28 wins established a new program record for the Owls and Rice advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years.
Langley was named C-USA Coach of the Year in a season where the Owls set a program record by winning 21 consecutive games and earned their first-ever AP Top-25 ranking.
Under Langley's guidance, three Owls earned All-Conference USA honors, as well as the C-USA Player of the Year (Erica Ogwumike), C-USA Defensive Player of the Year (Nancy Mulkey) and the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year (Lauren Grigsby).
About Nicole Lennon
Fresh off helping the Owls earn their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, Lennon earned both AVCA All-Region and C-USA First Team honors by recording 505 kills (4th-most in a Rice single-season) and 362 digs.
Lennon led the Owls to 27 wins, the second-most in school history, and a second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Owls entered the AVCA Top 25 for the first time in program history, climbing as high as No. 19 and staying in the poll for 11 consecutive weeks. Perhaps the highlight of the season came on Sept. 18 when Lennon posted 23 kills in an upset victory over the No. 3 Texas Longhorns.
Lennon established a league record with seven C-USA Offensive Player of the Week awards, backing up her C-USA Preseason Player of the Year accolades. The Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch HS) native ranks 11th in the NCAA in kills per set (4.78) and is 15th in points per set (5.22). Lennon recorded 20 double-doubles this season and had 20 or more kills in eight matches while also earning C-USA Volleyball All-Academic honors.
About Erica Ogwumike
Rice's first C-USA Women's Basketball Player of the Year as a junior, Ogwumike posted a banner season for the Owls, averaging16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. The Cypress Woods, Texas (Cypress Woods HS) native was named the C-USA Female Athlete of the Year, earned an invite to the U.S. Pan Am Team Trials and was named to the C-USA Women's Basketball All-Academic Team.
Ogwumike was a catalyst on a Rice team that won a school record 28 games, became the first team in league history to go undefeated in league play (16-0) and also win the conference tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.
The C-USA Preseason Player of the Year this season, Ogwumike is currently on four different national watch lists, including the Naismith Trophy Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Watch List (Top 35 players in nation) and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Watch List.
-RiceOwls.com-
Langley is a finalist for Coach of the Year while Lennon and Ogwumike are two of four candidates for the College Athlete of the Year.
Other finalists for Coach of the Year include A.J. Hinch (Houston Astros), Bill O'Brien (Houston Texans) and Kelvin Sampson (University of Houston). Lennon and Ogwumike are joined by Corey Davis (University of Houston men's basketball) and Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma football) as College Athlete of the Year finalists.
The trio will be a part of the awards show on Jan. 21, 2020 at the Hilton Americas.
The Houston Sports Awards, presented by Insperity, was created by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority to celebrate the most accomplished athletes, coaches, teams, contributors and moments in the Houston Sports Community.
About Tina Langley
In 2018-19, Langley and the Owls completed a historic season with a 28-4 record and swept the Conference USA regular season (16-0) and conference tournament. Rice became the first team in C-USA history to go undefeated in league play and win the conference tournament. The 28 wins established a new program record for the Owls and Rice advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years.
Langley was named C-USA Coach of the Year in a season where the Owls set a program record by winning 21 consecutive games and earned their first-ever AP Top-25 ranking.
Under Langley's guidance, three Owls earned All-Conference USA honors, as well as the C-USA Player of the Year (Erica Ogwumike), C-USA Defensive Player of the Year (Nancy Mulkey) and the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year (Lauren Grigsby).
About Nicole Lennon
Fresh off helping the Owls earn their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, Lennon earned both AVCA All-Region and C-USA First Team honors by recording 505 kills (4th-most in a Rice single-season) and 362 digs.
Lennon led the Owls to 27 wins, the second-most in school history, and a second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Owls entered the AVCA Top 25 for the first time in program history, climbing as high as No. 19 and staying in the poll for 11 consecutive weeks. Perhaps the highlight of the season came on Sept. 18 when Lennon posted 23 kills in an upset victory over the No. 3 Texas Longhorns.
Lennon established a league record with seven C-USA Offensive Player of the Week awards, backing up her C-USA Preseason Player of the Year accolades. The Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch HS) native ranks 11th in the NCAA in kills per set (4.78) and is 15th in points per set (5.22). Lennon recorded 20 double-doubles this season and had 20 or more kills in eight matches while also earning C-USA Volleyball All-Academic honors.
About Erica Ogwumike
Rice's first C-USA Women's Basketball Player of the Year as a junior, Ogwumike posted a banner season for the Owls, averaging16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. The Cypress Woods, Texas (Cypress Woods HS) native was named the C-USA Female Athlete of the Year, earned an invite to the U.S. Pan Am Team Trials and was named to the C-USA Women's Basketball All-Academic Team.
Ogwumike was a catalyst on a Rice team that won a school record 28 games, became the first team in league history to go undefeated in league play (16-0) and also win the conference tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.
The C-USA Preseason Player of the Year this season, Ogwumike is currently on four different national watch lists, including the Naismith Trophy Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List, USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Watch List (Top 35 players in nation) and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Watch List.
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
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