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Ariana Ince Qualifies for U.S. Olympic Team
7/1/2021 12:39:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Heads to Tokyo in August
HOUSTON – Rice track and field alumna Ariana Ince will don the red, white, and blue and represent Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this summer, the organization announced on Thursday (July 1).
"If you had told me my freshman year at Rice that I would be an Olympian I would have been surprised," Ince said. "If you had told me my first Olympic team wouldn't be until I was 32, in an event I didn't event do yet and after a global pandemic I would have laughed at you. Rice was so instrumental both for introducing me to a new event but also supporting me in my training long after I graduated. I'm thrilled to represent Rice and the USA on a global stage."
Ince qualified with a No. 16 World Ranking score of 1203. Last weekend, Ince placed fourth in the javelin at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon with a throw of 57.49m. Earlier this year Ince placed second at the USATF Throws Fest in Tucson, Arizona with a season-best throw of 61.64m.
Ince '11 began her Rice career in the pole vault under Rice head coach Jim Bevan where she was a C-USA champion in both 2010 and 2011 in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. During those two seasons, Ince also helped lead the Owls to consecutive C-USA Indoor titles.
She switched to the javelin her junior year and capped her career with a second place finish at the C-USA Championships as a senior while finishing 14th at the NCAA West Prelims.
"We are so very excited about Ariana Ince being selected to represent the USA at the Olympic Games," Rice women's track & field head coach Jim Bevan said. "It is a testament to hard work and perseverance on the part of Ari and her support group. She has stayed at it for 10 years since she graduated from Rice, where she was primarily a pole vaulter before making the switch to the javelin and has consistently improved herself to become one of the best throwers in the world."
"It hasn't been easy for her and it has been a long road. I remember her recruiting trip from Gonzalez, Texas and how impressed we were with Ari. She told me she played volleyball (some football!), basketball, track and softball. When I asked her what position in softball she said outfield. I asked if she had a good arm and she replied "I can throw the ball from the fence to home plate on the fly". I followed up with the statement "you might be able to throw the javelin for us". She's just a great athlete, a great person, and we are so proud to have another Owl as an Olympian!"
The Eva Jean Lee Award winner in 2011, Ince will make her first Olympic appearance at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 3 in the qualifying round and should she advance the finals would take place on Friday, Aug. 6.
"If you had told me my freshman year at Rice that I would be an Olympian I would have been surprised," Ince said. "If you had told me my first Olympic team wouldn't be until I was 32, in an event I didn't event do yet and after a global pandemic I would have laughed at you. Rice was so instrumental both for introducing me to a new event but also supporting me in my training long after I graduated. I'm thrilled to represent Rice and the USA on a global stage."
Ince qualified with a No. 16 World Ranking score of 1203. Last weekend, Ince placed fourth in the javelin at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon with a throw of 57.49m. Earlier this year Ince placed second at the USATF Throws Fest in Tucson, Arizona with a season-best throw of 61.64m.
Ince '11 began her Rice career in the pole vault under Rice head coach Jim Bevan where she was a C-USA champion in both 2010 and 2011 in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. During those two seasons, Ince also helped lead the Owls to consecutive C-USA Indoor titles.
She switched to the javelin her junior year and capped her career with a second place finish at the C-USA Championships as a senior while finishing 14th at the NCAA West Prelims.
"We are so very excited about Ariana Ince being selected to represent the USA at the Olympic Games," Rice women's track & field head coach Jim Bevan said. "It is a testament to hard work and perseverance on the part of Ari and her support group. She has stayed at it for 10 years since she graduated from Rice, where she was primarily a pole vaulter before making the switch to the javelin and has consistently improved herself to become one of the best throwers in the world."
"It hasn't been easy for her and it has been a long road. I remember her recruiting trip from Gonzalez, Texas and how impressed we were with Ari. She told me she played volleyball (some football!), basketball, track and softball. When I asked her what position in softball she said outfield. I asked if she had a good arm and she replied "I can throw the ball from the fence to home plate on the fly". I followed up with the statement "you might be able to throw the javelin for us". She's just a great athlete, a great person, and we are so proud to have another Owl as an Olympian!"
The Eva Jean Lee Award winner in 2011, Ince will make her first Olympic appearance at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 3 in the qualifying round and should she advance the finals would take place on Friday, Aug. 6.
-RiceOwls.com-
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