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Rice University Athletics
Conley and Rickard Sign With Rice
11/9/2022 6:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Signing Day 2022
HOUSTON – Rice women's basketball head coach Lindsay Edmonds announced on Wednesday the addition of a pair of high school standouts who will join the Owls for the 2023-24 season.
Layla Conley (San Antonio, Texas/Harlan HS) and Pace Rickard (Grand Rapids, Michigan/Christian HS) signed their Nation Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
"Every year when we recruit, we look to add well-rounded student-athletes who embody our core values to our program and to Rice University," said head coach Lindsay Edmonds. "This year we did exactly that. Layla and Pace are both great basketball players but also tremendous students who will excel academically Rice as well. We are excited to welcome them both officially into our Owl Family."
Meet the Newest Owls
Layla Conley – 5'8" – GHometown: San Antonio, Texas
High School: John Marshall Harlan (Head Coach Mannasha Bell)
AAU Program: SA Finest (Head Coach Ray Caldwell)
About Conley: Conley earned her third TABC All-Region 4 selection in 2022 as well as All-District 29-6A first-team honors as a junior after helping lead the Hawks to a 27-9 record and the Region 4 semifinals where they were eliminated by San Antonio Clark which was led by her future Rice teammate Hailey Adams… She was named Harlan's offensive MVP after averaging 16.1 points per game as a junior and has a career average of 13.5 heading into her senior year.
SA Finest coach Ray Caldwell on Conley: "Layla is the personification of a team player. When we needed her to efficiently make shots on talent-rich rosters, Layla met the challenge by leading us in shooting percentage. When we needed Layla to facilitate our offense, she led us in assist-to-turnover ratio. Being a naturally reserved person, her maturation as a vocal communicator showed her willingness to be coachable and grow. We are extremely proud of Layla. She will help coach Edmonds continue to build a culture of success"
Lindsay Edmonds on Conley:"Layla is another in-state talent that we are excited to add to our roster. She comes from a good high school program and plays for one of the best AAU programs in the state. Her teams have competed against the best and she has never backed down from anyone. Layla is an athletic combo guard who can shoot the basketball, but also has unbelievable court vision - her passes will wow you! Her long wingspan allows her to fly around on the court, creating havoc on the defensive end with deflections and steals. We are thrilled to add Layla to our program!"
Pace Rickard – 5'6" – PGHometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
High School: Grand Rapids Christian (Head Coach Crystal Strickland)
AAU Program: Ohio United (Head Coach Richard Jeter)
About Rickard: Rickard was an All-Region 11 honoree at Grand Rapids Christian as a junior, leading the Eagles deep into the MHSAA Division 2 Girls Basketball tournament before falling to state finalist, West Catholic.
Rickard has a connection to Rice through her grandfather, Paul Piper, who was a three-year letter winner as a runner back at Rice from 1962-64 and scored the first of the Owls' two touchdowns in their 14-14 tie with #1 Texas in 1962. One brother and sister played golf collegiately (Robert at Texas Tech, Piper at Wheaton) while her uncle (Rick Rickard) played baseball at TCU.
Grand Rapids Christian coach Crystal Strickland on Rickard: "Pace is a very determined and driven person. She is always striving to get better and grow as a person and a player. She is an engaging teammate who is a constant encourager and motivator for her teammates and those around her. She thrives when she is challenged and in competitive situations, she makes those around her better."
Lindsay Edmonds on Rickard: "Pace has had several family members who have competed at the collegiate level including a grandfather who played football here at Rice. It really is unique to have someone on your roster who is a legacy student-athlete because they understand the traditions and rich history of Rice Athletics a little more. Pace is a shooting guard who has the ability to stretch defenses with her deep range but also has crafty handles which allow her to create for others with confidence. I am excited to add Pace to our family!"
Conley and Rickard's future teammates will open their 2022-23 season on Thursday when they host Stephen F. Austin as part of a doubleheader with the Rice men's team.
Players Mentioned
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