Killgore, Newman Join Owls Soccer Staff
8/7/2024 4:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HOUSTON – Rice soccer head coach Brian Lee has announced the additions of Rice soccer all-time great Bella Killgore and Braxton Newman to the 2024 Rice soccer staff. Killgore makes her return to Rice as a goalkeeper coach while Newman will be the director of operations.
Killgore returns home for the 2024 season, having played her college days with Rice from 2018-22. During her five-year career, Rice captured two regular season titles and one CUSA tournament title (2020-21), where the Owls advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. She was a two-time CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, two-time All-CUSA First Team and a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honoree in 2021.
She currently holds the school records in games played (91), games started (90), wins (46), saves (375), and goalie minutes played (7589:04), while being second in career shutouts (25). Killgore started 90 consecutive matches from her freshman to senior year.
"I could not be any more excited to be adding Bella to our staff. She is one of the finest student-athletes of her generation at Rice," Lee said. "A two-time Scholar-Athlete All-American, conference player of the year, and outstanding member of the Rice community as a student – she brings a wealth of experience to our goalkeeper group and team as a whole. Most importantly, she is the kind of person and role model I would want my own daughter around every day. Our young women will benefit greatly on and off the field from her joining the program."
Newman joins the staff full-time as the director of operations, having served with the team last season as a volunteer.
With the Owls, Newman will oversee the day-to-day operations for Rice soccer in addition to team travel, meals, apparel and daily communications. Newman earned a degree in organizational leadership in 2007 from Wright State and later earned a Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2010.
"Braxton brings a wealth of real-world experience and professionalism to the position," Lee said. "Having him join the program will benefit our student-athletes in a myriad of ways and I am looking forward to the positive influence his skillset will have on the future of Rice soccer."
Killgore returns home for the 2024 season, having played her college days with Rice from 2018-22. During her five-year career, Rice captured two regular season titles and one CUSA tournament title (2020-21), where the Owls advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. She was a two-time CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, two-time All-CUSA First Team and a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honoree in 2021.
She currently holds the school records in games played (91), games started (90), wins (46), saves (375), and goalie minutes played (7589:04), while being second in career shutouts (25). Killgore started 90 consecutive matches from her freshman to senior year.
"I could not be any more excited to be adding Bella to our staff. She is one of the finest student-athletes of her generation at Rice," Lee said. "A two-time Scholar-Athlete All-American, conference player of the year, and outstanding member of the Rice community as a student – she brings a wealth of experience to our goalkeeper group and team as a whole. Most importantly, she is the kind of person and role model I would want my own daughter around every day. Our young women will benefit greatly on and off the field from her joining the program."
Newman joins the staff full-time as the director of operations, having served with the team last season as a volunteer.
With the Owls, Newman will oversee the day-to-day operations for Rice soccer in addition to team travel, meals, apparel and daily communications. Newman earned a degree in organizational leadership in 2007 from Wright State and later earned a Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2010.
"Braxton brings a wealth of real-world experience and professionalism to the position," Lee said. "Having him join the program will benefit our student-athletes in a myriad of ways and I am looking forward to the positive influence his skillset will have on the future of Rice soccer."
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