Owls Place Seven on CSC Division I Academic All-District® Football Team

Repeat selections Chike Anigbogu and Brant Banks lead a list of seven Rice football players named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division I Academic All-District® Football Team. They are joined by Enock Gota, Michael Larbie, Matt Sykes, Ty Morris, and Reese Keeney on the team, which recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Keeney, Larbie, Morris, and Sykes were named as finalists for Academica All-America honors, which will be announced on January 28 after voting by the CSC membership.

Anigbogu compiled a 3.89 GPA in his post-baccalaureate program after posting a 3.57 undergraduate GPA while majoring in Kinesiology. He joined with fellow six-year Josh Pearcy to set a school record by playing 58 games in his career.

Banks started all 25 games in his Rice career on the offensive line, with 13 at guard in 2023 and 12 at tackle in 2024, while completing work on his MBA, graduating with a 3.64 GPA.

Gota has a 3.56 GPA, double majoring in Business and Sport Management. He handled all the Owls' kickoff duties in 2024 and had the second-best touchback rate (80.43) in the American Athletics Conference (37 of 46).

Keeney has posted a 3.83 GPA in his first two years at Rice and gained his first playing time this past season, holding on al the Owls' place kicks. He also debuted as a punter with a 41-yard effort vs. Memphis.

Larbie enjoyed a career year on the field in his final season while pursuing his master's in Bioengineering and posting a 3.77 GPA. He set career highs with 3.5 sacks (tied for second on the team) and 5.5 tackles for loss among his 16 tackles. He also finished second on the team with a career-best 14 quarterback hurries.

Morris finished second on the team with 56 tackles in his first year as a starter at linebacker while posting a 3.54 GPA in his second year of college.

Sykes earned honorable mention all-conference honors after a standout final season in college. He led the Owls with 65 receptions, 782 yards, and five receiving touchdowns. His 65 receptions were tied for fifth in the AAC and ranked eighth all-time at Rice, while his 782 yards were eighth in the AAC. In the classroom, he posted a 3.78 GPA while working towards his master's in Global Affairs.

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