Abdulky, Ogunlana Earn Top Honors at 2026 Night of the Owl

HOUSTON – Rice student-athletes and coaches celebrated a successful 2025-26 athletic season Monday evening at the annual Night of the Owl event, presented by SAAC and the "R" Association. Senior men's track and field athlete Cal Abdulky and senior volleyball athlete Lademi Ogunlana were awarded with the night's top honors, the Bob Quin and Joyce Pounds Hardy awards, respectively.

Abdulky becomes the 25^th men's track and field athlete in program history to earn the Bob Quin Award. A three-time American Conference champion between the hammer and weight throw events, Abdulky has collected seven All-Conference honors in his career. This indoor season, he was named the American Conference Performer of the Meet. A three-time NCAA West Prelim qualifier, Abdulky ranks second in the weight throw and third in the hammer throw all-time in Rice history.

A four-time conference academic honoree, Abdulky has also earned three USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors and was a Rice Honor Athlete. Abdulky will graduate in May with his MBA.

Ogunlana became the 10th Rice women's volleyball player to earn the Joyce Pounds Hardy Award. Ogunlana earned multiple American Conference honors this season, including Preseason All-Conference and Second Team All-Conference recognition, and was named American Offensive Player of the Week. She also earned AVCA All-Region honorable mention in 2024 and is a two-time recipient of the team's Sammy Spirit Award.

A sports medicine and exercise physiology double major, Ogunlana was named a 2025 CSC Academic All-District selection and earned a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team for the 2023-24 season. She also received the Conference USA Academic Medal and was named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2023.

Riley Kuhlman (men's track and field) and Neta Ussishkin (swimming and diving) were honored with the The Dr. Hubert E. Bray and Margie E. Sass Scholar Athlete of the Year awards, recognizing them as Rice's top student-athletes.

Daniel Zou (men's golf) and Lily Archibald (swimming and diving) were named the Male and Female Freshmen of the Year.

The Stancliff-Sass and Stancliff-Duckett "R" Association Scholarships went to Naija Bruckner (soccer) and Darby Harris (volleyball), respectively. Lademi Ogunlana (volleyball) received the Clanton/Winston Medical School Scholarship.

Andrew Murray (men's track and field) received the Leland Winston, MD Courage & Diligence Award, presented to the student-athlete who displayed exceptional courage and diligence in the face of a serious injury.

Efe Ustundag (men's tennis) was named Head Coach of the Year, while women's track and field associate head coach Andrea Blackett was named Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Excellence in Rice Athletics Award was presented Jim Bevan, Julie Griswold, Dean Miller and Stacy Mosely. The award is meant to honor an athlete, administrator, or community member who has gone above and beyond their role to embody the values of Rice Athletics and make a positive impact within the athletics community.

Rice football won the SAAC Cup. The SAAC Cup is a friendly competition between all Rice sports to motivate teams to attend the games of their peers with the goal of increasing team bonding and networking opportunities between teams.

The Best Moment Award went to the women's tennis team for their American Conference Championship title this season, defeating Wichita State in the final.

Night of the Owl Award Recipients
Joyce Pounds Hardy Award – Lademi Ogunlana (volleyball)
Bob Quin Award – Cal Abdulky (men's track and field)
Male Freshmen of the Year – Daniel Zou (men's golf)
Female Freshmen of the Year – Lily Archibald (swimming and diving)
Head Coach of the Year – Efe Ustundag (men's tennis)
Assistant Coach of the Year – Andrea Blackett (women's track and field)
Margie E. Sass Scholar Athlete – Neta Ussishkin (swimming and diving)
The Dr. Hubert E. Bray Scholar Athlete – Riley Kuhlman (men's track)
Stancliff-Duckett "R" Association Scholarship – Darby Harris (volleyball)
Stancliff-Sass "R" Association Scholarship – Naija Bruckner (soccer)
Clanton/Winston Medical School Scholarship – Lademi Ogunlana (volleyball)
The Leland Winston, MD Courage & Diligence Award – Andrew Murray (men's track and field)
Excellence in Rice Athletics Award – Jim Bevan, Julie Griswold, Dean Miller, Stacy Mosely
SAAC Cup – Football
Best Moment Award – women's tennis American championship title

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