Rice University Athletics
Thursday, May 14
Denton, Texas
Rice University
vs
American Outdoor Championships
CHAMPIONS: Women’s T&F Captures First American Conference Title
5/17/2026 12:38:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
DENTON – The Rice women's track and field team capped off a storybook ending for legendary head coach Jim Bevan as champions of the American Conference Saturday evening in Denton, Texas. Bevan was named the American Conference Coach of the Year, his 15th conference honor.
The final day of competition opened with Savannah Simms' return in the triple jump, winning the event off a 13.19m jump on her first attempts since January. The mark qualifies for NCAA regionals in Fayetteville, Ark.
The 400m squad scored an abundance of points, led by Barbora Malíková winning the race with a time of 52.02, completing the indoor/outdoor 400m sweep. Riana Green made it on the podium with a third-place finish while Arayna Mickles added points in fifth.
The Taylor sisters were led by Alice Taylor in the high jump, who finished second with a 1.80m clearance after winning the heptathlon a day prior. Josie Taylor finished in sixth with a 1.73m clearance.
Cullen Merrell had a tremendous showing in the 800m, finishing in second place in a windy race with a time of 2:14.32. Miranda Schriver added some more points in the 5000m, finishing in fifth after ending fourth yesterday in the steeplechase.
Freshman Sydney Freeman added a podium visit in the 400m hurdles, with her time of 58.97 finishing third.
The 4x400m relay team of Green, Mickles, Freeman and Malikova closed the night by running a season-best time of 3:34.06 to finish second.
The Owls earned their 24th conference title in program history, and 14th under Coach Bevan. Bevan has now been part of conference championships in the Southwest Conference, WAC, CUSA and American Conference.
DAY ONE/TWO NOTES
The Owls swept the heptathlon podium for the first time in school history, led by Alice Taylor's 5,712 points, with Julia Johannesdottir (5,617) and Laura Duckhorn (5,485) completing the historic feat.
Mckyla Van der Westhuizen collected her third consecutive conference title in the javelin off a fifth-round throw of 57.34m, setting the meet record. Freshman Emily Harbach was right behind with a throw of 56.47m to finish second. Elena Schwegman added a sixth-place finish with a throw of 48.49m.
Miranda Schriver took fourth place in the 3000m steeplechase, finishing two spots ahead of her entered seed.
In the pole vault, Sydney Rothman used a season-best clearance of 3.89m to finish seventh. Alex Gobran also added a seventh-place finish in the 10000m.
Post Meet Reaction - Head Coach Jim Bevan
"I am so proud of the effort these athletes displayed this weekend. This meet had a lot of questions coming in, but we showed up and performed with tremendous heart all three days. There are so many great athletes to recognize for this weekend, and I can't even begin to list them all. I do want to highlight three incredible athletes who all came into the year facing adversities. Savannah Simms hasn't jumped since January, and in just a month's training, wins the triple jump and qualifies for NCAA regionals. I am so proud of her, and she is such a fierce competitor. Laura Duckhorn battled back from injury and reached the podium in the heptathlon in third. Extremely proud of her effort and determination this weekend. Lastly, Josie Taylor wasn't sure if she was going to continue track and we were able to get her back out this year and had a great indoor and scored again in outdoors while also making regionals. I am so proud of all three of them for the courage they displayed this meet and this season. I have to thank my staff, Andrea, Cutter, Brek and Taigen. They deserve all the credit for what we are able to accomplish. I wouldn't have nearly the amount of success without them. This is honestly a surreal moment. I am so proud to be the coach of this team and to have been the head coach of the Rice Owls for the last 20 years. This is truly like a fairytale ending."
RESULTS (Final Scoring)
100m
3. Saniya Friendly – 11.13 (+6)
100m Hurdles
4. Julia Johannesdottir – 13.19 (+5)
200m
4. Riana Green – 23.69 (+5)
7. Saniya Friendly – 25.64 (+2)
400m
1. Barbora Malíková – 52.02 (+10)
3. Riana Green – 52.89 (+6)
5. Arayna Mickles – 53.89 (+4)
400m Hurdles
3. Sydney Freeman – 58.97 (+6)
800m
2. Cullen Merrell – 2:14.32 (+8)
5000m
5. Miranda Schriver – 17:01.13 (+4)
4x100
6. Zamzow, Mickles, Taylor, Friendly – 45.95 (+3)
4x400
2. Green, Mickles, Freeman, Malikova – 3:34.06 (+8)
Triple Jump
1. Savannah Simms – 13.19m (43-03.25) (+10)
High Jump
2. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75) (+8)
6. Josie Taylor – 1.73m (5-08.00) (+3)
DAY ONE/TWO SCORING
3000m Steeplechase
4. Miranda Schriver – 10:41.52 (+5)
10000m
7. Alex Gobran – 36:21.53 (+2)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 57.34m (188-01) (+10)
2. Emily Harbach – 56.47m (185-03) (+8)
6. Elena Schwegman – 48.49m (159-01) (+3)
Pole Vault
7. Sydney Rothman – 3.89m (12-09.00) (+2)
Heptathlon
1. Alice Taylor – 5712 (+10)
2. Julia Johannesdottir – 5617 (+8)
3. Laura Duckhorn – 5485 (+6)
TEAM SCORES
1. Rice – 142
2. UTSA – 106
3. Charlotte – 100
4. ECU – 72
4. North Texas – 72
6. Wichita State – 70.5
7. South Florida – 66
8. Memphis – 65
9. Tulane – 51
10. Tulsa – 40
11. Florida Atlantic – 15
12. Temple – 14.5
13. UAB - 4
UP NEXT
Regional qualifiers for the NCAA West Prelims will be announced next week.
The final day of competition opened with Savannah Simms' return in the triple jump, winning the event off a 13.19m jump on her first attempts since January. The mark qualifies for NCAA regionals in Fayetteville, Ark.
The 400m squad scored an abundance of points, led by Barbora Malíková winning the race with a time of 52.02, completing the indoor/outdoor 400m sweep. Riana Green made it on the podium with a third-place finish while Arayna Mickles added points in fifth.
The Taylor sisters were led by Alice Taylor in the high jump, who finished second with a 1.80m clearance after winning the heptathlon a day prior. Josie Taylor finished in sixth with a 1.73m clearance.
Cullen Merrell had a tremendous showing in the 800m, finishing in second place in a windy race with a time of 2:14.32. Miranda Schriver added some more points in the 5000m, finishing in fifth after ending fourth yesterday in the steeplechase.
Freshman Sydney Freeman added a podium visit in the 400m hurdles, with her time of 58.97 finishing third.
The 4x400m relay team of Green, Mickles, Freeman and Malikova closed the night by running a season-best time of 3:34.06 to finish second.
The Owls earned their 24th conference title in program history, and 14th under Coach Bevan. Bevan has now been part of conference championships in the Southwest Conference, WAC, CUSA and American Conference.
DAY ONE/TWO NOTES
The Owls swept the heptathlon podium for the first time in school history, led by Alice Taylor's 5,712 points, with Julia Johannesdottir (5,617) and Laura Duckhorn (5,485) completing the historic feat.
Mckyla Van der Westhuizen collected her third consecutive conference title in the javelin off a fifth-round throw of 57.34m, setting the meet record. Freshman Emily Harbach was right behind with a throw of 56.47m to finish second. Elena Schwegman added a sixth-place finish with a throw of 48.49m.
Miranda Schriver took fourth place in the 3000m steeplechase, finishing two spots ahead of her entered seed.
In the pole vault, Sydney Rothman used a season-best clearance of 3.89m to finish seventh. Alex Gobran also added a seventh-place finish in the 10000m.
"I am so proud of the effort these athletes displayed this weekend. This meet had a lot of questions coming in, but we showed up and performed with tremendous heart all three days. There are so many great athletes to recognize for this weekend, and I can't even begin to list them all. I do want to highlight three incredible athletes who all came into the year facing adversities. Savannah Simms hasn't jumped since January, and in just a month's training, wins the triple jump and qualifies for NCAA regionals. I am so proud of her, and she is such a fierce competitor. Laura Duckhorn battled back from injury and reached the podium in the heptathlon in third. Extremely proud of her effort and determination this weekend. Lastly, Josie Taylor wasn't sure if she was going to continue track and we were able to get her back out this year and had a great indoor and scored again in outdoors while also making regionals. I am so proud of all three of them for the courage they displayed this meet and this season. I have to thank my staff, Andrea, Cutter, Brek and Taigen. They deserve all the credit for what we are able to accomplish. I wouldn't have nearly the amount of success without them. This is honestly a surreal moment. I am so proud to be the coach of this team and to have been the head coach of the Rice Owls for the last 20 years. This is truly like a fairytale ending."
RESULTS (Final Scoring)
100m
3. Saniya Friendly – 11.13 (+6)
100m Hurdles
4. Julia Johannesdottir – 13.19 (+5)
200m
4. Riana Green – 23.69 (+5)
7. Saniya Friendly – 25.64 (+2)
400m
1. Barbora Malíková – 52.02 (+10)
3. Riana Green – 52.89 (+6)
5. Arayna Mickles – 53.89 (+4)
400m Hurdles
3. Sydney Freeman – 58.97 (+6)
800m
2. Cullen Merrell – 2:14.32 (+8)
5000m
5. Miranda Schriver – 17:01.13 (+4)
4x100
6. Zamzow, Mickles, Taylor, Friendly – 45.95 (+3)
4x400
2. Green, Mickles, Freeman, Malikova – 3:34.06 (+8)
Triple Jump
1. Savannah Simms – 13.19m (43-03.25) (+10)
High Jump
2. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75) (+8)
6. Josie Taylor – 1.73m (5-08.00) (+3)
DAY ONE/TWO SCORING
3000m Steeplechase
4. Miranda Schriver – 10:41.52 (+5)
10000m
7. Alex Gobran – 36:21.53 (+2)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 57.34m (188-01) (+10)
2. Emily Harbach – 56.47m (185-03) (+8)
6. Elena Schwegman – 48.49m (159-01) (+3)
Pole Vault
7. Sydney Rothman – 3.89m (12-09.00) (+2)
Heptathlon
1. Alice Taylor – 5712 (+10)
2. Julia Johannesdottir – 5617 (+8)
3. Laura Duckhorn – 5485 (+6)
TEAM SCORES
1. Rice – 142
2. UTSA – 106
3. Charlotte – 100
4. ECU – 72
4. North Texas – 72
6. Wichita State – 70.5
7. South Florida – 66
8. Memphis – 65
9. Tulane – 51
10. Tulsa – 40
11. Florida Atlantic – 15
12. Temple – 14.5
13. UAB - 4
Regional qualifiers for the NCAA West Prelims will be announced next week.
Players Mentioned
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
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