Van Green - Men's Basketball Coach - Rice University Athletics

Van Green

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
Van.Green@rice.edu
Phone:
348-4075

Van Green enters his fifth season as an assistant coach after a one-year stint as the team's video coordinator. Green serves as the defensive coordinator as well as the recruiting coordinator. Green has provided a noticeable punch to the Owls’ recruiting efforts and is responsible for recruiting primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. He also takes the lead in coordinating and running the Rice Men’s Basketball Elite Camp, which takes place every June and allows high school student athletes to showcase their skills in front of the Rice staff. Green is also responsible for wing coaching and production and his efforts to date have resulted in multiple all-conference selections.

Green takes pride in player development and has had success during his tenure with the Owls' guards. In the ’22 season, Chris Mullins amassed 1,000 points for his career. Carl Pierre (’22) and Quincy Olivari (’21) both made all-conference teams in back-to-back seasons. Green was the lead recruiter on landing Pierre as a graduate transfer from UMass. Pierre broke the single-season 3pt record with 97 made 3’s while also setting the record for the most 3’s from a duo alongside his high school teammate, Travis Evee. Pierre was selected to represent the Owls in the prestigious 3pt contest at the final four at the conclusion of his playing career for Rice.

His fourth year as an assistant was a great one for the Owls. In the ’21-’22 season, the Owls made their first post-season tournament, The College Basketball Invitational, under head coach, Scott Pera. In addition to making the CBI, the Owls won 15+ games for the third consecutive season for only the third time in school history. This season had notable wins in conference play. Rice beat UAB at home for the highest NET win in the history of the program. Additionally, Rice defeated C-USA East Division champion and CBI runner-up Middle Tennessee. To wrap up the historic season, the owls won conference tournament games in back-to-back years for the first time in two decades.

In the ’21-’22 season, the Owls created the hashtag “GreenLightU” to highlight their offensive production. During the ’21-’22 season, the Owls broke the record for the most assists in a game (29) and most assists for a season (519). Additionally, Rice led Conference USA in assist percentage, 3pt field goals made, baseline out-of-bounds points, and after time-out points per possession. They finished 2^nd in the league for total assists, assists per game, 3pt field goals per game, effective field goal percentage, and total 3’s attempted. Lastly, they finished fourth in conference in scoring per game and 3pt field goal percentage. Nationally, the owls finished top 50 in ten offensive categories including finishing 3^rd in the country for the most points per possession after a timeout.

During the ’20-’21 season, the Owls posted a 15-13 record amidst a season heavily impacted by Covid-19. This was the first time Rice finished above .500 under Coach Pera. In the 2021 C-USA tournament, the Owls won two games which was the first time the Owls had done so since the 2007 season. In the spring of ’21, the Owls recorded the highest GPA in school history posting a team cumulative GPA of 3.459. The Men’s Basketball team had 12 of 14 players finish with a 3.0 or better.

During the 2019-20 season, the Owls had several big wins. Green helped the Owls defeat perennial Ivy League contender Penn and Conference USA regular-season champion North Texas. The Owls led the league in three-pointers with 317, which was the second-most in school history, as well as three-pointers per game. Additionally, Rice continued to rewrite school history with first-time road wins against UAB and Middle Tennessee as well as defeating an American Athletic Conference team for the first time when they defeated East Carolina. The Owls also defeated UC Santa Barbara, which was the first win against UC Santa Barbara in school history.

During the 2019-20 season, he assisted in developing two players who both set single-season records. Under Green’s tutelage, Ako Adams became the school’s career record holder in three-pointers made (228) and free throw percentage (86.2%). Josh Parrish set the school’s single-season record for field goal percentage (63.8%). Additionally, another Owls guard, Drew Peterson, became the only player in school history to have 300 points, 200 rebounds, and 100 assists in one season.

Green also oversees the Owls Men’s Basketball volunteer outreach program which provides student-athletes the opportunity to be involved in community service throughout the local communities within the city of Houston. In addition to the volunteer outreach program oversight, Green serves on multiple committees at Rice University that helps ensure the Owls retain elite staff members as well as constantly updating criteria for new hires. Green also serves on multiple hiring panels to bring new talent to the university and is the staff liaison to compliance and all basketball alumni.

Prior to returning to South Main, Green served as an assistant coach at Central Park Christian High School in Birmingham, Ala.

Green originally came to Rice as a graduate transfer for the 2014-15 season, playing in all 32 games while being a recipient of the Conference USA Academic Medal and C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. He then served as a graduate assistant with the men's basketball team during the 2015-16 season under Coach Mike Rhoades, while also finishing his Master of Arts in Teaching from the university.

Green began his playing career at Columbia University, playing in 37 games over the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons before missing his final two seasons due to an injury. While at Columbia, Green earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

Van Green and his wife, Jessica, enjoy their time together reading, going for walks, mentoring community youth, and being actively involved in a local church. They also have a two-year-old dog, Jazzy.