One of the greatest women's track and field athletes in Rice history, Andrea Blackett took over as the program's third-ever head coach on July 1, 2026.

Blackett rejoined the Rice coaching staff as the associate head coach during the 2025-26 season. Her sprint group accounted for five podium visits during the American Outdoor Championships, en route to the program's first American title. Barbora Malikova claimed the 400m title, while Riana Green (third - 400m), Saniya Friendly (3rd - 100m), Sydney Freeman (3rd - 100H) and the 4x400 (2nd) also medaled. All podium finishers advanced to the NCAA West Prelims. During the indoor season, the sprinters reached the podium five more times. Malikova won the 400m, while Green, Petra Taylor, Arayna Mickles and Malikova won the 4x400. Friendly finished second in the 60m and third in the 200m, while Green was third in the 400m.

A 1997 graduate of Rice, Blackett returned to South Main after spending 12 seasons on the Owl coaching staff from 2005-2016, after serving as a volunteer coach after graduating until joining full-time in 2005. Blackett then spent a season at UCLA in 2017 before spending the last eight years as an assistant coach for Azusa Pacific, capturing two team NCAA DII Championships.

Blackett has elevated the historic tradition of Azusa Pacific during her time on staff. She has been regarded as one of the top assistant coaches in the nation, being named a three-time USTFCCCA National Women's Assistant Coach of the Year, earning honors in 2023 (indoor and outdoor) and 2021 (outdoor). Her decorated coaching career also includes being named a combined seven-time West Region Assistant Coach of the Year between indoor and outdoor.

At the 2023 NCAA Championships, Blackett's sprint group collected 41 of the team's 66 points en route to the second NCAA championship in three seasons for Azusa Pacific. Blackett's sprinters accounted for 32 of the 81 points scored at the 2021 NCAA Championship, leading Azusa Pacific to its first NCAA championship in program history. Her sprinters have captured three NCAA individual championships.

During her first coaching stint with the Owls, Blackett developed Shakera Reece, one of the fastest Rice female sprinters ever, who broke the school record in the 100m. Her 2008 squad claimed CUSA titles in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. Rice captured four outdoor and three indoor CUSA team titles during Blackett's first span with the Owls.

As a veteran international competitor, Blackett represented Barbados in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. She also competed in six IAAF World Championships from 1997-07. Blackett still holds the Barbados national record in the 400m hurdles, set in August 1999. After retiring from international competition, Blackett served as the head track and field coach for Barbados at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

During her collegiate days from 1993-97, Blackett set the school record in both the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles, ranking second currently in the 100m hurdles while still holding the 400m hurdle record. She was also part of the NCAA-winning 4x400m relay team in 1997, which is still the current school record time. Blackett finished her Rice career as a six-time All-American and advanced to the NCAA Championships all four years with the Owls.

Blackett was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005, and once again as part of the 1997 NCAA Indoor champion 4x100m relay team in 2007.

Name	Title	Twitter	Phone	Email Address
Hanna Peterson	Head Cross Country Coach			hp81@rice.edu
Andrea Blackett	Head Coach			anndrya@rice.edu

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