Andrea Blackett - Women's Track & Field Coach

Andrea Blackett

Title:
Associate Head Coach

One of the greatest women's track and field athletes in Rice history, Andrea Blackett, is set to rejoin the Rice women's track and field coaching staff as the associate head coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.

"We're very excited to bring back a tremendous coach, a tremendous athlete, and a tremendous Rice alumna in Andrea Blackett. We feel very fortunate to be able to bring her back after having a highly successful tenure at Azusa Pacific," Bevan said. "She understands Rice and the uniqueness of Rice. She has been at a high level as both an athlete and a coach. I want to thank Tommy McClelland for supporting this hire. I've known Andrea since picking her up at the airport in August 1993, and I feel very fortunate in the ability to make this hire. It will be tremendous to the team, tremendous to the alums, and tremendous for Rice to have Andrea back on South Main."

"After nine years away from Rice, I am so excited to be coming back to Main Street! I have learned so much, and have had an incredible journey in my time away," Blackett said. "I am thrilled to be able to bring the knowledge I have gained during this time back home to Rice. I am so thankful to Coach Bevan and the Rice administration for believing in my abilities so much that they would put this talented group of young ladies in my hands."

A 1997 graduate of Rice, Blackett makes her return 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 Atlanta 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.