The Rice University football team performed with heavy hearts Saturday, Aug. 31 against Sam Houston State University following the tragic death of student Andrea Rodriguez Avila. In honor of the late Jones College junior, the team sported stickers on their helmets with the initials “ARA.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Andrea Rodriguez Avila’s family and all the people on this campus that were close with her,” Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Mike Bloomgren said during last week’s press conference. “Rice University prepares its students for many things in this life, but our students are probably ill-prepared to process this kind of grief as things like this are not the norm on our campus.”
A moment of silence was held before the game in remembrance of Rodriguez Avila, who was found deceased in her room last Monday, along with a male acquaintance.
“The culture of care here has been nothing short of awesome in light of this tragedy,” Bloomgren said. “Our campus is safe, as our President Reginald DesRoches has said, and I truly believe we can come out on the other side of this grief tighter than ever.”
Owl Walk
Prior to the matchup against Sam Houston State, Rice Athletics showcased a new pregame tradition — the Owl Walk.
Two hours before kickoff, the team was dropped off at the southeast end of the stadium, where Tailgate Owley is held, giving players a chance to walk through and interact with fans and their families while the Marching Owl Band played around them.
“When we were looking at possible enhancements to the game day experience, the Owl Walk was one that seemed like a great opportunity to build excitement for the fans and the team,” said Eric George, assistant vice president and deputy athletic director. “Tailgate Owley was a great addition last year, but we felt like adding the Owl Walk was the missing piece to get people there early to show support for the team and really enjoy the tailgating experience.
“We were excited about the turnout from the first one, and I know it meant a lot to the team to have the fans out. We are going to continue to grow this and hope that all of our fans will come out to enjoy Owl Walk the rest of the season.”
The first drone light show at Rice Stadium was also held right before kickoff, rounding out the pregame experience. The Owls lost the game 34-14.
Next Saturday, Sept. 7, the Owls will face off against another local opponent in Texas Southern University on Celebrate Houston Day at Rice Stadium. In their last matchup with TSU, the Owls took down the Tigers 59-7.
To learn more about Rice football, visit riceowls.com. To purchase tickets, click here.