The 2003 Rice Owls baseball team represented

Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...

in the 2003 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Owls played their home games at

Reckling Park Reckling Park is the baseball stadium at Rice University in Houston, Texas, US. It serves as the home field of the Rice Owls baseball team. The stadium was built on the site of Cameron Field, Rice's home from 1978 to 1999, in time for the 20 ...

. The team was coached by

Wayne Graham Wayne Leon Graham (April 6, 1936 – September 3, 2024) was an American college baseball head coach. He is known for being the head baseball coach for the Rice Owls in Houston, Texas. He coached one College World Series championship team and fi ...

in his 12th season at Rice. The Owls won 30 consecutive games to open the season 33–1 and won the

Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington. Due to ...

championship. Rice went on to win the

College World Series The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is a baseball tournament held each June in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the culmination of the NCAA Division I baseball tournament—featuring 64 teams in the ...

, defeating the

Stanford Cardinal The Stanford Cardinal are the college athletics in the United States, athletic teams that represent Stanford University. Stanford's program has won 138 National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA team championships, the List of NCAA schools ...

in the championship series. It was the first national title that Rice had ever won in a team sport in the school's 91-year history.

Roster

Schedule

! style="background:#5e6062;color:white;", Regular season , - valign="top" , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 11 , , , ,

, , 6–4 , , Baker (W; 1–0) , , 2,432 , , 1–0 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 14 , , , ,

Minute Maid Park Daikin Park (originally Enron Field and formerly Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 and is the home ballpark of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

, , 10–5 , , Niemann (W; 1–0) , , 8,405 , , 2–0 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 15 , , , , Minute Maid Park , , 4–3 , , Humber (W; 1–0) , , 14,484 , , 3–0 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" , February 16 , , , , Minute Maid Park , , 5–6 , , Ueckert (L; 1–0) , , 10,416 , , 3–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 18 , , at , , Cougar Field , , 3–0 , , Townsend (W; 1–0) , , 1,116 , , 4–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 19 , , at , , Bobcat Baseball Stadium , , 6–0 , , Matheny (W; 1–0) , , 1,608 , , 5–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 22 , , , , Reckling Park , , 11–6 , , Humber (W; 2–0) , , 2,323 , , 6–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 22 , , , , Reckling Park , , 6–0 , , Niemann (W; 2–0) , , 2,562 , , 7–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 23 , , , , Reckling Park , , 1–0 (10) , , Aardsma (W; 1–0) , , 2,657 , , 8–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , February 28 , , Southwest Texas State , , Reckling Park , , 8–3 , , Niemann (W; 3–0) , , 2,054 , , 9–1 , , – , - , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , March 1 , , Southwest Texas State , , Reckling Park , , 7–5 , , Baker (W; 2–0) , , 2,317 , , 10–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , March 2 , , Southwest Texas State , , Reckling Park , , 10–4 , , Humber (W; 3–0) , , 2,275 , , 11–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" , March 4 , , Houston , , Reckling Park , , 4–3 , , Aardsma (W; 2–0) , , 2,618 , , 12–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , March 7 , , at , , J.C. Love Field , , 4–3 , , Niemann (W; 4–0) , , 529 , , 13–1 , , 1–0 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , March 8 , , at Louisiana Tech , , J.C. Love Field , , 5–3 , , Humber (W; 4–0) , , 1,011 , , 14–1 , , 2–0 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , March 9 , , at Louisiana Tech , , J.C. Love Field , , 12–0 , , Baker (W; 3–0) , , 827 , , 15–1 , , 3–0 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , March 11 , ,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, , Reckling Park , , 2–1 (10) , , Aardsma (W; 3–0) , , 4,525 , , 16–1 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , March 14 , , at , ,

Les Murakami Stadium Les Murakami Stadium is the baseball stadium at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu CDP,Pete Beiden Field , , 3–7 , , Humber (L; 8–1) , , 2,727 , , 33–3 , , 12–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 12 , , at Fresno State , , Pete Beiden Field , , 9–2 , , Niemann (W; 9–0) , , 2,724 , , 34–3 , , 13–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 13 , , at Fresno State , , Pete Beiden Field , , 3–2 , , Townsend (W; 6–0) , , 2,564 , , 35–3 , , 14–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , April 15 , , at , ,

Don Sanders Stadium Don Sanders Stadium, nicknamed "The Don", is located in Huntsville, Texas, and home to the Sam Houston Bearkats baseball team. It opened on February 11, 2006. The Stadium was originally named Bearkat Baseball Complex in 2006 and in 2007 was rena ...

, , 1–8 , , Aardsma (L; 4–2) , , 481 , , 35–4 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , April 16 , , at Houston , , Cougar Field , , 1–5 , , Herce (L; 0–1) , , 1,672 , , 35–5 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 18 , , , , Reckling Park , , 10–5 , , Matheny (W; 2–0) , , 3,103 , , 36–5 , , 15–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 19 , , Nevada , , Reckling Park , , 3–0 , , Niemann (W; 10–0) , , 3,314 , , 37–5 , , 16–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , April 20 , , Nevada , , Reckling Park , , 5–6 , , Herce (L; 0–2) , , 2,313 , , 37–6 , , 16–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , April 22 , , at Lamar , ,

Vincent–Beck Stadium Vincent–Beck Stadium (formerly Cardinal Field) is a ballpark located in Beaumont, Texas, on Jim Gilligan Way on the campus of Lamar University. The stadium was built in 1969 and has a current capacity of 3,500 spectators. It is the home stadiu ...

, , 5–9 , , Matheny (L; 2–1) , , 1,406 , , 37–7 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 24 , , Louisiana Tech , , Reckling Park , , 2–1 , , Humber (W; 9–1) , , 2,715 , , 38–7 , , 17–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 25 , , Louisiana Tech , , Reckling Park , , 13–3 , , Niemannn (W; 11–0) , , 3,156 , , 39–7 , , 18–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , April 26 , , Louisiana Tech , , Reckling Park , , 8–2 , , Baker (W; 8–0) , , 3,044 , , 40–7 , , 19–2 , - , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 7 , , Sam Houston State , , Reckling Park , , 10–5 , , Herce (W; 1–2) , , 2,820 , , 41–7 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 9 , , at Nevada , , William Peccole Park , , 13–11 , , Humber (W; 10–1) , , 1,206 , , 42–7 , , 20–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 10 , , at Nevada , , William Peccole Park , , 7–4 , , Niemann (W; 12–0) , , 1,636 , , 43–7 , , 21–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , May 11 , , at Nevada , , William Peccole Park , , 7–8 (10) , , Aardsma (L; 4–3) , , 1,875 , , 43–8 , , 21–3 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 14 , , at , ,

Louis Guisto Field Louis Guisto Field is a baseball venue in Moraga, California, USA. It is home to the Saint Mary's Gaels baseball team of the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference. Opened in 2012, the venue replaced the old Louis Guisto Field (the locatio ...

, , 10–6 , , Matheny (W; 3–1) , , 356 , , 44–8 , , – , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 16 , , at San Jose State , , San Jose Municipal Stadium , , 12–6 , , Aardsma (W; 5–3) , , 553 , , 45–8 , , 22–3 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 17 , , at San Jose State , , San Jose Municipal Stadium , , 11–0 , , Niemann (W; 13–0) , , 612 , , 46–8 , , 23–3 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , May 17 , , at San Jose State , , Blethen Field , , 6–8 , , Townsend (L; 6–1) , , 553 , , 46–9 , , 23–4 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , May 23 , , Fresno State , , Reckling Park , , 1–2 , , Humber (L; 10–2) , , 3,015 , , 46–10 , , 23–5 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 24 , , Fresno State , , Reckling Park , , 13–2 , , Niemann (W; 14–0) , , 2,938 , , 47–10 , , 24–5 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 25 , , Fresno State , , Reckling Park , , 3–2 , , Townsend (W; 7–1) , , 3,105 , , 48–10 , , 25–5 , - , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 30 , , vs. , , Reckling Park , , 3–2 (10) , , Townsend (W; 8–1) , , 4,014 , , 49–10 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , May 31 , , vs. , , Reckling Park , , 10–1 , , Niemann (W; 15–0) , , 3,769 , , 50–10 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 1 , , vs. Wichita State , , Reckling Park , , 5–2 , , Townsend (W; 9–1) , , 3,528 , , 51–10 , - , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , June 7 , , vs. Houston , , Reckling Park , , 2–5 , , Humber (L; 10–3) , , 4,427 , , 51–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 8 , , vs. Houston , , Reckling Park , , 10–2 , , Niemann (W; 16–0) , , 4,435 , , 52–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 9 , , vs. Houston , , Reckling Park , , 5–2 , , Townsend (W; 10–1) , , 4,417 , , 53–11 , - , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 14 , , vs. , ,

Rosenblatt Stadium Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium was a baseball stadium in Omaha, Nebraska, the former home to the annual NCAA Division I College World Series and the Triple-A Omaha Royals (now Storm Chasers). It was the largest minor league ballpark in the Unit ...

, , 4–2 , , Niemann (W; 17–0) , , 23,248 , , 54–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 16 , , vs. Texas , , Rosenblatt Stadium , , 12–2 , , Townsend (W; 11–1) , , 24,842 , , 55–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 18 , , vs. Texas , , Rosenblatt Stadium , , 5–4 , , Aardsma (W; 6–1) , , 23,170 , , 56–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 21 , , vs.

Stanford Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth governor of and th ...

, , Rosenblatt Stadium , , 4–3 (10) , , Aardsma (W; 7–3) , , 23,741 , , 57–11 , - align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" , June 22 , , vs. Stanford , , Rosenblatt Stadium , , 3–8 , , Townsend (L; 11–2) , , 17,907 , , 57–12 , - align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" , June 23 , , vs. Stanford , , Rosenblatt Stadium , , 14–2 , , Humber (W; 11–3) , , 18,494 , , 58–12 , -

Awards and honors

;Dane Bubela * All-WAC First Team ;Enrique Cruz * All-America Third Team * College World Series All-Tournament Team * All-WAC First Team ;Austin Davis * All-WAC First Team ;

Philip Humber Philip Gregory Humber (; born December 21, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Houston Astros in seven seasons in Major League ...

* All-America Second Team * All-WAC First Team ; Paul Janish * All-WAC Second Team ;Jeff Jorgensen * All-WAC First Team ;Chris Kolkhorst * College World Series All-Tournament Team * All-WAC First Team ; Jeff Niemann * All-America First Team * College World Series All-Tournament Team * WAC Pitcher of the Year ;Justin Ruchti * All-WAC Second Team ;Vincent Sinisi * All-WAC First Team ; Wade Townsend * All-America First Team * All-WAC First Team

Owls in the 2003 MLB Draft

The following members of the Rice Owls baseball program were drafted in the

2003 Major League Baseball Draft The 2003 Major League Baseball draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. ''Source:MLB.com 2003 Draft Tracker' First round selections Supplemental first r ...

References

External links

* {{NCAA Division I Baseball Champion navbox

Rice Owls The Rice Owls are the sports teams representing Houston's Rice University in college sports. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest. Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics. A member of the American Athletic Conference, Rice sponsors ...

Rice Owls baseball seasons

Rice Owls baseball The Rice Owls baseball team is the interscholastic baseball team representing Rice University in Houston, Texas, United States. The Owls frequently appeared in the NCAA tournament during the tenure of head coach Wayne Graham, which ran from 199 ...

Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

College World Series seasons NCAA Division I baseball championship seasons Western Athletic Conference baseball champion seasons