This is Abell's first year at Rice. His story has some Nate Oats in it as well as the success we've seen with DeBoer.
Abell took over a high school program '97, Liberty. They were a 0-10 program before hiring Scott and turned the program around. He moved to the collegiate ranks at Washington & Lee: three conference titles and a second place finish in six years. Davidson (North Carolina) hired him and he did the same thing: a couple of conference titles with a 2nd and 3rd place finish over about the same period.
There's two college programs he's turned around. And now, he's the new coach for Rice. They are in the AAC so there is some decent competition for the Owls at that level.
I suspect he'll be an interesting coach to watch over the next few years.
Abell took over a high school program '97, Liberty. They were a 0-10 program before hiring Scott and turned the program around. He moved to the collegiate ranks at Washington & Lee: three conference titles and a second place finish in six years. Davidson (North Carolina) hired him and he did the same thing: a couple of conference titles with a 2nd and 3rd place finish over about the same period.
There's two college programs he's turned around. And now, he's the new coach for Rice. They are in the AAC so there is some decent competition for the Owls at that level.
I suspect he'll be an interesting coach to watch over the next few years.
