SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 34

	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 
recognize the Rice University Owls, who recently won the national 
title in baseball at the College World Series; and

	WHEREAS, The Owls defeated the Stanford University team 
14-2 in the championship game, earning Rice's first national 
title in a team sport; the Owls scored three runs in the first 
inning and added a record-tying seven runs in the sixth inning; 
they won the game by the widest margin in a championship game in 
the history of the College World Series; and

	WHEREAS, The team set a Rice record with a 30-game winning 
streak early in the season and finished the year with a 58-12 
record and a winning percentage of .829, the highest in the 
nation; and

	WHEREAS, The members of the 2003 team are Sean Hirsch,
Matt Emerson, Matt Cavanaugh, Jeff Jorgensen, Chris Kolkhorst, 
Austin Davis, Lance Pendleton, Paul Janish, Jeff Blackinton, 
Enrique Cruz, David Aardsma, Matt Moake, Dane Bubela,
Justin Ruchti, Josh Baker, Philip Humber, Matt Ueckert,
Craig Stansberry, Colin Matheny, Vincent Sinisi, Jon Gillespie, 
Wade Townsend, Jeff Niemann, Steven Herce, and Lyndon Duplessis; 
the team's head coach is Wayne Graham and the assistant coaches 
are Mike Taylor, David Pierce, and Zane Curry; also contributing 
to the team's success are athletic trainer David Key, student 
athletic trainer Brooke Eitelbach, student manager Greg Mitchell,
and director of baseball operations Kim McDougall; and

	WHEREAS, Coach Graham has led the Owls for the past 12 years; 
he inherited a program with a 16-34 overall record in 1991 and 
under his outstanding leadership, Rice has won seven consecutive 
Western Athletic Conference titles and has played in nine straight 
National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments, culminating 
in a national championship; Coach Graham has recently been named 
National Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball; and

	WHEREAS, A first-rate institution, Rice University is 
noted for its scholarly curriculum, and, at 91 percent, the 
school is ranked number one in the country in the graduation
rate of student athletes; and

	WHEREAS, In winning the national title, the Rice Owls and 
Head Coach Wayne Graham and his staff have brought great honor
to themselves, to their school, and to the Lone Star State; now, 
therefore, be it

	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
78th Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate the 
Rice Owls, Head Coach Wayne Graham, and the assistant coaches and 
staff on their exceptional season and on winning the national 
collegiate baseball championship; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 
them as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
                                                                           Ellis




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on July 9, 2003.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate