Rice University’s head coach Lindsay Edmonds has released the full non‑conference schedule for the 2026‑27 campaign, a slate that blends early‑season exhibitions with high‑stakes matchups against some of the nation’s most successful programs.
A Schedule Built for Competition
The schedule highlights seven teams that earned postseason berths last year, including Murray State, which captured both the Missouri Valley Conference regular‑season and tournament titles en route to a 30‑win season, and Richmond, a 26‑8 squad that secured an at‑large NCAA Tournament bid. Additional powerhouses on the slate are UNLV, a program with five consecutive 20‑win seasons, and Princeton, the reigning Ivy League champion that has appeared in five straight NCAA Tournaments.
Rice will open its season at home against Eastern New Mexico State on October 27 before traveling to face Houston Christian on November 2, setting the tone for a rigorous early stretch.
Key cross‑conference dates arrive in early November, with the Owls hosting Murray State on November 6 and welcoming Richmond on November 8, promising competitive tests against proven winners. A six‑game homestand beginning November 22 will also feature a showdown with Pepperdine’s Waves, a team that reached the Super 16 of the WNIT last season.
During Thanksgiving week, Rice will host its own invitational, matching up against UTRGV and Lamar, both 20‑win programs and recent WNIT qualifiers, before welcoming Grambling State on December 2 and the Ivy League champion Princeton on December 5.
The regular season will culminate with a Schoolhouse Mania game against Houston on December 11, followed by a final matchup against Middle Tennessee on December 20, a team that also earned a WNIT berth.
Road Tests Across the American Conference
The Owls will hit the road for conference battles against Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA and Wichita State, testing their mettle across the American Conference landscape. Coach Edmonds says the schedule is designed to prepare the team for the competitive conference slate by exposing them to experienced and successful opponents early in the year.