Honors & Awards
1st-Team All-MVC: 2005
Honorable Mention All-MVC: 2007
Athletic Director's Honor Roll: Spring 2006
MVC Player of the Week: March 7, 2005
A.J. Robertson Award (Team MVP): 2005
Rod Thompson Award (Team-Best Batting Avg.): 2005
Brief Overview
After missing the final month due to injury, Rice is getting ready for a strong senior season... Rice has been one of the top hitters in the Missouri Valley Conference since his debut game and he enters the 2007 season as Bradley’s active career leader in batting average (.323), hits (161), runs scored (95), doubles (31), total bases (213), runs batted in (72) and stolen bases (37) ... Also has displayed a tremendous eye at the plate, striking out only 54 times in 498 career at-bats, while drawing 55 walks.
2006 at Bradley
Before missing the last month of the season due to injury, Rice added to an already impressive collegiate resume... In his second season at third base, Rice accumulated 36 hits in 135 at bats, including 10 doubles and two homeruns... Before his injury, Rice was six for his last eleven (.545), with a double, a homerun and four runs batted in.
2005 at Bradley
After making the transition from outfield to third base to start the season, Rice was voted first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference, becoming the first Bradley position player to earn first-team all-conference honors since Matt Gecan (first base) in 2001 and the first Braves third baseman to cop All-MVC first-team honors since Craig Tucker in 1993 ... After a 3-for-5 performance in the season’s third game versus IPFW, Rice’s season batting average did not dip below .350 the rest of the season ... Finished third in the Valley in hitting (.357), while also finishing eighth in on-base percentage (.443) and sixth in stolen bases (20).
2004 at Bradley
Rice got off to a quick start at the plate, then moved into the starting lineup for good on March 19 versus Westminster ... After beginning the season by getting a hit in his first career at-bat, Rice’s average dipped below .300 on just two occassions all season ... Ended the season on a five-game hitting streak, including a 7-for-15 effort with six runs batted in against rival Illinois State ... Led the team with seven outfield assists.
High School
A three-sport star at Beardstown High School, Rice earned 11 varsity letters playing baseball (4), basketball (4) and football (3) ... Led Beardstown to IHSA state tournament Elite Eight appearances in 2002 and 2003 ... As a senior, Rice hit .496 with six home runs, 32 runs batted in, 18 doubles and 30 stolen bases ... He also posted a 7-0 mound record with a 2.08 earned run average his senior season, helping him earn Class A all-state honors and a spot on the Peoria Journal Star All-Area Team ... Also earned 2003 Class AA all-state honors as a running back on the Beardstown football team after rushing for more than 1,000 yards ... Averaged 14 points and 3.1 assists per game his senior season on the hardwood.
Personal
Full Name: Paul Frederick Rice
Birthdate: May 16, 1985
Birthplace: Springfield, Ill.
Parents: Keith and Maggee Rice
Major: Family and Consumer Sciences
High School Coach: Robin Lewis
