Davidson is new men's track coach
Davidson has been with the team for eight years, serving as an assistant coach. Prior to his start at Rice, Davidson served as the head coach of the track and cross-country programs at Wharton County Community Junior College.
While at Wharton, Davidson coached 55 all-America athletes. They include 16 national champions and two national record-holders.
Davidson began his coaching career in the high school ranks, coaching at Humble High School and Klein High School.
Davidson is a 1962 graduate of Rice and a former letterwinner.
He played two years of football and competed in four years of track & field.
He replaced another Rice graduate and former letterwinner, Steve Starub, who resigned from the spot after a 29-year affiliation with the university in order to spend more time with his family.
Athletic Director Bobby May said, "Coach Davidson has proven time and time again, both at Rice and in his previous coaching history, that he has the credentials and experience needed to keep our university among the nation's elite track programs.
"Ray has been a devoted assistant coach at Rice for nearly a decade, and we're honored that he has agreed to carry on our tradition of developing outstanding track programs and standout all-America student-athletes."
Davidson's contributions to the team in the past have been instrumental in making it what it is today.
He was the major recruiting and coaching force behind NCAA 400-meter hurdles champion Bryan Bronson.
Other top hurdlers under his guidance are Quinton Milner and Derras Wilmington.
Davidson also coaches Kodili Odimgbe, whose shot put at the 1995 Southwest Conference indoor track championship gave Rice its first track title in 14 years, as the Owls edged Baylor University by a single point.
Davidson hopes to continue the program's impressive growth.
"I was very proud to be associated with Rice as an assistant coach," he said. "I now have an even greater sense of pride to lead the program."
"I have watched it blossom in my eight years that I've been here, and I hope to help it continue to bloom in the future."
He faces the immediate task of rebuilding a team that lost four top athletes.
Graduating are NCAA long-jump champion Kareem-Streete Thompson, SWC triple-jump champion Ivory Angello, Bronson and top hurdler Cliff Alexander.
He also must deal with the transfer of Chris Jones, one of the top 400-meter runners in the country.
This item appeared in the Sports section of the September 8, 1995 issue.
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