Peers Name Graham Tops in the Region

If you haven’t heard already that Wayne Graham is a great baseball coach, you can take it from the folks who ought to know—the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). The organization has named Graham the Western Regional Coach of the Year for 2002. It’s the second time the Owls coach has won the honor from his peers.

“This is a significant honor since it comes from the ABCA,” Graham said. “It is extremely gratifying when your fellow coaches recognize the accomplishments of your team.” Graham also won the ABCA’s western regional coaching honor in 1997. He will receive the new award at the 2003 ABCA national convention January 2–5 in San Diego.

Graham will enter his 12th season at Rice in 2003 with a 478–212 record. Under his guidance, Rice has emerged as one of the top baseball programs in the nation. Since coaching the team to the final Southwest Conference tournament championship in 1996, he has chalked up six consecutive Western Athletic Conference championships and three appearances in the College World Series—1997, 1999, and 2002. The excellence of the Rice team under his leadership prompted the construction of Reckling Park in 2000.