José Cruz Jr. will not finish his fourth year as Rice's head baseball coach after starting this year's season with a 2-14 record.

According to Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball, Rice has fired head coach Jose Cruz Jr. This season has not gone well for the Owls, losing 14 of their first 16 games. Administration felt like a change was needed,

Rice just celebrated its first Wayne Graham Day on Friday, celebrating the coach who lifted the school's baseball program to national prominence. The street leading to Reckling Park was renamed Wayne Graham Way after the man who led Rice to seven College World Series trips and a national title in 2023.

Rice University announced Thursday that it was "parting ways" with head baseball coach José Cruz Jr. Rice VP and Athletics Director says the decision was "in the best interest of our student-athletes and our baseball program.