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NEWS: Rice University’s Coach Jim Bevan to Retire in June 2026
- Aimee Mackenzie
- Mar 11
- 2 min read
Written by Aimee Morganti, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
On Tuesday, Rice University announced that Jim Bevan, the Head Coach of the Owls' women’s cross country program and track and field program, will retire in June of 2026 after 40 years with the school.
In the press release, Coach Jim Bevan stated…
“I am truly blessed to have had such an incredible career here at Rice University. It has been an honor to work with the best student-athletes in the world and to watch them develop into amazing athletes and people, and I am grateful to have been entrusted with caring for these incredible people all these years.”
Bevan leaves a long-standing legacy at Rice University, as he coached 75 All-Americans and 175 conference event winners. Bevan also guided the Owls to 23 team conference titles across the Southwest Conference, Western Athletic Conference, Conference USA and American Conference.
During his tenure, the Owls finished in the top-25 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on 14 occasions while the NCAA Indoor Championships yielded 11 instances. He was a 14-time Conference Coach of the Year and a two-time South Central Region Coach of the Year for cross country.
Bevan also excelled internationally as he successfully guided five Rice athletes across four Olympic Games.
These Olympian Owls include shot putter Erna Gunnarsdottir (2024), javelin thrower Ariana Ince (2021), steeplechaser Lennie Waite (2016), long jumper Funmi Jimoh (2008), and triple jumper Diana Orrange (1996). Funmi Jimoh placed 11th representing the USA in the long jump at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Rice University has yet to announce their next head coach for their women’s cross country and track and field programs.
