VOLUME 110, ISSUE NO. 14 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026
‘She noticed people’: Remembering Claire Tracy ABIGAIL CHIU
SENIOR WRITER
Claire Tracy was an incredibly talented soccer player, setting records and leading her team to state championships in high school, said Lee Rogers, who coached her at Brookfield Academy in Wisconsin. Her skill on the field, however, was her second most important quality, Rogers said. Tracy’s determination and spirit are what made her stand out. “Her leadership on the field, her desire to win, and her passion to do whatever she could to help her teammates achieve success was what was most impressive,” Rogers wrote in a statement to the Thresher. “Great players and great people lead by example and make those around them better.” Tracy, a Wiess College sophomore, died on Dec. 8. The Rice community gathered at Wiess on Sunday to remember Tracy. Speakers shared messages of grief and hope surrounded by candles, cards and flowers. Wiess President Grant Wilson opened the memorial by honoring Tracy and acknowledging the shared mourning of the college. “Claire, a member of our community, has left such a positive impact on all of us,” Wilson said to the standing-room-only crowd. “Tonight is all about celebrating Claire’s memory and reflecting on what she meant to this community.” Adam Vuong, a Will Rice College senior, performed Ernest Bloch’s “Prayer” on the cello followed by a moment of silence. Tracy hailed from Wisconsin and was studying business. She played on the soccer team in her freshman year. Brian Lee, Rice’s head soccer coach, released a statement of remembrance on Instagram. “The entire Rice soccer community mourns the loss of Claire Tracy,” Lee wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers go to Claire’s friends and family and to the many current
and former teammates, whose lives were impacted by Claire’s kindness. She will forever be in our hearts.” Three Rice students close to Tracy shared personal stories and memories of their time with her at the memorial. Allie Love, a Brown College sophomore who was on the Rice women’s soccer team with Tracy last year, said she was a steady light for those around her. “Claire had a presence that felt genuine and grounding,” Love said. “She was chatty and warm, but also observant. She noticed people. She listened carefully, and being around her made you feel understood, not rushed, not judged — just truly heard.” Fabiana Santos and Flavio Cunha, the Wiess magisters, wrote in a joint statement to the Thresher that Tracy had a strong impact on those who had the chance to know her. “Claire impressed us deeply with her intelligence and maturity,” the magisters wrote. “We continue to think about Claire and her family every day, and we hold them in our thoughts as our community grieves this loss.” Reverend Beth Anne Nelson, the Episcopal campus missioner and a member of Rice’s Joint Campus Ministers, shared a reflection on Tracy’s memory and future impact on Rice students. “The understanding of the church I represent is that Claire will be forever healed and loved by the God that created her,” Wilson said. “Claire will be remembered in the way she cared for those she loved, the way that they take that love she shared and give it to others, her quietness and desire, her selflessness will be remembered in the actions of those who loved her.” The memorial was followed by a reception hosted by the Wiess magisters. “Claire’s passing has been exceptionally difficult, whether as a friend, teacher, mentor, family member or classmate,” Wilson said. “Grief is a difficult thing, and it affects everyone differently. Whatever your relationship is to Claire, remember that all your feelings right now are legitimate.”
COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS Claire Tracy in her Rice soccer headshot. Tracy played for the team in 2024 as a freshman.
Seniors finish strong at the Houston Marathon as community cheers AISHA KHEMANI
THRESHER STAFF
WHAT’S INSIDE
FIONA SIK / THRESHER Participants run around the Rice campus as part of the Houston Marathon on Sunday. Many students ran the race while others gathered along the course to cheer on their peers.
Months of early mornings and long runs came together this weekend at the 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon. Runners streamed by campus on Main Street and University Boulevard. For some Rice seniors on the course, race day was more than a finish line. It was a celebration of perseverance, purpose and the final stretch of their college journeys. For Sid Richardson College senior Amelia Pillar, the journey began prior to this year on the sidelines, cheering for friends before deciding it was finally her turn. Pillar chose the Houston race as her first full marathon. “It feels like a culminating moment,” Pillar said. “I’ve watched the marathon for years, and now I’m finally part of it.” While the race marked a first for Pillar, Sid Rich senior Maggie Bowers came back for what she already loved: the grind. After running the race two years ago, she said working toward the finish line again felt natural.
“I really enjoy working toward something over time,” Bowers said. “Training for a marathon gives me structure.” After running the race two years ago, returning felt natural. In the weeks leading up to race day, Bowers kept her focus simple: complete a 20-mile training run before the marathon. “That was the biggest advice everyone gave me,” she said. “If you can get that, then you know you’ll be ready.” But preparation was as much mental as physical. “The hardest part is not getting discouraged when you have one or two runs that don’t go that well,” Bowers said. “You can’t expect all of your runs to be good. That’s the point of getting it out of your system in training.” For Pillar, sticking with the process meant pushing through setbacks. Early in the fall, plantar fasciitis forced her to step back just as her training was starting to pick up.
SEE HOUSTON MARATHON PAGE 4
A&E RUPD CHIEF LEAVES AFTER 24 YEARS PAGE 2
content content content
RICE AND HERMANN PAGE 11 PARK’S RICH HISTORY
PAGE 8
BOWL GAME DRAWS CROWD TO FORT WORTH PAGE 14