VOLUME 110, ISSUE NO. 07 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2025
Coed flag football removes genderinclusive rule
Who’s open?
PATRICK SHUKIS
FOR THE THRESHER
KAIRI MANO / THRESHER Sid Richardson and Hanszen College students play in a coed flag football match Oct. 2. A rule mandating half of all plays involve a woman was removed this season.
Alumni parents reminisce on time at Rice
PHOTO FROM THE 1997 RICE CAMPANILE CJ Reddig ’99 and Claire Carman ’98 (center) hang out in 1997. Reddig and Carman were Wiessmen. Their daughter Caitlin Reddig is now a Wiess College senior, and their son Bennett is a McMurtry College junior.
NOAH BERZ & ARIANA GAUBA
FEATURES EDITOR & FOR THE THRESHER
Mira Olson ’98 did a double take when her daughter Dori told her who she would
have as her freshman year roommate. Wiess College seniors Dori Olson and Caitlin Reddig thought they would be perfect strangers, but a simple text message exchange confirmed they had
more history than they originally thought — their parents were former classmates. “We saw her name, and we were like, ‘Wait, Caitlin Reddig, do you think so?’” Mira Olson said. “I instantly texted a friend of mine and was like … ‘did [Reddig’s parents] have a daughter named Caitlin who’s a [high school] senior?’ and they said yes, so that was pretty funny.” Olson and Reddig have remained roommates for each of their four years at Rice, and their parents said they have since rekindled a friendship they once thought to be long gone. Mira and Tim Olson met when they advised together at Wiess during Orientation Week their senior year, and they got married one year after graduating from Rice. Tim Olson said he distinctly remembers that his first interaction with Mira was on paper — she had written her entire O-Week advisor application in crayon.
SEE PARENTS WEEKEND PAGE 8
Thresher’s survival guide to Austin City Limits ARMAN SAXENA
A&E EDITOR
Zilker Park is turning into a small city again. For two weekends straight, you’ll share it with Hozier, Sabrina Carpenter, The Strokes and about 75,000 other people per day. Whether it’s your first ACL or your fifth, here’s how to make it out alive, hydrated and (mostly) dust-free. Tip #1: Pack light, pack smart ACL’s bag rules are no joke. Anything 6-by-9 inches or smaller is fine, but bigger bags have to be clear and under 12-by6-by-12. Hydration packs are allowed if
they’re empty at the gate. Inside that bag: travel-size sunscreen (under 3.4 ounces), hand sanitizer, portable charger, band-aids and a refillable water bottle. No umbrellas, coolers, selfie sticks, hammocks or outside snacks. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re not sweating through security. Tip #2: Hydrate like it’s a sport October in Texas can still hit the 90s, and Zilker dust doesn’t mess around. Bring a refillable water bottle, electrolytes and maybe even a cooling towel. Masks or scarves can help if the air gets gritty by late afternoon. If you have allergies or asthma, toss an inhaler or small aid kit in your bag.
Narcan is allowed and available at the fest; look for the This Must Be the Place team in yellow vests. Tip #3: Getting there without losing your mind Driving? Don’t. Zilker parking is a myth. Take ACL’s free shuttles from downtown (Electric Drive and Walter Seaholm) starting at 11:30 a.m., or bike and park near the Mopac Pedestrian Bridge. If you’re ridesharing, ACL recommends Lyft: drop-offs are at Lee Barton, Wallingwood or Stephen F. Austin Drive. CapMetro’s 803 bus also gets you close enough to hear bass before you even arrive.
SEE ACL GUIDE PAGE 11
Under the floodlights of Field 6, students compete each week in search of the coveted President’s Cup. And when it comes to school spirit, every college brings its A game for intramural flag football. While intramural freshman flag football has attracted significant student attention in prior seasons, this year, the focus has specifically shifted to coed football, as a controversial rule change has left many students wondering if the heart of the game is still intact. Prior to the start of the fall season, the Competitive Sports Program made the decision to eliminate the open and closed play rule, changing a central aspect of coed flag. “The rule has been in place for many years and has been a standard rule prior to this year,” wrote Chris Watkins, the assistant director for competitive sports, in an email to the Thresher. Under the eliminated rule, each play was either open or closed, with open plays giving teams the ability to target male or female players without restriction. Any time a male player completes a pass to another male player, the next play becomes closed. On a closed play, the offensive team must have a female either attempt to throw or catch a pass on each play until a positive gain occurs, which returns the next play back to open. Watkins said that the decision to eliminate the rule was made based on feedback from participants and staff, as well as game statistics. Players and referees have mixed opinions on the matter. As far as the officials are concerned, the rule change has been positive. “It makes the refs’ jobs easier because there’s less rules to memorize,” said Julian Hollis, a sophomore referee from McMurtry College. In a fast-paced flag game where the clock is almost always running, Dylan Raaum, a junior referee from Jones College, said referees struggled in past years to determine which plays were open and which were closed. “The big downside to the rule for us refs last year was that it was confusing to figure out sometimes,” Raaum said. “Teams were confused about it, too.” Despite the upside for referees, the new season has raised concerns for coed. While teams are still required to have four female players on the field at all times, there’s no longer a requirement for female players to pass or catch the ball. A rule preventing male players from running the ball past the line of scrimmage provides some balance to the game, but some students say it’s no longer enough to level the playing field. “There’s been some pushback with thinking that this goes to a maledominated flag game,” Raaum said after Duncan College defeated McMurtry 3716 on Thursday. In their win, Duncan didn’t have a single catch or pass by a female player in their 29 plays from scrimmage.
SEE FLAG FOOTBALL PAGE 14