June 4, 2007

Rice University head men's basketball coach Willis Wilson is pleased to announce the elevation of Omar Mance to assistant men's basketball coach for the Owls. Mance, a 2003 Rice graduate, has served as the program's director of basketball operations since January.

"I am really happy to afford this opportunity to Omar (Mance)," says Wilson. "He is one of the all-time Rice greats and he will be an excellent addition to the coaching staff."

"I am very excited to be working with Rice basketball as an assistant coach," comments Mance. "I am thankful to Coach Wilson, who has dedicated almost his entire career to Rice, for this opportunity. I plan on using my energy, enthusiasm, and passion for Rice to recruit the best players and aid in their development not only the court but also in the classroom. If there is any time to be excited about Rice basketball, the time is now. With the $23 million renovations to Autry Court, Coach Wilson and the basketball program is getting the commitment it deserves and I am elated to be a part of it."

Before coming to Rice, Mance co-founded Northbrook, Ill.-based RMG Hoops, a basketball company that services leagues, camps, teams, training, and mentoring to youths in the Chicago-land area. He was also co-director and coach of RMG Elite AAU teams and summer camps. Furthermore, Mance was athletic director and head boys' eighth-grade basketball coach for the Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, Ill.

He is also still active with Athletes In Action playing on AIA basketball teams that have toured China, Russia, and Canada. During the summer of 2006, he along with Wilson, toured Nairobi, Kenya, conducting basketball clinics for the Kenya National, college, and club teams.

Mance, who transferred to Rice from Louisiana State after his freshman season, had a stellar three-year career for the Owls from 2001 to 2003. He ranks third all-time with 196 three-pointers made in a season (2003) and seventh all-time at Rice with 365 career three-pointers. Omar's 39.5 career three-point shooting percentage ranks fourth in school history. He was named team MVP, Western Athletic Conference All-Academic team, and Rice Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2002 and 2003.

As a senior in 2003, Mance was selected to the All-WAC Second-Team, named CollegeInsider.com WAC MVP, and earned the Bob Quin Award as Rice's top male athlete. He was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VI team as a junior and senior.

A native of Lithonia, Ga., Mance was valedictorian of Lithonia High School (1998) where he was also the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,907 points. He was selected as the metro-Atlanta Player of the Year in addition to being named the AAA Georgia Player of the Year as a senior.

Omar graduated from Rice in May of 2003 with a B.A. degree in mathematics.