Rice baseball coach on gift for new field surface from former star: 'Anthony and Amanda's gift made this project possible'

Rice University has given the green light to plans to upgrade the playing surface at Reckling Park, the home of the Owls baseball team, per a report on the program's website.

According to the university, Los Angeles Angels third baseman and former Owl Anthony Rendon and his wife Amanda provided a lead gift for the project to replace the quarter-century-old natural grass field.

The 31-year-old Rendon, who played for Rice under Wayne Graham, said in the report that he and Amanda "are excited" to lend a hand to "the next generation" of Owls baseball.

"That program, and the people associated with it, helped us to be successful both on the field and in life," Rendon, who defeated his hometown Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series as a member of the Washington Nationals, said. "We wish the same for those that follow."

According to Rice, the current surface will be removed in favor of an Act Global TM NR34 synthetic turf, which will be installed just before the team engages in fall drills.

Rice Director of Athletics, Recreation and Lifetime Fitness Joe Karlgaard praised the Rendons for their "signature gift."

"Anthony has made Rice proud as a college and professional baseball superstar, and we are honored that he and Amanda feel strongly enough about our university to contribute so meaningfully," Karlgaard said on the website.

According to the report, the Rendons' Husky Owl foundation received support from the Rice Baseball Insider (RBI) Club and Rice alumni J.C. and Jen Kneale.

Head baseball coach Jose Cruz, Jr. said that Rendon represents the best of the program.

"Anthony Rendon embodies the best of what our program offers, both on and off the field," Cruz, who's in his first year at the helm of the collegiate team he used to play for, said in the report. "He represents Rice with pride and wants this program to remain the gateway to success for future generations of baseball players. Every player who steps on this field will know it came from someone who was once in their same shoes. Anthony and Amanda's gift made this project possible and we are ready to move forward thanks to the support from the Rice administration as well as the members of the RBI Club who were all in from the start."