McCarthyism spreads to Rice

Plano Senior senior Ryan McCarthy must know an opportunity when he sees it.

The Wildcats’ baseball standout pinpointed Rice as his college of choice early in the process, citing the school’s blend of athletics and academics as a recipe for success. Fast forward roughly two years later and McCarthy realized that dream Wednesday in making his commitment to peruse the diamond for the Owls official.

“Ever since I was a sophomore, I’ve wanted to go to Rice,” McCarthy said. “So if that chance ever came my way, I was going to go for it. But it was just getting to visit there that helped me make up my mind for sure.”

The visit to the Houston-based campus was reciprocal on McCarthy’s part, as it was Rice that first locked the Planoite into its crosshairs over the summer. McCarthy said he began getting looks from colleges near the tail end of his junior year and the Owls first took notice during a club tournament in Atlanta that featured McCarthy’s squad, the Dallas Patriots.

A player lauded by Plano head coach Rick Robertson for his versatility, McCarthy made a strong impression in the field and at the plate.

But for the Owls, there was one last quandary.

“They asked my (club) coach if I could pitch,” McCarthy said. “He said ‘yeah’ and then they came out and watched me pitch. I guess they liked what they saw.”

An offer was extended and a visit was made. Coming to that final conclusion didn’t take long as McCarthy took a liking to the campus from the onset.

“I liked the whole architecture of the campus,” he said. “It was real old school, kind of like Harry Potter, and was very prestigious. It’s a top baseball program with top academics as well.”

Locality was also a factor, as McCarthy expressed an interest in staying in-state. Such was the case in selecting Rice, as McCarthy eschewed the likes of Arizona, Nebraska, New Mexico and Liberty in making his decision.

Targeting sports management as a major, McCarthy’s decision became final on Wednesday with a swarm of onlookers making the moment all the more special.

“It really meant a lot to be there in front of all my peers,” he said. “Only a few people get the chance to sign, so it really means a lot to see that hard work pays off.”

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