Photo by Andre Odums/ossports

Victor Lopez knows a lot about track and field. Though retired, the longtime Rice Owls coach remains a respected figure in the university’s athletics community.

The Victor Lopez Classic, which began in 1983 and is now in its 43rd edition, is one of the nation’s premier track and field meets, drawing top college and high school athletes from across the country to Rice University.

Anthony Roberts, who became a member of the Rice staff in 2022 as the assistant director of communications, shared his insights regarding this season’s classic.

The quartet of Christian Greyling, Colin Hayden, Elton Martin, and Brady Meredith recorded the nation’s fastest time in the 4×800 Meter Relay (7:46.88), propelling the Woodlands to victory. St. Thomas and Kingwood followed in second and third place, respectively, with times of (7:56.59) and (8:00.84).

In the 4×100-meter relay, the Woodlands achieved a time of 41.00, securing third place behind Summer Creek and Katy, which clocked in at 40.92 and 40.96, respectively.

As Saturday approaches, the meet is set to conclude, with most finals commencing in the evening.