Kaylin Rice was promoted to assistant coach entering into the 2019-20 season after eight seasons with the program in different capacities. Rice was promoted in June of 2019 after serving two seasons as the associate director of basketball operations from 2017-19. She transitioned to her full-time role following four years as a team manager and two seasons as a graduate assistant for the Lady Bears from 2011-2017.
In March of 2020, Rice was named to the WBCA’s prestigious list of ‘Thirty Under 30,’ which recognizes up-and-coming assistant coaches in women’s basketball that exemplify involvement in community service, mentorship, impact on players, professional manner, attitude and professional association involvement.
Rice will join recruiting coordinator and assistant coach Sytia Messer in the Lady Bears’ recruiting efforts that have produced the No. 1 recruiting class in two of the past six seasons. She’ll also join Messer in coaching guards. Rice will retain her supervision of the “Dream Team” male practice squad. Messer’s first season with Rice assisting in recruiting produced a No. 9-ranked 2020 class with the signing of two five-star recruits. In her first season assisting with guards, Messer and Rice saw Te’a Cooper and Juicy Landrum selected in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
In her previous position on the operations staff, in addition to managing the “Dream Team,” she assisted with scouting reports, film breakdown and on-campus recruiting.
The Stephenville, Texas, native graduated from Waco’s Midway High School in 2011 where she played three years at guard for the Panthers. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education from Baylor in May 2015 and earned a Master’s of Education in Sport Management in May 2017.
Rice married her husband, Jesse, in May of 2017.