On Saturday, September 27, 2025, two Rice sport analytics students and one Rice alumna presented their research at the New England Symposium on Statistics in Sports (NESSIS), hosted at Harvard University. The symposium brought together statisticians and quantitative analysts from professional sports teams, media organizations, and universities to discuss new developments in sports data modeling and analysis.
Judy Zhu ’25, who majored in Mathematics at Rice, delivered an oral presentation titled “Ball Path Curvature and In-Game Free Throw Shooting Proficiency in the National Basketball Association." Students Elisabeth Millington ’26 and Rayaan Damani ’28 each presented research posters. Hua Gong, Ph.D., assistant professor in Rice's Sport Analytics program, accompanied the students to support their work and connect them with professionals in the field.
“Going to a conference like NESSIS is not just about showing projects,” Gong said. “It’s about giving students opportunities to communicate their research ideas to people outside of class, receive feedback that can improve their projects, and connect with others doing exciting work in sport analytics.”
He added that the experience allows students to become part of a community of analysts and researchers. Gong also noted that this type of exposure helps students see their classroom learning—which, at Rice, is already based on real-world applications—with a broader perspective.
“Within Rice’s sport analytics program, our classes are built around research projects that use real data and real problems in sports,” Gong said. “Faculty work closely with undergraduate students, providing mentorship and guidance while also giving them the freedom to explore their own ideas.”
Gong wasn't the only faculty member mentoring these Owls for their NESSIS appearances. Both Zhu and Millington's projects were co-authored by Scott Powers, Ph.D., assistant professor of Sport Analytics and of Statistics at Rice. Millington and Powers' project, titled “A Comps-Based Approach for Interpreting Tree-Based Predictions With an NFL Draft Application," introduced a method for interpreting random forest predictions in sports by using player comparisons (“comps”) to show how past athletes influence statistical forecasts. The model was applied to 2025 quarterback prospects, predicting NFL QBR from college data and linking those predictions to similar players from historical datasets.
“The symposium was a rewarding experience that allowed me to share my research with others who are passionate about sports analytics,” Millington said. “Preparing for and attending NESSIS helped me grow as both a student and an aspiring professional by allowing me to connect with and hear from professionals within the field.”
With Millington as just one example, Gong explained that early exposure to research helps students see that scholarly work isn’t reserved for graduate school; it’s something they can pursue throughout their time at Rice and beyond. He emphasized that opportunities such as NESSIS highlight the department’s commitment to helping undergraduates gain hands-on experience and professional visibility.
“Rice and our programs in the Department of Sport Management are places where undergraduate students can do serious research and present it on big stages like NESSIS,” Gong said. “Even for students just starting out, there are opportunities to take on research projects and share their work with people who care about sports and data.”
Sergio Rojas, a senior from Houston, Texas, is double-majoring in Business with a concentration in Finance and Sport Management with a concentration in Leadership.