Zefa Tullis-Thompson ‘26 has been named the recipient of the 2026 Lindsay Roemmich Sport Management Achievement Award.
The award is the Department of Sport Management’s highest honor bestowed upon graduating seniors, and it is presented annually to the student who best exemplifies academic excellence, experiential knowledge of the sport industry, a positive attitude, and dedication to the Rice University Sport Management major.
“I am so grateful for the Sport Management Department," Tullis-Thompson said. "To get that recognition that they saw the hard work I was doing, but also valued me as a student, was a really great honor.”
Tullis-Thompson grew up in California and was encouraged by several peers to apply to Rice. Before arriving in Houston, she planned to study anthropology, but she became more intrigued by the Sport Management program during Orientation Week her freshman year. She was excited about the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience specifically in the field of sports event management.
“[The Department of Sport Management] opened my eyes as a whole to this idea of working in sports,” Tullis-Thompson said. “I had no idea coming to Rice that this was even a possibility and that people did this.”
During her first year at Rice, Tullis-Thompson held an internship with Rice Athletics Facilities and Events, which allowed her to assist with game-day operations for Division I volleyball, basketball, tennis, and baseball games. She was also a 2024 College Football Playoff Intern through the Harris County Houston Sports Authority and a Game Manager for the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, hosted by Rice.
“Through that [Final Four experience], I realized that the parts that I liked about that job were the operations side, the event side, and planning,” Tullis-Thompson said.
Tullis-Thompson also took on a substantial role as the Operations Lead for the American Soccer Insights Summit, hosted by Rice’s Department of Sport Management. In this position, she oversaw program volunteers and operational staff while also assisting with operational tasks, such as booking a hotel block, checking in attendees, coordinating with restaurants for catering, and organizing the Women in Sport Analytics Reception.
“Zefa really saved my skin with planning the American Soccer Insights Summit,” said Assistant Professor Scott Powers, who launched the event in January 2025. “When I committed to running a conference at Rice, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Zefa was on top of everything, and Summit participants raved about how smoothly it all went.”
Additionally, Tullis-Thompson joined Rice’s Division I football program during the fall semester of her sophomore year. She held a Football Operations internship for more than two years, assisting with player check-ins, scheduling, administrative tasks, tailgates, and meals. She traveled to several away games to ensure there were no logistical issues with food, amenities, hotels, or travel for the coaching staff and players.
Having just graduated from Rice, Tullis-Thompson remains with the Owls’ football program in a full-time capacity. She has been promoted to Assistant Director of Football Operations and Recruiting, which involves planning team travel, daily schedules, and team operations. She also assists with administrative tasks, recruiting operations, compliance, academic evaluation, and student-athlete onboarding.
Powers is confident that Tullis-Thompson will continue to experience success as she takes on this full-time role in the sports industry.
“Zefa is incredibly responsible and mature,” Powers said. “No job is too big for her. She is someone you can trust to handle the tasks and the conversations that are most important to the success of an organization.”
Tullis-Thompson credits the Department of Sport Management for being a welcoming and steady resource throughout her time at Rice.
“Every single Sport Management professor has been so personally invested in my journey and career growth,” Tullis-Thompson said. “I have personal relationships with every single professor, and I know that if I need something from them, I can text or call them and get a response within 20 minutes. That is really special and unique.”
Andersen Pickard, a senior from New Hampshire, is studying Statistics and Sport Analytics while serving as the Student Assistant Director of Analytics for Rice Baseball.