Miles Rice becomes the seventh First Team and 15th All-American selection from the Chico State men's soccer program. Photo by Chico State Athletics

CHICO, CA (MPG) - Many athletes who suffer season-ending injuries approach their return to sport cautiously, hesitating to play at 100% the moment they step back onto the field. However, that wasn't the case for Miles Rice.

Miles Rice was determined to be healthy enough for his senior season after suffering an ill-timed injury during the NCAA Super Regional match against CSU Pueblo. The Cameron Park native put his rehab at the front of his mind, putting in the work to ensure he would step back on the field with his fellow Wildcats.

On Sept. 5, in Bellingham during the regular season opener, Rice stepped on the field for the first time in 300 days. On Sept. 7, he scored his first set of goals for the 'Cats, with a brace against Seattle Pacific and edging them over the Falcons for the first win of the season 2-1.

That was only the beginning for the senior, as he scored one more against Stanislaus State in a pre-conference matchup before an absolute tear against the CCAA. Before the conference season, opponents may have planned for the striker to play off-form due to his injury, writing off the First Team West Region forward, but he shocked defenses week in and week out.
 
Rice ranked 3rd in the nation in game-winning goals while leading the CCAA, and it was clear to see his impact on the Wildcats season. Of the 11 games Chico State won, Rice had a hand in five, scoring crucial goals that helped his squad qualify for the 2024 CCAA Championships.
 
This season is the first time the senior has received All-American honors, earning All-CCAA First Team and All-West Region First Team honors prior to being elevated to All-American status.
 
Rice has scored 28 goals in his career with Chico State, stepping away from the program with the 10th most Career Goals in program history. He has gradually scored more goals each season since his first year, showcasing his growth as a player and a competitor, with this past season being a career-high thirteen.

Notably, the senior striker scored four braces (two goals in a single match) against opponents this season, coming against Seattle Pacific, CSU Dominguez Hills, San Francisco State, and Stanislaus State. He showcased the ability to punish the opposing defense's mistakes, slotting in goals after being offered too much space or a defender falling short of holding the 6-foot striker back.

Miles Rice becomes the seventh First Team and 15th All-American selection from the Chico State men's soccer program. The last Wildcat men's soccer player to earn First Team honors was Ferid Celosmanovic in 2010.
 
The senior will graduate this spring, leaving a legacy at Chico State as an All-American that defied the odds.