Rice Owls | |
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University | Rice University |
Conference | The American |
NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
Athletic director | Tommy McClelland |
Location | Houston, Texas |
Varsity teams | 16 (17 in 2026) |
Football stadium | Rice Stadium |
Basketball arena | Tudor Fieldhouse |
Baseball stadium | Reckling Park |
Mascot | Sammy the Owl |
Nickname | Owls |
Fight song | Rice Fight |
Colors | Blue and gray[1] |
Website | riceowls |
The Rice Owls are the sports teams representing Rice University in college sports. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest. Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics. A member of the American Athletic Conference, Rice sponsors teams in eight men's and eight women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA, until joining the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2023.[2][3] The women's swimming team moved to The American in 2022 after CUSA dropped women's swimming & diving.[4] Rice is the fifth-smallest school competing in NCAA Division I FBS football measured by undergraduate enrollment, just above the University of Tulsa's 2,756 and the three FBS United States service academies's approximate 4,500. Rice's rivals include the cross-town Houston Cougars.