Rice Owl Club

The Rice Owl Club is the fundraising arm of Rice Athletics. We support the fundraising efforts across the department, including capital projects like the Waltrip Indoor Training Facility, Endowments like the Dunlevie Family football head coach position and Annual Giving. 

Our Annual Giving consists of the unrestricted Owl Club Athletic Fund and the restricted Rice Athletic Scholarship Fund and Sport Specific Funds. 

     

The Owl Club Athletic Fund is the unrestricted annual fund for Rice Athletics. Consistent support of the Owl Club Athletic Fund is critical because it equips Rice Athletics with additional operating revenue that enables strategic investments in resources that impact each student-athlete on a daily basis.

 

The new Rice Athletics Scholarship Fund (RASF) is the annual scholarship fund for the athletic department, restricted to providing scholarship support for our student-athletes. Rice Athletics is committed to funding the maximum number of scholarships and maximum cost of attendance permitted by the NCAA for all 16 sports that we sponsor. Over recent years, new NCAA legislation has led to increased costs associated with tuition, educational fees, books, and room and board. In addition to these rising costs, the financial impact of extended eligibility for student-athletes as a result of COVID-19 will increase the need for scholarship support now more than ever before. 

 

Funds raised through the RASF go directly to these scholarship expenses, offsetting the overall scholarship funding needed for the athletics department. Until such time as the scholarship endowment is fully funded, philanthropic support of the RASF is crucial to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of Rice Athletics.

 

Sport specific gifts are a vital component to the successes of our programs, and in addition to gifts to the Owl Club Athletic Fund, provide necessary resources to support the holistic TRUE student – athlete experience for all 375 student-athletes. All contributions to sport specific funds are directed to the program of your designation in order to provide incremental support for special initiatives beyond the team's annual budget, as determined by the head coach, sports administrator, and director of athletics.

Rice University's Fiscal Year 2022 runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Gifts made in Fiscal Year 2022 activate appropriate benefits for events occurring in Fiscal Year 2023. Only gifts designated for the Owl Club Athletic Fund qualify for benefits.

Contact the Owl Club at: riceowlclub@rice.edu or 713-348-8425.