Nina Caldwell
Rice University, located in Houston, Texas, is home to the Rice Owls, who compete in the American Athletic Conference. The university offers a golf program that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Rice University offers athletic scholarships for golf, including need-based and academic scholarships. The Owls have had success in a variety of sports over the years, including rugby, tennis, basketball, and swimming. The university is currently raising funds to add a women's golf program in the 2026-27 school year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| University Name | Rice University |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Golf Program | Competes in the American Athletic Conference |
| Golf Scholarships | Available for student-athletes |
| Golf Division | NCAA Division I |
| Head Coach | Justin Emil |
| Assistant Coach | James Lee |
| Golf Team Name | Rice Owls |
| Golf Team Mascot | Sammy the Owl |
| Related Teams | Rice University Club Golf Team |
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What You'll Learn
Rice University is in NCAA Division I
Rice University is located in Houston, Texas, and its sports teams are called the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in the university's crest, and its mascot is Sammy the Owl.
Rice's football team has seen success in recent years, winning its first bowl victory in over 50 years in 2008 and its first outright football conference championship in over 60 years in 2013. The Rice Owls are the fifth-smallest school competing in NCAA Division I FBS football by undergraduate enrollment.
Rice University offers athletic scholarships for golf, including NCAA Division I scholarships. The Rice University Club Golf Team also has its own home course at Wildcat Golf Club. The university's women's team, named Torque, won consecutive national championships in Division III in 2014 and 2015. Rice will add women's golf in the 2026-27 school year following a $5 million startup donation.
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Rice University Golf offers athletic scholarships
Rice University, located in Houston, Texas, offers athletic scholarships for its golf program. The program competes in the American Athletic Conference. Both need-based and academic scholarships are available for student golfers. Athletic scholarships are available for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA.
Rice University Golf's Head Coach, Justin Emil, is a key person to contact for those interested in joining the program. Assistant Coach James Lee is another important member of staff to reach out to. Building relationships with the coaching staff is important, as is creating a professional-quality recruiting profile.
Rice University Golf recruits can make use of platforms like SportsRecruits and NCSA, which connect coaches and athletes. These platforms are useful tools for high school athletes to increase their chances of being recruited by showcasing their academic and athletic achievements.
Rice University's golf program is a good opportunity for talented golfers with strong academic records to pursue their sport at the collegiate level. The program offers scholarships and provides a pathway for golfers to continue their education while competing in a competitive golf conference.
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The Head Coach of Rice University Golf is Justin Emil
The Rice University Golf program competes in the American Athletic Conference. The team has a strong history of academic and athletic excellence, offering athletic scholarships for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA.
Emil has a demonstrated history of success in NCAA Collegiate Golf Coaching. He has led the Owls to numerous achievements, including the 2014 Conference USA Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He has also coached three NCAA Regional individual participants, five C-USA All-Freshman members, and the 2014 and 2022 C-USA Freshman of the Year. In addition to athletic accomplishments, Emil emphasizes academic excellence, with his squads earning numerous academic honors, including the C-USA Sport Academic Award and the GCAA Team Academic Award.
Emil's strong beliefs in the compatibility of academic and athletic excellence are evident in his coaching philosophy. He has a solid plan for growing the golf program competitively, engaging in community outreach and fundraising, and actively contributing to the Rice community. His passion, leadership, and coaching skills have earned him recognition as a successful Rice coach.
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$14.95 $15.95
Rice University Club Golf Team gets exclusive discounts from golf brands
Rice University is a private research university in Houston, Texas, that competes in the American Athletic Conference. The university offers a golf program with recruiting and scholarship opportunities for both men and women. The Head Coach of the golf program is Justin Emil, and Assistant Coach James Lee also plays a key role.
Rice University's golf team members are encouraged to start building relationships and creating highly visible, professional recruiting profiles to enhance their chances of being recruited. The NCSA network, for example, is used by many high school golf athletes to get their highlights in front of coaches and colleges nationwide.
Rice University also has a Club Golf Team that is part of the NCCGA. Members of the NCCGA teams, including Rice University's Club Golf Team, benefit from exclusive discounts and custom product offerings from top golf brands.
Rice University offers athletic scholarships for golf, including need-based and academic scholarships. On average, 34% of student-athletes at Rice University receive athletic scholarships.
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Rice University will add women's golf in the 2026-27 school year
Rice University, home to the Rice Owls, will be adding women's golf to its intercollegiate sports in the 2026-27 academic year. The Owls, representing Houston's Rice University, compete in NCAA Division I athletics. The university is a member of the American Athletic Conference, which it joined in 2023. Rice currently sponsors teams in eight men's and eight women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, and the addition of women's golf will expand the intercollegiate athletic teams to 17.
The expansion of women's athletic opportunities at Rice is thanks to a $5 million commitment from former Rice women's basketball player Lynn Laverty Elsenhans and her husband, John. Elsenhans, who had a distinguished career as an executive in the energy industry, expressed her support for the sport, stating that top academic institutions have proven their competitiveness in golf, and there is no reason why Rice cannot do the same. Elsenhans was also one of the first groups of women who ushered in intercollegiate athletics at Rice, playing on the Owls' inaugural basketball team in 1974-75.
Rice University has a history of success in women's sports, with the women's basketball team winning the 2021 Women's National Invitation Tournament and the Conference USA regular-season title the same season. In 2004-05, the women's volleyball, soccer, and basketball teams advanced to their respective NCAA tournaments, and the following year, the soccer, basketball, and tennis teams followed suit. The university also offers women's ultimate, with the team named Torque winning consecutive national championships in Division III in 2014 and 2015.
The addition of women's golf will be the first new sport added to Rice's roster since soccer in 2001, and it will provide increased opportunities for female student-athletes to compete for the Owls.
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Frequently asked questions
Rice University Golf competes in the American Athletic Conference. Rice University is a member of NCAA Division I athletics.
Yes, Rice University offers golf scholarships for student-athletes. Scholarships are available for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA.
The Head Coach of Rice University Golf is Justin Emil.
To get recruited for Rice University's Golf program, it is recommended to start by building relationships and creating a professional recruiting profile. You should also get to know more about the school and its academic programs.
Rice University will be adding a women's golf team in the 2026-27 school year following a $5 million startup donation from former Owls women's basketball player Lynn Elsenhans.
