The Owls joined Conference USA at the start of the 2005-06 season after spending the previous eight years in the Western Athletic Conference. An agreement between the schools and conference was announced last week, allowing each to move to the Big XII in 2023-24. The timeline for the move was dependent on the departure of three current members of The American (Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF). Rice received and accepted an invitation from The American to join the conference on October 21, 2021. Let's pack the stands, join the Owl Club, and offer the encouragement and resources needed to support our Rice Owl teams to the fullest extent now and in the years to come.' Only in working together can we realize our aspirations to win championships and offer the best student-athlete experience available. 'As we prepare for entry into the American Athletic Conference in 2023, we need all of our alumni and fans to step forward in support of our coaches and student-athletes.

'Today's announcement brings Rice Athletics a step closer to its very bright future,' Rice Director of Athletics, Recreation and Lifetime Fitness Joe Karlgaard said. The move was announced jointly on Wednesday after the Owls and five other Conference USA schools (Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, UAB, and UTSA) satisfied the requirements in the conference by-laws and informed the league of their intention to leave at the end of 2022-23 athletic calendar by the deadline of June 15. Rice Athletics will enter a new chapter in its history on Jwhen the Owls officially join The American Athletic Conference.

New conference usa