Rice University is a small, private research university in Houston with a heavily wooded, residential campus and a tight‑knit, academically driven community. Students often rave about the intimate class sizes, strong professor access, the house‑system culture, lively campus events, and the mix of big‑city access with a quiet, park‑like campus.

State

Texas

Student Population

8,500

Acceptance Rate

7.5–8%

GPA Range

3.8-4.0

SAT Range

1470–1570

Common Majors

engineering (especially mechanical and civil), computer science, economics, biology, physics

“Campus feels like a quiet grove in the middle of Houston, the student body is smart but down‑to‑earth, the house culture and sports create a loyal, rah‑rah vibe, professors are easy to talk to but the classes move fast, and the mix of research, intramurals, and city‑life options keeps each week from feeling stale.”

Team & Tuition

Divison

Division 1

Tuition (no scholarship)

$57,210

Conference

American Athletic Conference

Scholarships Available

Yes. Both athletic and academic.

Avg Men's Scores

70.93

Avg Women's Scores

73.8

Men's Team Notes

Owls men achieved elite 283.7 adjusted averages over 26 rounds, ranked #49 nationally with Daniel Zou's school-record 71.55 stroke average and 11 par-or-better rounds. Watson (72.40) and Zhu (72.54) anchored depth; top finishes at Bentwater and Bayou City fueled postseason contention on Texas layouts.

Women's Team Notes

Owl women maintained low-74 team averages across invitationals, highlighted by consistent top-20 individual finishes with sharp par-4 scoring from balanced lineup. Sophomore contributors earned medals; strong regional previews and home events advanced national positioning amid humid Gulf Coast conditions and firm greens.

Coaches

Men's Coach

Justin Emil

Women's Coach

Joanne Berglund

Men's Email

justin.emil@rice.edu

Women's Email

jb272@rice.edu

Men's Coach Bio

Justin Emil is Rice University men’s head golf coach, entering his 15th season leading the Owls in 2025–26. Named to the role in 2011, he has elevated the program with multiple NCAA‑postseason appearances and conference‑level hardware, including the 2014 C‑USA team title. Emil emphasizes player development, a strong tournament schedule, and a competitive practice culture to keep Rice competitive in the American Athletic Conference and at the NCAA‑regional level.

Women's Coach Bio

Joanne Berglund is Rice University women’s inaugural head golf coach, appointed in June 2024 to launch the program. With over 25 years of head‑coaching experience at Montana and North Florida, she brings a track record of NCAA‑Regional appearances and top‑five conference‑finishes. Berglund focuses on building a strong recruiting base, technical‑skill development, and a collaborative team environment to position Rice women’s golf as a rising program in the American Athletic Conference.