Arizona

Arizona’s Del Conte named Rice’s new director of athletics

BY B.J. ALMOND
Rice News staff

Chris Del Conte, senior associate athletics director at the University of Arizona in Tucson, has been appointed Rice University’s new director of athletics, Rice President David Leebron announced June 22.

Photo by Tommy LaVergne

Rice President David Leebron, left, introduces Chris Del Conte as the university’s new director of athletics at a press conference June 22. Del Conte comes to Rice from the University of Arizona.

“Chris Del Conte is recognized as one of the most capable administrators and leaders in college sports,” Leebron said. “His dedication to the overall development of the student-athlete and his understanding of the value of intercollegiate athletics in an academic setting are ideal for building upon the notable success Bobby May achieved during his 17 years as athletics director.”
Del Conte succeeds May, who announced his retirement in April. May led Rice to its status as one of the most-respected intercollegiate sports programs in the nation after becoming athletics director in 1989.

“Rice’s paramount academic reputation made this job very appealing,” said Del Conte, who will be the university’s 14th athletic director. “President Leebron’s vision for the university and the reputation of Rice academically and athletically were in line with my value system.”

When Del Conte joined the University of Arizona’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in December 1999, he oversaw all aspects of athletic fund development, including raising revenue to support completion of a $13-million athletics pavilion and more than $6.5 million for student-athlete scholarships. In 2002 his responsibilities were expanded to include overseeing the ticket office, marketing, corporate sales and trademarks and licensing. He implemented a capital campaign known as “Campaign Arizona for the Student-Athlete,” which has raised more than $120 million.

In 2003 Del Conte was named one of three senior associate athletics directors, and his duties were further expanded to include overseeing media relations, business operations and external affairs and helping co-manage the day-to-day operation of the university’s 19 sports programs. He became responsible for the supervision of all areas of external operations, which now generate $28 million in annual revenue. He worked directly with all coaches, department heads and staff and participated in the hiring of coaches and other personnel. He also oversaw all contracts, including corporate sponsorships, broadcast rights, sporting events and Web-site agreements.

Bobby Tudor ’82, a Rice alumnus and trustee who chaired the search committee for the new athletics director, noted the committee was focused on finding someone who could build on the level of academic and athletic excellence that Rice has achieved and also reach beyond Rice to the broader Houston community. “We were very impressed with Chris’ high level of energy, enthusiasm and drive and also with his commitment to the notion of the student-athlete as we see it at Rice,” Tudor said.

Del Conte has a master’s degree in education administration from Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., where he served as assistant athletics director for external operations before going to Arizona. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of California–Santa Barbara.

Del Conte is married to Robin Ward, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Education. They have two daughters, Sienna and Sophia.