Courtesy of Rice Athletics.
HOUSTON, TX (August 22, 2025) – Rice swimming and diving head coach Seth Huston has signed a contract extension that will keep him on South Main through 2028.
The extension comes after a season that saw the addition of diving propel Huston’s Owls to their first American Conference championship and first conference title since 2014.
“I am so excited to continue to lead this program into the bright future ahead,” said Huston. “Our President, Reginald DeRoches, and Athletic Director, Tommy McClelland, have infused so much energy into Rice Athletics in the last two years. Rice Swimming and Diving is poised to be the best we have ever been in this new era of collegiate sports, and we have the support necessary to do so.”
Entering his 24th season at Rice, Huston has brought great success to the swimming and diving program. Rice won the American crown with the most points ever scored by an Owls squad at a conference championship with 1475.5 points.
Huston was named one of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America’s “100 Greatest College Swimming & Diving Coaches” in 2021. He is a five-time C-USA Coach of the Year award winner, winning four in five years during a stretch between 2010-2014, where Rice won three out of four C-USA Championships, and sharing the award in 2019.
Apart from conference champions, Huston has also coached CSCAA Open Water National Champions, as his swimmers have taken over the event. Rice has won the last two women’s team championships, led by individual champion Ella Dyson.
In addition to the team title last year, Huston’s swimmers have captured 15 individual American Conference titles in three years of competition.
Huston and the Owls swimmers and divers open their fall season on September 26 at the Seminole Fall Classic in Tallahassee, Florida. Rice’s first home meet will begin on October 10 with “Dual-A-Pooluza.”

Proud of this UTampa alumnus! Seth is a fantastic person and this is well deserved
The GOAT built an amazing program at an amazing school. Always growing and leaning into the changes in our sport and coaching the whole athlete.
One of the BEST Coaches in the nation. Seth has done such a wonderful job at Rice. He is the real deal in Coaching and this is well deserved. Congrats to my good friend.
Any idea what the salary was and what it will be over the next few years.
No. As a private school, contracts aren’t as open records as they are at public schools.
Heard they’ve got a fire assistant coach too
One of the absolute nicest people I have ever met. Rice is very lucky.