The Rice University Rowing Club began in 1989. It started as a small group of students who managed to recruit a former world-class rower, Hannes Hofer, from the ranks of Rice staff to coach. Under Hannes’ leadership, the team developed into a southern US rowing powerhouse. The team regularly competed at venues from Austin to Boston, and was quite successful. In the fall of 1999, Rice University Men’s Collegiate 8+ took 3rd place at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston.
Hannes retired as coach after the spring of 1999. Since then, there have been a variety of community volunteers who have helped guide the team, as well as several strong student-athletes who maintained the competitive nature of the program.
The team has traditionally rowed on Pasadena Lake, better known as Mud Lake, with the Bay Area Rowing Club of Houston. After Hurricane Ike, the team briefly moved to a venue in Sugar Land, TX with the Greater Houston Rowing Club, but has now resumed rowing with BARC.