Chuck Pool has been named Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information at Rice, The Rice Owls Athletic Director Chris DelConte announced. He is the third SID in the school's history, following Bill Whitmore and Bill Cousins, and will oversee all Owls athletic communications and publicity efforts while serving as the primary contact for football.
"We are thrilled to have someone with Chuck's background and expertise to take the lead in telling the story of Rice athletics," DelConte stated. "He brings a unique perspective to the challenges of getting our message out to the public."
Pool, 48, comes to the Owls after spending the last four years running his own public relations company, Laysan Communications, which specialized in sports public and media relations. His primary clients included the Rotary Lombardi Award, which honors the top linemen in college football, and the Roger Clemens Award, which is presented to the top pitcher in college baseball. Laysan also provided media services to the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee, the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and USA Football.
A veteran of nearly 20 years on the Houston sports scene, Pool came to Houston in the fall of 1985 when he joined the Houston Astros as the Assistant Director of Public Relations. He remained with the Astros through the spring of 1992 when he was selected to create the Media Relations Department of the expansion Florida Marlins. He returned to the Astros in 1998 before entering private business in 1999.
Pool is a 1980 graduate of the University of Nebraska where he played freshman football (1977). He joined the Huskers Sports Information staff after graduation and was part of publicity efforts that garnered a Heisman Trophy, three Outland and two Rotary Lombardi Award winners and 10 consensus All-American selections in football. He also headed up publicity efforts for the Huskers gymnastics and swimming programs, and served as Media Coordinator for three NCAA Men's Gymnastics and one NCAA Women's Swimming Championships. In 1984 he was selected to join the media staff for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Pool and wife Laura reside in Pearland with their four children, Kevin (17), Cameron (14), Kelli (12) and Courtney (9).