During his tenure as director of intercollegiate athletics at Rice, Del Conte had responsibility for 16 intercollegiate programs, 350 student-athletes, along with coaches and staff. Del Conte also designed, developed and managed the Rice Vision for the Second Century Campaign, which has raised over $90 million to date. He secured significant funds to build athletic facilities such as the Tudor Fieldhouse and Youngkin Center for Student Athlete Excellence, and also raised $4 million for upgrades to the football stadium. Del Conte also secured a marketing sponsorship and broadcast rights contract for Rice and maintained a focus on student-athlete academic achievement, resulting in numerous public recognition awards from the NCAA for the academic progress rate of student-athletes.
"We conducted a thorough national search, reviewed numerous résumés and ultimately found a stellar professional with the expertise and background to continue guiding our athletic program toward excellence," said Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. "Christopher has extensive experience and proven ability in collegiate athletics and academic administration. He has successfully served in leadership positions in athletic programs throughout the country and guided the development of strategic partnerships, negotiated and managed key contracts, advanced student-athlete academic achievement, and ensured that athletics remained integrated with the strategic direction of each university he served."
"I am thrilled to be appointed TCU's athletics director," said Del Conte. "Athletics plays a vital role in the entire university experience and as such, it must remain an integral part of TCU's strategic direction. Doing so enhances and supports not only the student-athlete experience but also the collegiate experience of all TCU students. This program enjoys invaluable community involvement and support, has a history of excellence steeped in tradition and continues building its reputation on a national level. I look forward to carrying forward the great momentum that is clearly visible throughout the TCU athletic program."
Prior to Rice, Del Conte was the senior associate athletics director for external operations and sports programs for the University of Arizona in Tucson. In that role, Del Conte had responsibility for the planning, management and oversight of the day-to-day operation for the department of intercollegiate athletics. He also functioned as the chief financial officer for the department; managed external operations; had oversight and management of all contracts, ticket sales, broadcast rights fees, corporate sponsorships, and trademarks and licensing; and oversight of all facility construction.
He has served on various professional committees and associations including the Division 1A Directors' Association and the National Association of Directors of Athletic Development.
Del Conte received a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master's of education administration and supervision, from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. He is married to Dr. Robin Ward and has two daughters, ages 8 and 7.