HOUSTON — Former McNeese State Athletic Director Tommy McClelland was named AD at Rice on Sunday.

He will lead Rice’s transition into the American Athletic Conference, which began on July 1.

McClelland, 43, arrives at Rice with almost 13 years of experience as an AD at the Division I level after working as deputy athletic director at Vanderbilt. Before moving to Vanderbilt, he served as the athletic director at Louisiana Tech (2013-20) and prior to that at McNeese (2007-2013). He was the youngest AD in the NCAA Division I ranks at 26 when he took over full-time at McNeese after a one-year stint as interim AD.

McClelland will begin his new job with the Owls on Aug. 14.

“We’re thrilled to be able to attract someone with Tommy’s breadth of experience and success,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches said in a news release. “He brings the values of academic excellence and deep integrity that define Rice, coupled with a passionate desire to compete successfully at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. These attributes will be critical for Rice’s first season in the American Athletic Conference and the years to follow.”

McClelland, who once served as an intern with the Southland Conference, has been a successful fundraiser wherever he’s been. At McNeese he raised more than $3 million in private donations and almost $1 million in corporate sponsorships while overseeing $11 million in facility improvements. McNeese programs won 11 SLC championships under McClelland.

At Louisiana Tech, McClelland oversaw the construction of a $23 million athletics complex and $18 million press box with luxury suites. He negotiated an exclusive apparel five-year agreement with Adidas.

During his time at Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs won six consecutive bowl games. The men’s basketball team won 20 or more games in seven of eight seasons with a 121-11 home record and two conference titles.

He directed the largest fundraising campaign in Vanderbilt history at $300 million.

All three universities met or exceeded the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report and Graduation Success Rate under McClelland.

McClelland replaces the 46-year-old Joe Karlgaard, effective today, who left Rice after 10 years for a position in the private sector.

McClelland is also a 2012 graduate of the Executive Program of the Sports Management Institute and attended instruction at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

McClelland is a Basile High School graduate who played football and competed in track and field at Northwestern State.