Houston Cougars Unveil 2024-25 Men’s Basketball Rings
In this story:
The University of Houston men’s basketball team put together a 2024-25 season for the ages. It was arguably the greatest season in program history. The Cougars won a school single-season record 35 games and reached their seventh Final Four and first national championship game since 1984.
Houston swept the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships, and in doing so, set school and league records with a 19-1 record. That also included going undefeated on the road. Houston became the first school to join a major conference and win the regular-season title in each of its first two years in the league in more than 100 years.
Ring Time
On Saturday night, during the football game against Texas Tech, the Cougars unveiled their rings commemorating the historic season. The team was recognized for its achievements at TDECU Stadium, and up-close photos of the rings were shared on the big screen.
A very special season deserved a very special ring. Houston’s director of basketball operations, Lauren Sampson, designed them. The rings are personalized as they feature the jersey number and the name of each player.
Cougars newsletter:
— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) October 8, 2025
Bling time. A fitting ring for UH basketball's special season
“You want the ring and the scale of the ring to match the accomplishment,” said Lauren Sampson, UH’s director of basketball operations, who designed the rings. “The ring needed to meet the moment.”… pic.twitter.com/awGjFw911h
The top of the ring is quite unique. It says “Final Four” and “Big 12 Champs” engraved in gold, and it is also removable to be used as a pendant. Inside the ring, the Houston skyline and university logo are shown, all in gold.
On one side, the 2025 Final Four logo is included and a No. 2 for the national ranking of the team. That also represents the second Final Four under head coach Kelvin Sampson.
Besides the personal player information on the other side are the Big 12 regular-season and tournament championship trophies that surround the NCAA Midwest Regional trophy. Their incredible 35-5 record is also mentioned here. Houston winning back-to-back Big 12 regular-season titles was also included with a “B2B” inscription.
Additionally engraved on the inside part of the ring is the accomplishments of Big 12 regular and season and tournament champions, being undefeated on the road and winning the Midwest regional in the NCAA Tournament.
On the very bottom, the word “culture” is featured. That is such a prominent word in the men’s basketball program, written around their own practice facility as well.
Rings From the Past
This isn’t the first time Houston basketball has received championship rings, as they most recently acquired 2022-23 American Athletic Conference title rings to recognize their time in the AAC before their move to the Big 12.
That ring featured their four AAC regular-season conference championships, which were replicated as four stars. On the inside of that ring were their NCAA Tournament results: 2019 Sweet 16, 2021 Final Four, 2022 Elite Eight, and 2023 Sweet 16. These were unveiled during Houston’s Big 12 football opener against TCU in 2023.
Maybe More
This season, UH is considered one of the best teams in college basketball entering this season. They have high expectations of going back to the Final Four and winning the Big 12 for the third straight year with the best freshman class in school history. It is quite possible that the Cougars may get another championship ring in the fall of 2026 if everything goes right.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.