CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Former Dutch Bros CEO Joth Ricci and his family have donated $3 million to the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Oregon State.
The donation establishes endowments managed by the OSU Foundation that will provide annual revenue to both teams, the university announced Tuesday.
Ricci graduated from Oregon State in 1991. His parents and children are also Oregon State alumni. In addition to Dutch Bros, Ricci has served in leadership roles for Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Jones Soda and Burgerville. He is currently an executive in residence for Oregon State’s College of Business.
The gift comes as Oregon State navigates the collapse of the Pac-12. Oregon State and Washington State were the lone schools left in the conference after realignment last year.
The Pac-12 has since announced that it has added five Mountain West teams for 2026. The league still needs one more member to be recognized for football under NCAA FBS requirements. On Tuesday, Gonzaga announced it is joining the Pac-12 but the Bulldogs don’t have a football team.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to invest in OSU Athletics,” Ricci said in a statement. “Anytime you are in an uncertain situation, you have a choice to make; you can wait and see what happens to you, or you can get engaged and build your narrative. As intercollegiate athletics continue to change, at Oregon State we have the chance to build and make our program even stronger.”
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