Rhode Island Rams
Rhode Island Rams | |
---|---|
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University | University of Rhode Island |
Conference | Atlantic 10 Conference, Colonial Athletic Association |
NCAA | Division I |
Athletic director | Thorr Bjorn |
Location | Kingston, Rhode Island |
Varsity teams | 18 (8 men's, 10 women's) |
Football stadium | Meade Stadium |
Basketball arena | Ryan Center |
Baseball stadium | Bill Beck Field |
Soccer stadium | URI Soccer Complex |
Other venues | Keaney Gymnasium |
Mascot | Rhody the Ram |
Nickname | Rams |
Fight song | "Rhode Island Born" |
Colors | Keaney blue, navy blue, and white[1] |
Website | www |
The Rhode Island Rams are the athletic programs of the University of Rhode Island, based in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. The Rams compete in the NCAA's Division I as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The football team, however, competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision, as the A-10 does not sponsor football.[2] The program's athletic director is Thorr Bjorn.[3]
The school's colors are light blue (officially referred to as "Keaney blue"), white, and navy blue.[2] The school's mascot is Rhody the Ram. It was chosen in 1923 as tribute to the school's agricultural history, making its first appearance in 1929. The school has not used a live ram since the introduction of "Rhody," a student in an anthropomorphic ram costume, in 1974.[4]
Teams
Men's sports | Women's sports |
---|---|
Baseball | Basketball |
Basketball | Cross country |
Cross country | Rowing |
Football | Soccer |
Golf | Softball |
Soccer | Swimming & diving |
Track & field† | Tennis |
Track & field† | |
Volleyball | |
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. |
As a primary member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the University of Rhode Island sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports, with football competing in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Baseball
The Rams baseball program played its first season in 1898. It plays at Bill Beck Field on campus. In 2005, under head coach Frank Leoni, the program reached its first NCAA Tournament.[5][6]
Basketball
URI Basketball went to the NCAA tournament in 2017 after an 18 year drought, nearly upsetting Final Four participant #3 Oregon in the second round. In the 1990s the Rams made the Big Dance in 1997,[7] 1998,[8] and 1999.[9] In 1998, the Rams went on a surprise run to the Elite 8.[10]
The women's team has made one postseason appearance in 1996 after going 21-8 and 13-3 in A10 play. They lost 90-82 to Oklahoma State.
Football
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (August 2018) |
Softball
Rhode Island's softball team has appeared in one Women's College World Series in 1982.[11]
National championships
Team
Association | Division | Sport | Year | Opponent/ Runner-Up |
Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NCAA | University Division | Men's Cross Country | 1941 | Penn State | 83–110 |
Facilities
Source:[12]
Sport | Facility |
---|---|
Baseball | Bill Beck Field |
Basketball | Ryan Center |
Cross Country | – |
Football | Meade Stadium |
Golf | – |
Rowing | URI Campanella Rowing Center |
Soccer | URI Soccer Complex |
Softball | URI Softball Complex |
Swimming & Diving | Tootell Aquatics Center |
Tennis | URI Tennis Courts |
Indoor Track | Mackal Fieldhouse |
Outdoor Track | – |
Volleyball | Keaney Gymnasium |
Media coverage
Television
University of Rhode Island sports are televised regionally on the Ocean State Network, a joint venture of Cox Communications and WJAR.[13] OSN provides television and streaming coverage of all regular season men's basketball games not broadcast on a national carrier, and select football, baseball, soccer and women's basketball games. Select men's basketball games are also covered by ESPN, and A-10 tournament games are televised by contract with ESPN, CBS and NBC.[14] The University's ACHA men's ice hockey and women's basketball home games have live streaming video available on their respective websites.
Radio
Commercial coverage of men's basketball and football is provided by flagship station WHJJ and broadcast on stations in the Beltone Hearing Aid Centers Rams Radio Network.[15] The longtime announcer for both sports is Steve McDonald, who in 2011 was awarded the inaugural Ben Mondor Award for "extraordinary contributions in...sports in Rhode Island".[16]
Non-commercial coverage of home games for football, baseball, men's (and select women's) basketball, as well as the school's ACHA men's ice hockey team can be heard on the University's student radio station WRIU. Other sports, including men's and women's soccer, softball, women's ice hockey and select women's basketball games are carried on WRIU's online station RIU2.[17]
Club sports
The University of Rhode Island Club Sports program consists of 15 competitive, collegiate club teams. Each team is organized and managed by students with guidance from the Coordinator of Club Sports. They include Tennis, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Roller Hockey, Rowing, Sailing, Rugby, Swimming, Volleyball, Gymnastics, Ultimate and Equestrian. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Division I of the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
Mascot
Rhody the Ram | |
---|---|
University | University of Rhode Island |
Conference | A-10 |
Description | Anthropomorphic ram |
First seen | 1929 |
Rhody the Ram is the official mascot of the University of Rhode Island. His mascot status was given on March 8, 1923, and he made his first appearance on November 21, 1929. At one time a real ram was housed at a dairy barn across from the campus, but that stopped in the 1960s, and was picked up for one year in 1974. Unlike other popular universities, the Rhody the Ram mascot program is run by the URI Student Alumni Association, a student run organization that serves the university by organizing many popular events on campus.[18][19]
Controversial incidents
February 3, 1998 – Rhody the Ram tried to prevent the St. Joe's Hawk from his eternal flapping by putting an inner tube over its head, temporarily immobilizing his arms. While trying to remove the tube, the Hawk's head (costume) fell off. The incident was televised and repeated on ESPN.[20]
See also
References
- ^ "Color Palette". 2023 Rhode Island Rams Brand Guide (PDF). May 2, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
- ^ a b "University of Rhode Island". NCAA. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "From the Desk of Thorr Bjorn". Go Rhody. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ Peregolise, Adam (September 18, 2003). "Legend Of The Ram". Go Rhody. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "2005 Rhode Island Rams Baseball Media Guide" (PDF). Rhode Island Sports Information. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
- ^ "Tribe Head Baseball Coach Frank Leoni Inducted into Rhode Island Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame". TribeAthletics.com. William & Mary Sports Information. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "1997 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket". Database Sports. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "1998 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket". Database Sports. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "1999 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket". Database Sports. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "End of the Rhode: Stanford makes up 6 points in 59 seconds, shocks URI". CNN/SI. March 22, 1998. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
- ^ "URI Athletics – Facilities". Go Rhody. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ "Ocean State Networks". Cox Sports Online. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "A-10 signs new eight-year television deal with ESPN, CBS, NBC". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Follow Rhody Men's Basketball on the Beltone Hearing Aid Centers Rams Radio Network". Go Rhody. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "WHJY and Voice of the Rams Steve McDonald to Receive Ben Mondor Award". GoLocalProv. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ "Sports Programming". WRIU. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
- ^ "Rhody The Ram". urisaa.org. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
- ^ "Rhody the Ram celebrates 88th birthday". ramcigar.com. April 8, 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
- ^ "Rhody the Ram v. The Hawk". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
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