| Rhode Island Rams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Rhode Island |
| Conference | Atlantic 10 (primary) CAA Football (football) |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Thorr Bjorn |
| Location | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| Varsity teams | 18 (8 men's, 10 women's) |
| Football stadium | Meade StadiumCentreville Bank Stadium (will be used in 2026) |
| 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 | gorhody |
 | |
TheRhode Island Rams are theintercollegiate athletic programs that represent theUniversity of Rhode Island, based inKingston,Rhode Island, United States. The Rams compete in theNCAA'sDivision I as a member of theAtlantic 10 Conference. Thefootball team, however, competes in theCoastal Athletic Association Football Conference of the NCAA'sFootball Championship Subdivision, as the A-10 does not sponsor football.[2]
The program's athletic director is Thorr Bjorn.[3]
The school's colors arelight blue (officially referred to as "Keaney blue"), white, andnavy 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]
| 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 theAtlantic 10 Conference, the University of Rhode Island sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women'sNCAA sanctioned sports, with football competing in theCoastal Athletic Association Football Conference.
The Rams baseball program played its first season in 1898. It plays atBill Beck Field on campus. In2005, under head coachFrank Leoni, the program reached its firstNCAA tournament.[5][6]
URI Basketball went to theNCAA 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 in1997,[7]1998,[8] and1999.[9] In 1998, the Rams went on a surprise run to the Elite 8.[10]
The women's team has made one NCAA appearance in 1996 after going 21–8 and 13–3 in A10 play, losing 90–82 to Oklahoma State. They have two other postseason appearances in the 2022 and 2023 WNITs.[11]
The Rams have won eight conference championships, seven in theYankee Conference and one in theCoastal Athletic Association. Likewise the Rams have won one division title, in 1995: the Yankee Conference's New England Division.
Rhode Island's softball team has appeared in oneWomen's College World Series in1982.[12]
The University of Rhode Island Club Sports program consists of 13 teams. Each team is organized and managed by students with guidance from the Coordinator of Club Sports. They include Soccer, Tennis, Hockey, Field Hockey, Rowing, Sailing, Rugby, Swimming, Volleyball, Gymnastics, and Equestrian.
Thewomen's ice hockey team competes in Division I of theAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association inECHA league.
| Organizer | Division | Sport | Tournament | Year | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA | University Division | Cross country | Division I tournament | 1941 | Penn State | 83–110 |
Source:[13]
| Venue | Sport hosted |
|---|---|
| Bill Beck Field | Baseball |
| Ryan Center | Basketball |
| Meade Stadium | Football |
| URI Campanella Rowing Center | Rowing |
| URI Soccer Complex | Soccer |
| URI Softball Complex | Softball |
| Tootell Aquatics Center | Swimming & diving |
| URI Tennis Courts | Tennis |
| Mackal Fieldhouse | Indoor track and field |
| Keaney Gymnasium | Volleyball |
Rhody the Ram is the officialmascot ofthe 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 dairybarn 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.[14][15]
University of Rhode Island sports are televised regionally on theOcean State Network, a joint venture ofCox Communications andWJAR.[16] 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 byESPN, andA-10 tournament games are televised by contract with ESPN,CBS andNBC.[17] The University's ACHA men's ice hockey and women's basketball home games have live streaming video available on their respective websites.
Commercial coverage of men's basketball and football is provided byiHeartMedia stationsWHJJ andWWBB in the Providence area, with rights managed byLearfield IMG College.[18] The longtime announcer for both sports is Steve McDonald, who in 2011 was awarded the inauguralBen Mondor Award for "extraordinary contributions in...sports in Rhode Island".[19]
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 stationWRIU. 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 stationRIU2.[20]
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.[21]
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