University of Richmond Athletics
AlOng Came the Spiders
07/23/2001 | General
July 23, 2001
Location: Kingston, R.I. 02881
Founded: 1892
Enrollment: 13,437 (public)
Nickname: Rams
School Colors: Light Blue, Dark Blue, White
President: Dr. Robert Carothers (Edinboro, 1965)
Director of Athletics: Ron Petro (Manhattan, 1963)
Dept. of Athletics Address:
University of Rhode Island, Department of Athletics
Keaney Gymnasium
Kingston, RI 02881
Most Recent A10 Championships: 2000 Men's Soccer, 2001 Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, and Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Year joined the A10: 1981
Driving Distance from Richmond: 493.4 miles
Official Athletics Website: www.gorhody.com
Sports:
Men's: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field
Women's: Basketball, Cross Country, Crew, Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball
A-10 Item List About Rhode Island:
1) The Road To Rhode Island...
The University of Rhode Island is located in Kingston, in southern Rhode Island. The University was chartered as the stat's agricultural school in 1888. It became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. In 1909 the name of the college was changed to Rhode Island State College. The college became the University of Rhode Island in 1951. Kingston is 15 miles north of historic Newport and less than 30 miles south of the capital city of Providence. Rhode Island is the smallest state (1,214 square miles). The greatest distance from one point to another is 48 miles.
2) Rhode Signs... Rhode Island has more than 20% of the entire nation's registered historic landmarks.
3) Silver Medalists... The University of Rhode Island finished second in the Atlantic 10's Commissioners Cup race for 2000-01, its best ever finish.
4) So Long, Keaney...
This will be the final season that Rhode Island will play in historic Keaney Gymnasium. Keaney Gymnasium (3,385 capacity) opened in 1953 and will be replaced by the new $54 million Convocation Center.
5) Football Playoff Meeting... Richmond first made the I-AA playoffs in 1984. Richmond defeated Boston University 35-33 at UR Stadium in the first round. The Spiders lost at Rhode Island 23-17 in the second round before 10,446 fans, the sixth-largest crowd in the 72-year history of Meade Stadium. Tight end Brian Forster set a URI school record with 18 receptions against the Spiders.
6) Hardwood Edge... Richmond is 3-2 against the Rams in men's basketball. The Spiders have won three games in Richmond and lost twice in Rhode Island. The last meeting was in 1979, an 87-48 victory for the Rams in Rhode Island.
7) Soccer Success...
The URI men's soccer team compiled a record of 17-6-1 in 2000 and captured the Atlantic 10 championship. The Rams were ranked #16 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The women's team won its first nine matches this past fall and registered a school-record 15 wins.
8) Elite Eight... Rhode Island's men's basketball team was two points away from the Final Four in 1998. Lead by Lamar Odom(left) and head coach Jim Harrick, the Rams defeated Murray State, Kansas and Valparaiso before falling to Stanford 79-77.
9) Rapid Rams... The Rhode Island men's track team won the Atlantic 10 championship indoors and outdoors this past season. The women's team won the A-10 title indoors and placed second outdoors.
10) Famous Football Rams...
Former TV 6 sports anchor Jeff Hogan, now in Columbus, played football for the Rams in the late 1980s. Defensive tackle Steve Furness, who played at Rhode Island from 1969-71, was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1971-80 and was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions in 1981.
11) Yo Vinny!... Former Spider football assistant coach Vinny Marino enters his second season on the Rhode Island staff.
12) Great Golf... The URI golf team won an unprecedented fourth consecutive New England championship this spring and made its seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past eight years. The Rams finished 15th in the East Regional, its best ever.
Next Week... St. Bonaventure
Pictures:
Ram and Arena: www.gorhody.com
Lamar Odom: sports.yahoo.com/nba
Jeff Hogan: wbns10tv.com
