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2002-03 Spring Season in Review The University of Rhode Island continued its excellence on the playing fields and in the classroom during the 2002-03 season. The Rams finished second in the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Cup, honoring overall achievement by the Athletic Department. The Rams also placed 129 student-athletes on the conference’s honor roll, for students with over a 3.0 g.p.a. It was an exciting year for facilities as well. The Rams opened the state-of-the-art Ryan Center where the men’s basketball team drew just under 100,000 fans, shattering the school attendance record. The women’s basketball team also set a new single-season attendance mark at the new facility as well. The University’s men’s and women’s ice hockey teams also played in a new facility, the Boss Arena. Baseball (26-26, 16-8 Atlantic 10) The Rams finished the 2003 campaign tied for first in the Atlantic 10 East Division and earned a bid to the conference playoffs for the first time since the 1984 season. Two players were drafted by Major League Baseball as juniors Reid Willett (Chicago Cubs) and Jared Trout (Oakland A’s). Head coach Frank Leoni was named the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.
Golf The team earned their 12th straight bid to the NCAA East Regional. Head coach Tom Drennan was named the NCAA Division One East Region Coach of The Year for the seventh-straight season, leading the team to their fourth-straight New England Championship with Kenneth Fahey, Chad Spencer, Michael Carbone, and David Spitz earning all-New England honors. Men’s Tennis (14-8, 7-7 Atlantic 10) The Rams placed 11th at the Atlantic 10 Championship and tallied a 7-2 mark during the fall season. Nick Barbera notched an 8-1 record in singles and a 5-2 mark in doubles.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Rhode Island captured their second-straight Atlantic 10 Championship. Sophomore Andre Reid was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer, freshman Eric Groce nabbed Rookie of the Year honors, and John Copeland was named Coach of the Year. Women’s Rowing The team finished second at the ECAC Metro Championship and notched a second-place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship with the Varsity Lightweight 4 taking first-place in the race. Marilyn Woodford was named a first-team All-New England and second-team All-American performer. Softball (21-22, 8-8 Atlantic 10) The Rams finished 5th in the conference, narrowly missing a bid to the Atlantic 10 Championship. Freshman Jenna Thurston was named the conference Rookie of the Week four times during the season. Senior Kristen Havdouglos led the team with a .314 average and nine RBI for the season while starting every game.
Women’s Tennis (7-7 overall, 2-2 Atlantic 10) Rhode Island finished in 10th-place at the conference championship with Erin Flemming notching a 5-6 record at singles and a 6-7 mark at doubles, both high marks for the Rams.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field URI captured a third-straight Atlantic 10 Championship. Pascale Delaunay was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer after capturing first-place in the long jump and third-place in the triple jump. Delaunay and Kelly Hagner were named all-ECAC performers after a pair of top-10 finishes at the ECAC Championship. Senior Jen Haigh notched a 14th place finish at the NCAA East Regionals. |
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