Rhode Island Colleges Have Something for Every Sports Fan

For a small state we sure pack a lot of athletic punch. Strong performances from our college squads and standout players like Kris Dunn have attracted a national eye recently, but locals know the score: we’ve got college teams worth talking about. Even RISD has a hockey team.

Over in Friartown, both Providence College’s men’s basketball and hockey are facing rebuilding seasons after losing some big stars to the pros, but these young teams are taking the competition head on. Women’s hockey has already defended their Mayor’s Cup title this year, and the women’s basketball team came out of the gate running with a seven win streak to start the season.

Kingston is Rams country. After four wins to open the season, the URI’s men’s basketball issued a statement or purpose to the 2016-2017 season. Meanwhile, the women’s team is ready to prove they’ve got more up their sleeve after setting a few program records last season, including three-pointers scored in a season by a single player (82 for Chaise Wilson) and the team as a whole (208). The Anchormen and Anchorwomen of Rhode Island College are both coming off of disappointing seasons, but if there’s anything Rhode Islanders know it’s that you can’t keep a good sailor down.

Over on College Hill in Providence, the Brown University Bears offer the usual suspects of winter sports, like men’s and women’s basketball and hockey, but they’ve got a couple of distinctly Ivy League teams as well. In case you didn’t get your fix of fencing or women’s water polo during the Rio games last summer, keep your eye on the Bears.

And then there’s the Nads. Leave it to the Rhode Island School of Design to turn hockey into performance art. Their mascot is an X-rated bit of male anatomy, their rallying cry is “Go Nads!” but hey, hockey’s hockey. And if you like your sports a little weird, you can’t really go wrong.