When Pat Lyons left Seton Hall University in July 2025 to move closer to his family, he couldn’t have found a better way to remain in Division I athletics than at the University of Rhode Island.
On March 10, Lyons was hired as the new vice president and director of athletics at the university. Lyons is a Rhode Island native and attended La Salle Academy in Providence, with strong family ties to the university.
“It’s an honor for me,” Lyons said. “Everybody in my family that went to college went to the University of Rhode Island. This has been as much of a home for me as a non-alumni as possible.”
Lyons was previously the AD at his alma mater, Iona University. He also served as the AD for Seton Hall University. Lyons brings over 25 years of leadership experience in Division I athletics.
Lyons takes the reins from Brittney Miles, who was named the interim AD on Nov. 27, 2025. Before Miles’ tenure, Thorr Bjorn had been the AD at URI since 2007. Bjorn took the job as a senior deputy athletic director at his alma mater, the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Lyons was a two-sport athlete at Iona in hockey and golf. He later coached the golf team to three consecutive conference championships and was also an assistant coach for the hockey team.
While the Pat Lyons era at URI is just beginning, the Tammi Reiss era has come to an end.
Reiss, the former head coach of URI’s women’s basketball team, was coming off an Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Lyons got to work quickly in his new role and brought in former University at Albany head coach Colleen Mullen.
“Colleen was someone I had been following for quite a while,” Lyons said. “It was a great process, it ended exactly where we wanted to be, which isn’t always the case, and we’re just thrilled about the future.”
While the Rhody women’s basketball team ushers in a new era, the URI men’s basketball team enters its last season with head coach Archie Miller under contract. The Rams are yet to win an A-10 Tournament game under his tenure.
“I’m looking forward to working with Archie,” Lyons said. “We’re excited about where the program could be next year based on the portal… We want to compete, we want to be successful, we also want to make sure we’re providing resources for the programs to allow them to be successful.”
With lots of construction going on in URI athletics, including additions to Meade Stadium and the construction of an outdoor track and field complex. There is still a need for further facility improvements.
“Baseball, softball, I would include the soccer facility as well,” Lyons said. “It’s my understanding that there have been some designs that have been drawn up for upgrades… I can’t give a timeline yet, but as far as facility upgrades go, those three would definitely be our priority.”
On the ice, URI does not have a Division I program; they compete as a club team. Given Lyons’ hockey background, many hoped that promoting the team to a varsity sport had potential.
“I don’t see that coming to fruition anytime soon,” Lyons said. “For us to elevate hockey, we would need a transformational gift. Whether you’re talking about hockey or you’re talking about something else, that’s what you’re looking at to start a new sport.”
While the spring sports season wraps up in a little over a month, Lyons will have his first full year starting in the fall. Lyons aims to continue to grow and elevate Rhode Island athletics, along with providing student-athletes with the best experience possible at URI.
