Rhode Island Community College announced it has hired Mike Romano as its new men's basketball head coach, the fifth in the program's 58-year history dating back to 1965.
Romano spent the past two and a half years at CCRI as the Compliance Coordinator for the Athletics, Recreation and Wellness Department, bringing a wealth of coaching experience to the men's basketball program. A native of Pawling, New York, and a resident of Gloucester, Rhode Island, Romano has coached at Rhode Island College, Bard College, Alfred University, and Hartwick College, in addition to serving in various Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball tournaments and organizations. I did.
“We are thrilled to announce Mike Romano as the fifth head men's basketball coach at Community College of Rhode Island,” said Ashley Casiano, Director of Athletics, Recreation and Wellness. “His accomplishments as a coach, his passion for excellence, and his commitment to the development of student-athletes on and off the court align firmly with our department's goals. We look forward to the Romano era of men's basketball at CCRI. Masu.”
Mr. Romano joins a short but accomplished list of men's basketball coaches in CCRI's illustrious history. Among them is Hall of Famer Vin Cullen. He led the Knights to the national championship game in 1991 during his tenure, as well as more than 700 games and 10 regional championships. Rick Harris, whose tenure spanned from 1965 to 2002, also led CCRI to the National Championship Game in 2012 and won 301 games in 15 seasons before leaving the university in 2022.
“I'm very excited,” Romano said. “I never expected things to go this way when I joined CCRI in 2021, but everything happens for a reason and it’s going to be a lot of fun. Rebuilding the Program I wasn't actively looking for a coaching position, but CCRI is a special place and has a very rich tradition in intercollegiate athletics in New England. So when the opportunity arose, I couldn't pass it up.
“I'm the fifth men's basketball head coach in CCRI history. We also have a basketball program that has had five head coaches in the past five years, so I'm truly honored to take on this position.
“I will never demand perfection, but I will demand the absolute highest level of effort from my student-athletes every day on and off the court. I want to be respected in the community for what I do.”
Romano earned a bachelor's degree in historical science from Western Connecticut State University in 2010 and a master's degree in education (M.Ed.) from Marist College in 2012, where he served as graduate manager for the school's Division I basketball program. I served.
In 2012, he took his first coaching job as an assistant at RIC, where the Anchormen won two Little East Conference championships, qualified for the Division III NCAA Tournament, and won three of his four seasons. He played in the conference title game off the bench this season. . In his role as an assistant, Romano recruited several Little East All-Rookie Team and All-Conference selections, including 2012-13 All-American Tarike Carter. In the 2012-13 season, the Anchormen finished 26-4 overall, 13-1 in conference play and ranked 13th in the D-III national poll.
Romano also served as an associate head coach at Bard College in 2015-16, an assistant coach at Hartwick College in 2016-17, and then an associate head coach at Alfred University for three seasons from 2017 to 2020. Ta. During his 2018-19 season, Romano played a key role in Alfred's advancement to the D-III NCAA Tournament. It is the school's first time since 1997. The Saxons' coaching staff earned Empire 8 Conference Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading the team to his 14th place finish. They won consecutive games and finished second in the conference in goals conceded (71.8) and opponent shooting percentage (42.0).
Romano's extensive recruiting connections in the Northeast helped Alfred rebuild the roster, including the addition of 2018-19 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year Elliott Bowen. At Hartwick, Chris was part of a coaching staff that included 2017-18 Empire 8 and East Region Rookie of the Year Kevin Towns, who was unanimously selected to the Liberty League All-Rookie Team while attending Bard College.・Rogers was also hired.
“My short-term goal is to recruit players that will build a great foundation in 2024-2025 and set the tone for achieving future goals,” Romano said. “I have traveled all over Rhode Island to fully understand the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship and what a great opportunity it is for all student-athletes to continue their educational and athletic careers tuition-free. I sincerely hope that you will.
“You have to be here for the right reasons. We want to go to college and play basketball and then go to another college and continue our basketball career at a four-year school. We will have a roster of student-athletes we are considering.
“I have several former student-athletes that I have coached who are now coaching in their own high schools or in travel programs around the state. There is no substitute for your own eyes and ears, but… The next best thing is a recommendation from someone I know and trust who knows what I stand for and what I expect from our student-athletes. A lot of the championship teams, and the championship teams that Coach Cullen and Coach Harris have had here at CCRI, were built around Rhode Islanders, so you don't have to go far to find talented young people who want to compete. I know it will help us win.”
https://ccriknights.com/default-content/050924romano
