The Community College of Rhode Island has announced the hiring of Mike Romano as its new head men’s basketball coach, just the fifth in the program’s 58-year history, which dates back to 1965.
Romano has spent the last two and a half years at CCRI as Compliance Coordinator for the Athletics, Recreation and Wellness Departments and brings extensive coaching experience to the men’s basketball program. Romano, a native of Pawling, NY and resident of Glocester, RI, has coached at Rhode Island College, Bard College, Alfred University and Hartwick College, in addition to his role in various Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball tournaments and organizations. .
“I am very excited to announce Mike Romano as the fifth head men’s basketball coach at the Community College of Rhode Island,” said Director of Athletics, Recreation and Wellness Ashley Casiano. “His accomplishments as a coach, his passion for excellence and his commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the court strongly align with the goals of our department. We look forward to the Romano era of men’s basketball at CCRI.”
Romano joins a short but successful list of men’s basketball coaches in CCRI’s illustrious history, including Hall of Famer Vin Cullen, who won more than 700 games and 10 regional championships, in addition to leading the Knights to the national championship game in 1991 during his tenure from 1965-2002, and Rick Harris, who also led CCRI to the national championship game in 2012 and won 301 games in 15 seasons before parting ways with the university in 2022.
“I’m very excited,” Romano said. “When I joined CCRI in 2021, I didn’t expect things to turn out the way they have, but everything happens for a reason and it will be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to building the program again. I wasn’t actively looking for a coaching position, but CCRI is a special place and has such a rich historical tradition in intercollegiate athletics in New England that when the opportunity presented itself, it was impossible to pass up.
“I am the fifth head men’s basketball coach in CCRI history. There are some basketball programs that have had five head coaches in the last five years, so it’s a real honor to be in this position.
“I never demand perfection, but I will demand the highest level of effort from my student-athletes every day on and off the court. “I want to be respected throughout the region for who we are as a program, as well as what we accomplished in the win-loss column.”
Romano earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Western Connecticut State University in 2010 and his Master of Education (M.Ed.) in 2012 from Marist College, where he was the graduate manager of the school’s Division I basketball program.
In 2012, he landed his first coaching job as an assistant at RIC, where the Anchormen won two Little East Conference championships to earn a berth in the Division III NCAA Tournament and appeared in the conference title game. in three of his four seasons behind the bench. . In his role as an assistant, Romano recruited several Little East All-Rookie Team and All-Conference selections, including 2012-13 All-American Tahrike Carter. The 2012-13 Anchormen finished 26-4 overall, and 13-1 in conference play, and reached No. 13 in the national D-III poll.
Romano also served as associate head coach at Bard College during the 2015-16 season, spent the 2016-17 season as an assistant coach at Hartwick College and then served three seasons as associate head coach at Alfred University from 2017 to 2020. During the 2018-19 season, Romano played a key role in Alfred’s run to the NCAA D-III Tournament, the school’s first since 1997. The Saxons’ coaching staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors the Empire 8 Conference after leading the team to 14 consecutive wins and finished second in the conference in points allowed (71.8) and opponent shooting percentage (42.0).
Romano’s vast recruiting ties in the Northeast were instrumental in Alfred rebuilding his roster, including the addition of 2018-19 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year Elliot Bowen. At Hartwick, he was part of the coaching staff that drafted 2017-18 Empire 8 and East Region Rookie of the Year Kevin Townes and also recruited unanimous Liberty League All-Rookie Team selection Chris Rogers while I was at Bard College.
“My short-term goal is to recruit a roster that will build a great foundation in 2024-25 and set the tone for achieving the goals ahead of us,” Romano said. “I really want to travel around Rhode Island and make sure that all student-athletes are fully aware of the Rhode Island Promise scholarship and what a great opportunity it is to be able to continue their education and athletic career for free.
“You have to be here for the right reasons. We will have a list of student-athletes who want to go to college, play basketball and then move on to another university and continue their basketball career at a four-year school.
“I have coached several former student-athletes who are now coaches at high schools and travel programs around the state. While nothing replaces your own eyes and ears, the best thing is a recommendation from someone I know and trust, who knows what I stand for and what I expect from my student-athletes. Many of the championship teams I was a part of at Rhode Island College and that Coach Cullen and Harris had here at CCRI were built around Rhode Islanders, so I know I don’t have to look far to find talented young men who want to compete. and it can help us win.”
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