At URI, club sports are big. You can compete at a high level, discover an exciting new sport, and join a tradition that has produced multiple national championships. Our more than 650 Rhody club athletes work and play hard, striving for excellence just like their Division 1 varsity counterparts.

Each team is organized and managed by students with guidance from the coordinator of club sports—and with more than 18 club sports to choose from, you can train with world-class coaches, play at premier venues around the country, and host regional and national competitions right here on campus. You can join a community of enthusiastic student-athletes who volunteer extensively in the local community—and who raised $750,000 last year to support their club teams.

Playing a club sport has allowed me to form relationships with a wide variety of students with majors, backgrounds, and experiences that greatly differ my own.

You can also make lifelong friends.

“My teammates have become my closest friends at URI, and playing a club sport has allowed me to form relationships with a wide variety of students with majors, backgrounds, and experiences that greatly differ my own,” says senior Anthony Kennedy. “Rhody Rugby plays in a very competitive league within USA, where every week is an exciting battle. Despite this tough competition, we always perform at a high level as a result of our hard work in practice and our commitment and dedication to each other. ”

Our club teams win big. During the 2015-2016 academic year, nine teams qualified for nationals. In fact, women’s sailing ranked number one for much of their season. Other recent examples:

• Last spring, crew grabbed national titles in the men’s novice 4+ and men’s lightweight 4 categories.
• URI teams have won Division 1 club national titles in men’s hockey, women’s gymnastics, men’s swimming, and women’s sailing.
• Rams sailing teams have won numerous Kennedy Cup national titles.
• The club program has produced Olympic medal winners in crew, and international champions in sailing.
• Rugby and men’s and women’s hockey athletes have placed on U.S. national teams.
• URI hosted thirty-four teams for the U.S. Open Ultimate Championships and our own ultimate players volunteered at the event, getting a chance to learn from the best in the game.

And did we mention that our coaches are the best? Men’s hockey coach Joe Augustine, a Boston College hall-of-famer, ranks as the second-winningest coach in Rhody history, trailing only legendary hoops, football and baseball coach Frank Keaney. Crew coach Bob Gillette has led national rowing teams in three different decades, helping them earn medals in several world and regional competitions. Sailing coach Skip Whyte has coached numerous Olympic teams. And women’s gymnastics coach Kelli Doorley led the Rams to a co-national title in 2010, and as the only coach in the club’s eight-year history, she has coached URI to at least a top-three finish at nationals each year.

So, if you want to raise your game, take a look at the possibilities at URI. Chances are club sports has a match for you.