The End of URI Lightweights?

The coaching regime change at URI was made permanent on Monday, probably sounding the death knell for URI's lightweights. I have no idea why the old coaching staff left, but under Coaches Julia Chilicki-Beasley and Tina Paniel, the URI lights were seen as a "permanent fixture." Since Coach Shelagh Donohoe came on board it appears that URI has only occasionally raced a light four of opportunity.

It's exciting when a varsity program supports lightweights and I thought URI might become the next UCF. This is very disappointing, but not entirely surprising given all of the factors that I discussed in my last few posts. URI is a DI rowing school competing against the Princetons, OSUs, Cals, and Browns of the world. When we see them coming as close to winning the NCAAs over those schools as they might to winning the IRA (5th in 2004, before last year's emphasis), we can declare the move a success.