This historic ongoing women’s basketball campaign at the University of Rhode Island drew more recognition Wednesday for coach Tammi Reiss.
She’s been named to the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year late-season watch list, which was released in an afternoon statement. Reiss is one of 15 coaches nationally to earn a place among her profession’s elite in 2025-26.
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The Rams entered a Wednesday night tip at La Salle with a 23-2 overall record and a perfect 14-0 mark in the Atlantic 10. URI was also on a 17-game winning streak, its last defeat occurring on Nov. 26 in a home game against Princeton. The Rams have never enjoyed a similar start or won as many games consecutively.
URI was picked fourth in the conference during the preseason but has been flawless through the majority of its schedule to date. The Rams own a two-game lead over defending champion Richmond and George Mason, who both entered Wednesday 12-2 in league play. URI beat the Spiders at home and won at the Patriots — it still has a road game at Richmond next Wednesday.
URI women’s basketball head coach Tammi Reiss works the sideline during a game in January.
The Rams have blended returning players with transfers to form a roster that served early notice by knocking off No. 16 North Carolina State in November. That was a first top-20 win for the school in program history and it happened in a 68-63 thriller. URI is a combined 6-1 against the top three quadrants in the NET rankings, which helps the selection committee narrow down the eventual NCAA Tournament field.
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That’s the lone box remaining for Reiss to check during her tenure with the Rams. URI hasn’t reached March Madness in 30 years, the last program from the state to compete on that stage. Linda Ziemke’s team closed 21-8 that season, falling to Oklahoma State in the opening round in Georgia.
URI’s Vanessa Harris goes to the hoop against St. Joseph’s on Feb. 4 at the Ryan Center.
Saint Louis transfer Brooklyn Gray and first-year guard Vanessa Harris have been immediate hits, entering Wednesday first and third on the team in scoring. Palmire Mbu, Ines Debroise, Albina Syla and Sophia Vital are all program veterans who complete the top six. Conference transfers Valentina Ojeda (VCU) and Ta’Viyanna Habib (George Mason) have brought additional experience to the rotation.
Reiss is late in her seventh season with the Rams and boasts a 133-70 overall record. She’s the all-time winningest coach in program history and the fastest to 100 victories. URI was 17-71 overall in the three seasons before Reiss was hired away from Syracuse and 16-48 in four years against league opponents.
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Reiss has led the Rams to two WNIT berths, including a place in the last 16 in 2022-23. URI won a program-best 26 games that season and Reiss picked up her second Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honor. The Rams shared the league regular-season title with Massachusetts that year, a first in program history, and reached the conference tournament championship game in 2023-24.
Reiss appears on the list alongside South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, her former college roommate and backcourt mate at Virginia. They reached the Final Four three consecutive times and played in a national championship game in the middle season in 1990-91. Reiss was named an All-American as a senior with the Cavaliers in 1991-92.
Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Jennie Baranczyk (Oklahoma), Kim Barnes Arico (Michigan), Carla Berube (Princeton), Cori Close (UCLA), Krista Gerlich (Texas Tech), Jan Jensen (Iowa), Kara Lawson (Duke), Kevin McGuff (Ohio State), Kim Mulkey (LSU), Shea Ralph (Vanderbilt), Vic Schaefer (Texas) and Jeff Walz (Louisville) complete the nominees.
The list will be cut twice — to 10 semifinalists on March 19, then to four finalists on March 25 — before the winner is announced. That will occur on April 1 in Phoenix ahead of the Final Four, which is set to open on April 3.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island basketball coach Tammi Reiss is coach of the year nominee
