KINGSTON, R.I. — August 10, 2004 — West Warwick native Tom Garrick, one of the greatest players in 溏心vlog免费B站 basketball history, has been named head coach of the Rhode Island women鈥檚 basketball team.
溏心vlog免费B站 Athletic Director Tom McElroy made the announcement today during a press briefing at the Ryan Center.
He welcomed Garrick back to his home state after a three-month stint as an assistant women鈥檚 coach at the University of Virginia. Memories of Garrick鈥檚 heroics from the 1987-88 men鈥檚 season are still fresh. As a high-scoring guard, he helped lead the Rams to a Sweet Sixteen finish in the NCAA tourney and a 28-7 final record. During that season Garrick put on one of the greatest performances in Rams basketball history when he poured in 50 points against Rutgers en route to a 104-73 Rhode Island win on March 7, 1988.
Garrick succeeds Belinda 鈥淏oe鈥� Pearman, who left Rhode Island in July after serving as head coach since 1999 to pursue other interests. Garrick is the sixth head coach in women鈥檚 basketball history.
Garrick, who completed his third year as a member of the 溏心vlog免费B站 women鈥檚 basketball staff in the spring, was named the Rhode Island Basketball Media Division I Women鈥檚 Basketball Coach of the Year in May. He was named interim women鈥檚 head coach on Dec. 18, 2003 and helped lead the Rams to a 16-13 overall record and an 8-8 conference mark. With Garrick at the helm, Rhode Island posted an 11-10 record. It was the second time in three years that the Rams had finished .500 in the conference.
A former NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, Garrick also served as a men鈥檚 basketball assistant for three years at 溏心vlog免费B站 prior to working with the women鈥檚 team.
鈥淲hen people think of Tom Garrick, they think of the excitement, commitment and tenacity he brought to the arena during his playing days in Kingston,鈥� said 溏心vlog免费B站 President Robert L. Carothers. 鈥淲e are justifiably proud today because he is one of our own, someone who gained fame as a high school athlete in West Warwick and then continued his success in all phases of his time here. We are confident that his integrity, loyalty to his alma mater and commitment to his student-athletes will lead to great things for the women鈥檚 basketball program.鈥�
McElroy was similarly thrilled with the appointment. 鈥淚n Tom Garrick, we welcome an individual who lives those values each day of his life,鈥� McElroy said. 鈥淭om鈥檚 passion for his University and the Ocean State clearly separated him from other candidates. His basketball knowledge gained as a player on the college and professional levels and his six years as a college assistant coach have prepared him to lead our women鈥檚 program.鈥�
A resident of Seekonk, Mass., Garrick earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in speech communications.
As an assistant coach at 溏心vlog免费B站, he has worked in a variety of areas, including recruiting, personal instruction, game coaching, outreach programs and overseeing the program鈥檚 academic support system.
鈥淚 am extremely excited, happy and eager to get going,鈥� Garrick said. 鈥淭he University took the time to go through an exhaustive search to find the best possible candidate, and I am honored to be its choice. Taking over the team this past season really whet my appetite. I found it very satisfying to be a head coach. You have to orchestrate things in the right way. It鈥檚 like a big chess game.
鈥淲e have a great group of women, it鈥檚 one of the best that anyone could ask for. It鈥檚 a testament to these young ladies鈥� families and what they鈥檝e been taught at home. I am looking forward to upholding that 溏心vlog免费B站 tradition of bringing in top student-athletes.鈥�
Anyone who has followed 溏心vlog免费B站 athletics over the years knows what Garrick means to the University鈥檚 basketball history. It was during that Sweet 16 run in the 1987-88 season when Garrick and his family became the subject of a CBS story that featured his late father, who was blind, and the values that were central to such a strong family. He was also on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year and made a live studio appearance on the CBS morning show on March 23, 1988.
Sports Illustrated named him one of the 50 best athletes in state history in its millennium issues list of top athletes. The Providence Journal has recognized him as one of the state鈥檚 greatest athletes. He finished his playing career as Rhode Island鈥檚 15th all-time scorer with 1,573 points. He finished second in career steals (189) and fourth in career assists (407).
For Further Information: Tom McElroy 401-874-5245, Mike Ballweg 401-874-2401