KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island Athletics Department is saddened to learn of the passing of former Director of Athletics Ron Petro.

Petro served as the Director of Athletics at Rhode Island from 1992-2004. While at URI, Petro oversaw the completion of the Ryan Center and Boss Ice Arena, and the men's basketball team made its deepest NCAA Tournament run in program history, going to the Elite Eight. He also added women's rowing as an NCAA varsity program in 1996, and the team has since won 11 Atlantic 10 titles. Petro served as the Executive Director of the Women's Final Four in Boston in 2006.

"Ron Petro had a significant impact on athletics at the University of Rhode Island," Interim Director of Athletics Brittney Miles said. "He left quite a legacy in the realm of college athletics. Our thoughts are with his family. May he and his late wife Sally rest in peace."  

Before his time in Kingston, Petro was the head coach of the men's basketball team at Marist from 1966-84, winning 228 games and three league titles over 18 seasons. He also served as the school's tennis coach for the mens and women in the 1970s before eventually becoming the athletic director there.

After his departure from Marist, he served as Director of Athletics at Alaska-Anchorage from 1984-92. He secured a deal with ESPN to televise the Great Alaska Shootout, and he became the first Athletics Director to be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

A native of Yonkers, New York, Ron's significance spread to multiple schools and organizations throughout his life. He was a three-year member of the men's basketball team at Manhattan, where he scored over 1,000 career points and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

Petro earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Manhattan in 1963. He then added master's degrees from Penn State in education in 1964, and administration and supervision from Southern Connecticut State in 1975.