KINGSTON, R.I. - University of Rhode Island Vice President/Director of Athletics Pat Lyons announced that Brittney Miles has been promoted to Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer.

Miles served as URI's interim Athletic Director after Thorr Bjorn resigned in November to take a position at the University of Massachusetts. She served in the role until Lyons was appointed by University President Marc Parlange. In the few months she was in the role, Miles helped secure more than $500,000 in new fundraising efforts. She also has played a key role in directing the $65 million athletics complex renewal project, working to ensure the outdoor track and field and Meade Stadium projects remain on time and within budget.

In her new role, Miles will oversee the daily operations and long-term strategy of the athletics program.

"Brittney brings strong leadership to our department, and I am excited to work closely with her," Lyons said. "She is well respected in the URI community and throughout both the Atlantic 10 and CAA Football. She is a significant contributor to the success Rhode Island has experienced through the years."

Miles originally joined the athletic department in 2013 as an academic advisor. In August of 2019, she was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations. She oversaw student-athlete admissions, housing, dining plans and financial aid packages. She also served as the athletic department liaison with related departments on campus.

She provides strategic oversight for day-to-day operations for the football and men's basketball programs, as well as the women's lacrosse program. At the conference level, Miles is a member of the CAA Football administration committee. For the Atlantic 10, she serves on the league's sport competition committee and the men's basketball sport administration committee. She is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors as well as the Women Leaders in College Sports, among others.

In the seven years since she was initially promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations, Rhode Island has won 31 regular-season conference and tournament titles, which have come across seven different sports. Most notably, she has worked directly with football head coach Jim Fleming to help turn the program from 2-10 in 2019 to back-to-back CAA Football titles in 2024 and 2025.