KINGSTON, R.I. — Rhode Island women's basketball head coach Colleen Mullen announced the addition of four staff members on Monday, continuing to build her coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season. Catherine Cassidy, Carly Fabbri, Shae O'Brien and Taya Robinson will join Mullen in Kingston.
"I'm excited to officially introduce a staff that brings experience, loyalty, energy, and a shared vision for success to Rhode Island," said Mullen. "Catherine Cassidy, along with Megan Methven, have been instrumental in building our championship culture over the last eight years, and I'm grateful to continue this journey alongside them at URI. We're also excited to elevate Shae O'Brien into the Director of Operations role after the tremendous impact he made at UAlbany as both a staff member and practice player. In addition, Carly and Taya bring elite playing experience and have been part of highly successful programs as both players and coaches. Their energy, ability to build relationships, and passion for player development will make an immediate impact on our program. Together, this staff is committed to developing our student-athletes, building meaningful connections, and continuing to elevate Rhody Women's Basketball."
Cassidy follows Mullen from UAlbany, where she has been on staff since 2018. During her tenure, she helped guide the program to four consecutive 20-win seasons and multiple postseason appearances, including the 2022 America East Championship and three conference title game berths. She previously coached at Kingsborough Community College and Stonehill College.
Fabbri arrives in Kingston after spending the 2025-26 season on staff at Quinnipiac, her alma mater, following a standout playing career. A 2020 All-MAAC Third Team selection, she averaged 9.6 points per game as a senior while ranking 11th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.90). She also earned all-tournament and academic honors. A Stratford, Connecticut native, Fabbri led Lauralton Hall to its first CIAC Championship and collected multiple Player of the Year honors.
O'Brien joins the staff as Director of Basketball Operations after serving in a similar role at UAlbany during the 2025-26 season. He oversaw team logistics while also assisting with scouting and practice preparation. As a former practice player with the program, he was part of two 20-win seasons and two conference championship game appearances.
Robinson joins Rhode Island after serving as an assistant coach at VCU during the 2025-26 season, where she also previously held the role of Director of Player Culture in 2023. One of the most decorated players in program history, she finished her career as VCU's third all-time leading scorer with over 1,600 career points before going on to a successful professional career in Europe. Robinson helped ASC Sepsi win the 2025 Romanian Cup and averaged 17.7 points and 5.8 rebounds during the 2024-25 EuroCup season. She also played professionally in Bulgaria and Greece.
Mullen previously announced Megan Methven as the first addition to her staff last Friday.
