By Shane Donaldson
Associate Athletic Director, Communication and New Media

KINGSTON, R.I. - When Delanie Hill joined first-year head coach Colleen Mullen in the move from UAlbany to Rhode Island, URI picked up a bona fide sniper.

After a solid first season with the Great Danes that saw Hill earn a spot on the America East All-Rookie Team in 2024-25, the Charlotte, N.C. truly broke out as a scoring threat last year.

Hill averaged 14.0 points per game while shooting 37.1 percent from long range in her second season. The scoring average was a massive jump from the 3.4 points per game she averaged in year one.

It led to Hill earning America East Third Team All-Conference recognition, as she was third in the league with 1.97 3-pointers per game and fourth with the .371 3-point shooting percentage. She also led the America East with an eye-popping .880 free throw percentage, hitting 81-of-92 from the stripe.

"Putting in the work last summer and trusting my coaches was a big factor," Hill said of her offensive productivity. "Knowing that they would put me in positions to succeed, it allowed me to trust the work I was putting in every day. I knew I was making shots when nobody was looking. I could see the work paying off, and it gave me the confidence to play freely."

While her offensive prowess became apparent last season, it's the defensive end of the floor that gets Hill's motor going. A smile breaks out when she is asked about her favorite part of playing defense.

"Taking the charges. I love being in the right spot when an opponent thinks they see an open lane," Hill said. "When you can step under and take that charge, it brings energy to the team. Defense fuels the game.

"Being there; hustling; being a good teammate; rebounding; the game gets exciting when you succeed in those areas. When you play well in those areas, it shows that you are locked in as a team, and you are protecting the paint. It makes opponents second guess whether they can drive. It helps you to force tough shots."

It all speaks to an approach to basketball that Hill says has been instilled in players by Mullen and her staff.

"It's a mix of the coaches along with the community and the winning program that are in place here," Hill said of the decision to come to URI. "We played here last year, so I knew first-hand how good they were. You could see the high standard that was set here.

"I was excited that Coach Mullen got the opportunity to come here. I was able to follow her. That was something I am super grateful for. I love playing under her. She is a great coach and a great person. She has a great basketball mind. Academically the school is very good, which was super important to me."

Ask any of the players who joined Mullen in the move from UAlbany to Rhody, and they will point to the entire staff. Associate head coach Megan Methven has worked alongside Mullen for 10 years, as the two went from Army West Point to UAlbany to URI together. Assistant coach Catherine Cassidy has been with Mullen since 2018.

"It shows the culture Coach Mullen brings. It is amazing to see how Coach Cat and Coach Megan have stayed with her for such a long time," Hill said. "It sets a high standard of expectation high. When you also have players who already know and understand those expectations, it's a great starting point for the new players to understand what a championship culture looks like."

Coming to Rhode Island, Hill said the goal is to maintain the championship culture that has been established at URI in recent years. Hill viewed the move as a win-win situation, matching the known entity of her coaches and teammates to the success Rhody has experienced of late. 

"Just in the short time we've been here, you can see that people love women's basketball," Hill said. "The game is growing, so it's great to see how much the people here care."