Tony Bassett enters his 12th season with the Rams in 2025, including his eighth season as the program's associate head coach. He was promoted to associate head coach in January of 2018.
Bassett immediately established his value to the program during his first season in Kingston, helping URI to a historic Atlantic 10 regular season title after going winless in the A-10 conference the season before. Since Bassett joined Coach Elliott’s staff in 2014, URI has gone 93-56-27 overall. Bassett has played an integral part in the team winning two Atlantic 10 Championships, two Atlantic 10 Regular Season titles, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019.
Bassett has a hand in almost every aspect of the program under the mentorship of Coach Elliott, including domestic and international recruiting, budget management and fundraising, student-athlete welfare, academics, opposition scouting, equipment ordering, arranging team community service activities, and social media management. Together, Elliott and Bassett have established a rigorous program that prioritizes high academic performance and a strong team culture. In 2021, the team GPA was 3.56 and it consistently falls above a 3.00. In addition, Bassett’s dedication to the program resulted in a total of $35,000 in donations to the program on URI’s Day of Giving in 2019.
On the field, Bassett plays a crucial role in constructing both technical and tactical training sessions that focus on all aspects of player development. In eight seasons with the Rams, Bassett has helped recruit and mentor 24 Atlantic 10 All-Conference players, 19 All-Championship Team selections, 11 All-Rookie picks, 17 All-Academic performers and three A-10 Rookie of the Year award winners. Outside of the conference, URI has had nine NSCAA All-Region selections and two All-Americans since Bassett joined Elliott's staff. He also coached 2022 MLS SuperDraft selection Patrick Agyemang, who was picked 12th overall by Charlotte FC. Agyemang was the highest MLS draft pick in program history.
The Rams’ high expectations for success - both on and off the field - have led four players to professional careers in the MLS and USL during Bassett's time in Kingston.
In the summer of 2015, Bassett earned his NSCAA Premier Coaching Diploma to add to his long list of coaching certifications. He received his U.S. Soccer Federation "B" Coaching License in Rome, Ga in 2013, just one year after attending the Ajax Futbol Club Coaches Symposium in Amsterdam and earning his Ajax Youth Academy Coaching Certification. In 2011, he received his Advanced National Diploma from NSCAA after receiving his U.S. Soccer National "C" License in 2010. Bassett is also currently obtaining his Master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Florida.
Since coming to Rhode Island in 2014, Bassett has coached the 2002 boys team for Rams FC, leading them to win four state cups titles and five NSL league titles. Beginning Fall 2021, Bassett will be joining Rhode Island Surf Soccer Club to coach the 2006 boys.
Prior to joining the Rhode Island staff, Bassett spent two seasons as an assistant with the University of New Hampshire men's soccer program. In his final season at UNH (2013), the Wildcats finished 12-5-1 and advanced to the semifinals of the America East Tournament, but eventually fell to Hartford in penalty kicks. While at UNH, Bassett helped mentor four NSCAA All-Northeast Region Team players, six America East All-Conference selections, four All-Rookie players and three All-Academic picks, in addition to the 2013 America East Goalkeeper of the Year.
Bassett also worked with Seacoast United (Hampton, N.H.) both on the boys and girls sides. In 2012-13, he was heavily involved with the Junior Academy, as well as the U18 U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy team. In 2013-14, he was the head coach of the U16 Boys Premier team, as well as a U10 Girls Junior Academy group.
No stranger to the Atlantic 10 Conference, Bassett also spent three seasons as an assistant coach working under Sam Koch at his alma mater, the University of Massachusetts. There, his responsibilities included organizing training sessions, scouting opponents, recruiting nationally and internationally, video editing, alumni relations, organizing and running youth camps and goalkeeper training.
During his tenure at UMass, Bassett coached three All-New England players, nine Atlantic 10 All-Conference selections and six Academic All-Conference student-athletes.
Bassett also has vast experience in coaching at both club and Olympic Development Program (ODP) levels. Working with Western United's Youth Developmental Academy right after graduation, Bassett moved on to FC Massachusetts in 2011-12 where he worked with the U-10, U-13, U-14 and U-15 New England Premier League boys teams.
A four-year member of the UMass men's soccer team, Bassett saw action in 61 games for the Minutemen - as both a central midfielder and a left back - from 2005-08. In 2006, the Minutemen were ranked as high as 22nd nationally. The following season, they captured the Atlantic 10 Championship and made a historic run to the College Cup in Cary, N.C. Massachusetts finished the 2007 campaign ranked fourth in the country. Despite battling injuries during his senior season (2008), Bassett moved to the left back position and helped lead UMass to the program's first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Bassett earned his bachelor's degree from Massachusetts in Art Studies in 2009. He completed a master's degree in Sports Management - summa cum laude - from Florida in December of 2023.
Updated: 8/13/25
