University of Rhode Island

Tom Blake joined the Rhode Island coaching staff in June of 2014, coming to Kingston from Northeastern along with head coach Daynia La-Force. Blake has been a part of La-Force's staff for several years, serving as the Huskies’ Associate Head Coach from the 2010-11 season through 2013-14.

Blake brings more than 35 years of experience as a basketball coach, including 21 seasons at the collegiate level. Prior to Northeastern, Blake was an assistant coach with the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team for two seasons, working with talented players such as two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year Brianna Rooney, first-team All-NEC guard Erin Kerner and second-team All-NEC center Courtney Kaminski. Blake served under head coach Tricia Fabbri, the school’s all-time winningest women’s basketball coach.

Blake also served three seasons as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Quinnipiac from 1997-2000, helping lead the Bobcats in a transition period from Div. II to Div. I. While there, he helped mentor two-time All-NEC first team guard Nate Pondexter.

Between stints at Quinnipiac, Blake served as the head coach of the boys basketball team at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Conn., where he also is the owner/operator of Game 7, Inc., a company that operates youth basketball camps.

Blake also has head coaching experience at the collegiate level, having led the men’s basketball programs at Wheaton (Mass.) College (1994-97) and Albertus Magnus College (1989-94). In his time at Albertus Magnus, Blake also served as director of athletics and facility supervisor.

Prior to joining Albertus Magnus, Blake worked as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball programs at Manhattan (1988-89) and Fairfield (1985-88). At Fairfield, he served under Mitch Buonaguro, who is now the head men’s basketball coach at Siena. Blake helped lead the Stags to back-to-back MAAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1986-87.

Blake got his coaching start at Cheshire Academy as the boys basketball head coach and athletic director from 1980-85. He graduated from Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education in 1978 and has a Master of Science degree in Physical Education from Southern Connecticut State.

updated: 9/28/16