Tom Drennan, who spent 22 years as the head golf coach at the University of Rhode Island, has died. The 81-year-old Drennan had spent a combined 50 years coaching at the high school, junior college and NCAA Division I levels.
Drennan died peacefully on Jan. 5 and with his family by his side. He was a member of the Rhode Island Athletics Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2015 after his successful 22-year run at the University of Rhode Island. Drennan led the Rams to NCAA regionals for 16 consecutive years from 1992-2007. In 2004, Rhode Island finished eighth at the East Regional to advance to the NCAA Championship, becoming the first team from the Northeast to do so since the regional format was adopted in 1988.
Drennan was also inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2008. He was named New England Coach of the Year nine times and Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year three times.
“I know that I speak for our entire department when I say that we are heartbroken about Tom’s passing,” director of athletics Thorr Bjorn said. “It truly was an honor to work alongside Tom. He was a man of great integrity who was an incredible mentor to countless student-athletes, as well as colleagues. I will certainly miss our conversations and the friendship we developed over the past 13 years.”
Drennan’s long coaching tenure also included a stint as the assistant men’s basketball coach at Rhode Island from 1973-78 and as the head basketball coach and athletics director at Roger Williams from 1966-74.