Home Economy Economic Activity Bjorn steps down as URI athletics director

Bjorn steps down as URI athletics director

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PBN Staff

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11/05/2025

The words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rang out again in Keaney Gymnasium at the University of Rhode Island. They were the words King spoke in a speech he gave Oct. 5, 1966, in Keaney before a capacity crowd of 5,000, which greeted the civil rights leade — THORR BJORN announced Wednesday he is stepping down from his post as University of Rhode Island athletic director to accept a leadership position at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass. His final day at URI will be Nov. 29. Above, he speaks during the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. plaque at Keaney Gymnasium in 2022. /COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – After nearly two decades, the University of Rhode Island is now searching for a new athletics director. Thorr Bjorn announced Wednesday he is stepping down to accept a leadership position at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass. His final day at URI will be Nov. 29. Bjorn will serve as senior deputy

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – After nearly two decades, the University of Rhode Island is now searching for a new athletics director. Thorr Bjorn announced Wednesday he is stepping down to accept a leadership position at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass. His final day at URI will be Nov. 29. Bjorn will serve as senior deputy athletics director and chief administrative officer at UMass. He will assume oversight of the school's football program and will assist with all administrative and managerial aspects of the athletics department. Bjorn worked for 15 years in the UMass athletics department, including four years as senior associate athletic director. He also earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from the school and was a three-year letterwinner in football for the Minutemen. "Thorr's leadership has been instrumental in elevating Rhode Island athletics to new levels of competitive success, academic achievement and community engagement," said URI President Marc Parlange. "The remarkable achievements of our student-athletes and our teams reflect URI's commitment to developing student-athletes who excel in all areas of their lives." Brittney Miles, associate athletics director for internal operations at URI, will serve as interim athletics director while the university conducts a national search for a permanent athletics director. Miles joined URI in 2013 as an academic adviser and student-athlete affairs coordinator and has served as associate athletics director since 2019. "We remain committed to ensuring our student-athletes have the resources and support necessary to compete for championships, excel academically, and contribute meaningfully to the community, while also providing our alumni and loyal fans with experiences that strengthen their Rhody pride and engagement with URI," Parlange said. Since arriving at URI in 2007, Bjorn emphasized an athletics culture rooted in excellence, transforming URI into one of the Atlantic 10's most consistent and well-rounded member schools. Under his leadership, URI teams won 40 league championships, including 11 titles across six sports in the past three years – one of the strongest competitive stretches in school history. He also led success in the classroom. Last fall, URI student-athletes achieved a record 3.26 cumulative GPA, with over half earning Dean's List honors.