Home Economy Economic Activity Former Seton Hall executive named athletic director at URI

Former Seton Hall executive named athletic director at URI

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PBN Staff

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03/10/2026

Pat Lyons — PAT LYONS, a Rhode Island native with 25 years of executive leadership experience, has been named vice president and director of athletics for the University of Rhode Island. / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The University of Rhode Island has a new athletic director. Pat Lyons, a Rhode Island native with 25 years of executive leadership experience, has been named the university’s vice president and director of athletics, URI President Marc Parlange announced Tuesday. Lyons will succeed Thorr Bjorn, who stepped down in November to accept a leadership

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The University of Rhode Island has a new athletic director. Pat Lyons, a Rhode Island native with 25 years of executive leadership experience, has been named the university’s vice president and director of athletics, URI President Marc Parlange announced Tuesday. Lyons will succeed Thorr Bjorn, who stepped down in November to accept a leadership position at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass. “With [Lyons’] leadership, we look forward to a new chapter for Rhody athletics – one defined by competitive excellence, academic achievement, student-athlete wellbeing, and deep engagement with our community,” Parlange said in a letter to the URI community. “His ties to our university strengthen his understanding of the importance of athletics to campus culture and community pride.” Lyons brings a wealth of experience to URI, including service as director of athletics at Seton Hall University, a member of the Big East Conference, and Iona University in New Rochelle, N.Y., as well as six years as executive vice president and chief operations officer at Seton Hall. Most recently, he worked with MPM Advantage, a consulting firm that partners with universities and athletic departments to drive revenue growth, strategic priorities and long-term sustainability. From 2019 to 2025, Lyons served in senior executive leadership at Seton Hall, overseeing university operations across student affairs, athletics, facilities and engineering, business affairs, human resources and information technology. At Iona, his alma mater, Lyons served in several athletics leadership roles before becoming athletics director. He also coached the men’s golf team to three consecutive conference championships and NCAA regional appearances and was an assistant coach with the hockey program. Lyons attended La Salle Academy in Providence, and his wife, Rachel, as well as his father, mother and two sisters, are all URI graduates.