Roger Williams University in Rhode Island is expanding its athletic programs, adding varsity women’s golf and men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. The addition of these sports will provide more opportunities for student-athletes and attract students from across the United States and internationally. The women’s golf program will launch in the 2025-26 season, making RWU the sixth school in the league to offer the sport, securing an automatic NCAA postseason bid for the conference champion.
The school’s successful hockey club team will transition into men’s varsity hockey in 2025-26, followed by a women’s varsity program a year later. These new teams will compete in the NCAA Division III in the Conference of New England, which includes 10 full-member institutions throughout New England.
John King, vice president for student life at RWU, stated that the new ice hockey teams are a result of student interest and the success of the men’s ice hockey club team. The addition of a women’s golf team follows the accomplishments of the men’s golf team at the university.
RWU will be the ninth institution to sponsor men’s hockey in the CNE during the 2025-26 year, while the women’s hockey program will be the eighth institutional sponsor within the conference in the 2026-27 year. The university plans to continue its successful men’s golf team and the men’s ice hockey club team alongside the new varsity ice hockey program.
Interim Athletic Director Mike Gallagher expressed excitement about expanding offerings for students and providing more opportunities for the campus community to support the Hawks. The addition of these sports reflects RWU’s commitment to enhancing the student experience and promoting athletic success.
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Photo credit golfweek.usatoday.com
