2026 -- H 8358

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

TEAM ON WINNING THE 2026 ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

TOURNAMENT AND EARNING A BERTH IN THE 2026 NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

TOURNAMENT

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Fogarty, Tanzi, Craven, Shekarchi,
Blazejewski, Caldwell, Chippendale, Paplauskas, and Hull

     Date Introduced: March 26, 2026

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The University of Rhode Island Women's Basketball team had a historic

2025-2026 season, one that includes an outstanding overall record of 28-4, a 16-2 conference

record that was only matched by George Mason University, and which culminated with a victory

in the 2026 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Tournament and the program's second-ever

trip to the Women's NCAA Tournament; and

     WHEREAS, In the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the Rams dispatched Loyola of Chicago in

the first round by seven points and defeated Davidson by nine points in the semifinals to set up a

championship match against George Mason for the title. In a hard-fought game, George Mason

jumped out to the early lead, 15-7 at the end of the first quarter and at one point in the second

quarter, led by double-digits. The Rams proceeded to stage a furious rally, and only trailed by 1

point at the half. The Rams jumped out to a seven point lead in the third quarter, and then played

ferocious defense the rest of the game to cling to a slim lead and pull out a 53-51 victory thanks

in large part to the stellar play by the Rams Albina Syla, named Most Outstanding Player of the

Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and her fellow Atlantic 10 All-Championship teammates,

Brooklyn Gray and Sophia Vital; and

     WHEREAS, The Rams squad was led all season by the outstanding play by stellar Senior

Guard Brooklyn Gray, who earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team honors and All-

Academic honors, while leading the team in points scored and points per game. She also shot an

incredible 91.3 percent from the free-throw line. Other key contributors to the Rams outstanding

season include Sophomore Center Albina Syla who led the Rams in rebounding, Junior Guard

Sophia Vital who earned All-Second Team Atlantic 10 honors, Senior Forward Palmire Mbu,

who was second on the Rams squad in scoring and rebounding and earned All-Third Team

Atlantic 10 honors, Senior Guard Ines Debroise, who earned All-Defensive Team Atlantic 10

honors, and Freshman Guard Vanessa Harris who earned All-Rookie Team honors and the Sixth

Woman of the Year Award from the Atlantic 10 Conference; and

     WHEREAS, The Rams were blessed to be led all season by the stellar coaching and

superb leadership provided by Head Coach Tammi Reiss, Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Award

Winner. Ms. Reiss played basketball at the University of Virginia and in the WNBA, and since

becoming the Rams Head Coach in 2019, she has enjoyed four seasons of 20 or more wins, tied

for first twice in the Atlantic 10 regular season, participated in two WNIT Tournaments, and this

season won the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Championship, and a berth in the NCAA

Women's Basketball Tournament; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

heartily congratulates the University of Rhode Island Women's Basketball Team on the

outstanding success of their 2025-2026 season, which includes the incredible achievement of

winning the 2026 Atlantic 10 Women's Conference Tournament and earning a place in the 2026

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Tammi Reiss, Head Coach of the University of

Rhode Island Women's Basketball Team.

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