KINGSTON, R.I. - University of Rhode Island President Marc Parlange announced that Thorr Bjorn has been promoted to Vice President for Athletics. The move comes with a five-year extension that runs through the 2029-30 academic year.

Entering his 19th year as the director of athletics for Rhode Island, Bjorn has led the department to historic heights during his tenure. With the contract extension, Bjorn will have the second-longest tenure as athletic director in school history. Only Frank Keaney (1920-56) served the position longer.

"Thorr is the kind of leader every university hopes to have - he builds winning teams, champions student-athletes who shine in their sport and in the classroom, and attracts top-tier coaches who elevate the entire program," Parlange said. "His impact goes well beyond athletics. He's helped shape a culture where our student-athletes are not only competitors, but scholars, leaders, and key members of the URI community. I'm thrilled to continue working alongside Thorr as we build on our momentum and take Rhody Athletics to new levels."

"I am truly humbled to serve in the role I have here at the University of Rhode Island," Bjorn said. "Working with President Parlange and having a shared vision for Athletics within the grand scope of the URI community is something I am very proud of.

"My journey in college athletics has been possible because of the love and support from my wife Cyndy and our three daughters. We are a URI family through and through. Our daughters Stephanie, Robyn and Rachael grew up here and are all URI alumnae, so this university is a big part of who we are. It can not be overstated how much their support means to me." 

Since Bjorn began as the director of athletics, Rhode Island has won 40 league titles. After shepherding the athletic department through the COVID-19 pandemic, Bjorn has led one of the strongest three-year stretches in school history. Since the start of the 2022-23 year, URI has won 11 titles across six sports. Among Atlantic 10 schools, only VCU (17) has won more titles, and only VCU (8) and George Mason (7) have done so in more sports.

Within the last three years, Rhode Island has won its first title in school history in women's basketball. In 2024, the football program won its first CAA Football title and qualified for the FCS postseason for the first time since 1985. Last weekend, the women's rowing team made its eighth NCAA Championship appearance - all of which have come during Bjorn's tenure. The baseball team won its third A-10 title and qualified for the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2016. In the Spring of 2025, women's lacrosse made its NCAA Division I debut at Rhode Island and had a highly-successful inaugural season, going 8-8 and missing the A-10 playoffs by just one game.

Bjorn is a two-time NACDA FCS Athletic Director of the Year winner, earning the award in both 2016 and again in 2025.

In addition to success on the athletic fields, Rhode Island student-athletes have flourished under Bjorn's watch. In the Fall of 2024, student-athletes had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.26, the highest recorded in school history. More than half (53.3 percent) of all URI student-athletes were named to the Dean's List.

Bjorn has also overseen historic fundraising efforts on behalf of the athletic department. In the 2024 state budget, Gov. Dan McKee announced $65.8 million in funding for URI, specifically to upgrade its football, baseball, softball, soccer and swimming facilities. He also oversaw the completion of the $8 million Soloviev Basketball Practice Facility, which opened in the Fall of 2023, giving the men's and women's basketball teams access to practice facilities 24 hours a day. Before the 2019 football season, Meade Stadium was given a $4.1 million facelift that added new turf and lights.