Don Tencher with Col. Steve O'Donnell

I've asked Don Tencher. Don Tencher is the director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation at Rhode Island College. He's been there for several decades, I think three decades. And I wanted to talk to him about what's happened at Rhode Island College and sports. He's got a couple new sports that they've announced that are coming into the Division III. And what they're doing with the school, it's really incredible. what's happening at Rhineland College and the affordability of Rural Allen College putting that together. So, Don, welcome to the Tyro Granahan Show from the Seacock Supply Hotline. Colonel, thanks for having me on. Deeply appreciated. I got you. So talk to us about the new... endeavors that you have with the new sports you've announced recently. I know we talked to lacrosse. Obviously, that's my thing. But lacrosse volleyball, and that's not to diminish all the successes of the other program, but how Rhode Island College is growing. And, Don, from my perspective, it's exciting because the people that I know that these kids, at least lacrosse and other sports, they want to be able to play somewhere. And Rhode Island College is the biggest bargain. anywhere around, and if they can just go down the street or a few miles and you retain those kids in the state, I think I wouldn't say you're onto something, but you're a lot smarter than I am when it comes to this. So talk about what you're doing it, we're down in the college, please. Well, Colonel, you're absolutely right, and we're very, very, you know, grateful for the support we get from President Jack Warner. Anybody that knows his leadership over the last four years, he's really come to fruition with, you know, what kind of college we're going to be. There were some years. We're over 10,000 students, and it's really bigger than we, you know, can handle. So he's really managing enrollment. And, you know, and so things like these sports play a key role in the enrollment management picture. So. uh lacrosse and i i know that's your forte uh you know we'll bring in you know 45 we hope new males we're upgrading women's lacrosse and you really need a full-time coach so uh we're counting and then men's volleyball will be coming in this year So it'll put us, like, we'll be one of the largest athletic programs in the conference at almost 500 student athletes. So our athletic program, just like Rhode Island College itself, is like a hidden gem sometimes. And, you know, though we've gotten more published with the Hope Scholarship, we're still, you know, a hidden gem. And one thing, you know, I'm extremely grateful for is I'm really starting to see a lot of kids from South County come here this year. And like you said, before, if a kid may be played for South County. Kingston, oh, you know, I'm going to give up my sports. I'm just going to go to URI and, you know, study and do academics. And we've got, like, a great group coming in from South County. So we're providing exactly what you have just discussed. And as you know, playing college athletics, an extension of high school. But, you know, it's something you only do once, and that camaraderie is just an incredible thing.

No, it is, and I'm up on your campus frequently, and it's just incredible. The vibe, it's clean, it's neat. Will you be growing with the athletic program growing? Will you be growing with maybe building out in another dorm for different space for kids that decide that they want to live there, even if they're local kids? Right, so we've actually closed our original dorm currently, and it needs to be, and the plan is to, you know, take it down and do something new. There's a lot of different options on the table. One thing, again, President Warren is looking at, you know, all these dorms have to be paid for. They're considered auxiliary operations, unlike, you know, academics, which is our main goal. So we just kind of paid off one of our dorms, so we do have some money to play with. And he's, you know, investigating all options and putting up more rooms because currently we are filled the capacity as it relates to on-campus housing. And somewhat as the idea it's concerning to me. You know, I think the kids, when they're on campus, there's so many different options, positive options. And when they get out into the neighborhoods, it kind of gives me as a little bit more Roger as the boss, you know, and especially great, you know, I tell people, Providence is not a college town. It's a college city. So there's, you know, tons of interaction with our kids and PC and Brown. So it's a great thing, but yes, on the table is more spaces and resident halls, hopefully, in a rather short period. What would you do if your online store converted 36% more shoppers? You could take 36% more vacation. Another pinacolada? Yes, please. Open a new retail location. With 36% more square feet. Fantastic. Hire 36% more help. You're hired and you're hired. Shopify has the world's best converting checkout, up to 36% better than other e-commerce platforms. What you do with those extra sales is up to you. Switch to Shopify today at Shopify.com slash listen and get a $1 trial, Shopify.com. Start your day with the morning jolt of Drake Toll. Anywhere in the country. Your home for talking sports. The United States hockey team has four teeth left. What is LeBron James Legacy? Leonel Mess. 906 career goals is stupid. All of it. The Knicks. The Los Angeles Lakers. Aaron Rogers. Georgia football players. The Dolphins. The Mets. As it happened, when it happened. We'll talk all of it. Westwood One Sports Talk. Your home for Drake Toll. Follow and listen on your... favorite platform. And you and I have talked about this in the college environment. I'm going to have Mike Lutian from the Scholastic League later on to talk about the high school perspective of this. But talk about the college perspective on mental health. Being mental health is, I know you have an extensive program around in college. Talk about that. And I don't think just for athletes, I know that's what you cover, but students in general, but then student athletes, the pressures to perform on the fields, but the pressures to perform academically also.

Right. So since the day I got here, I always, I laugh about it, but, you know, our program here was literally in the ashes. The Murray, the Wall Center at the time, which is now the Murray Center, burnt to the ground in one of the largest fires in Providence history. When we came in, and it's gone by so fast, we developed a plan that we're going to be a Division I school without all the negativity of Division I. Billy Reynolds came here one day. I'll never forget it. And he said, you want to find purity in interlegic athletics. It's in Division III. So we really take that and run with it, but we try to be in Division I, especially as it relates to providing for our student athletes. We have some of the best facilities. anywhere. Our new outdoor track facility is like a gem. We're probably the only Division III school in New England that has its own building for academic and student support. So mental health comes into that. I think it's been around a while, but it kind of raised its head even more during COVID when kids, like even at Rick around campus, when nobody else was in participating. So, you know, rather invent the wheel, our medical staff's trained thoroughly. Our success center staff is trained thoroughly, but they're not the experts. They're there, the conduit of information, and then, you know, making sure our kids get over to what is an incredible mental health center with a new director that we meet with consistently, and the campus has put tons of money into it. They're very linked into us. We don't have maybe like Providence has, maybe, you know, a mental health person sitting in the athletic office, but, you know, they're 100 yards away, and they've been very, very supportive. And I think kids are starting to pull out of it a little bit, but they still have all kinds of issues, like you said. You know, parents trying to pay for college, them studying, and especially at the Division III level. like we're looking at right now, NIL, not the stuff you read in the paper here on ESPN, but a way to give our kids sometimes when they're $400 short on their meal plan that we can help them out. So every day we just opened up a fueling station. So every day we're looking at how can we make the student athlete experience, which in turn makes our spectator, alumni, and parental experience a better deal. Yeah, I'm not sure you get a better deal if that's the word you use because the more you talk about what happens around college, the cost, the effectiveness and the hope scholarship and all that that goes with it. I think it's something amazing. And so anything you want to close out with Don before I move on? Yeah, well, as you know, lacrosse, and you know more than I do, but, you know, we have a Northeast neighbors program, which encompasses Long Island. And as we do research with lacrosse, like Long Island has been a hutbed for a million years with lacrosse. So we continue, you know, the whole scholarship's great. It's in this place right now for Rhode Island.

is unbelievable, but we're going to really look at, you know, objectives and incentives to go out and get those kids, you know, down from Long Island and New Jersey to Rhode Island College as well. And, you know, when you do that, you have a better campus with out-of-staters and in-staters. So we're really looking forward to the next year. Well, I'm here to help you with that and don't overlook those local kids because I'm telling you not even a mile. We're high coached. There's kids that can play at that level and enhance the program. And they, every... I'm not sure many, almost all of my players leave. They go out of states. And I think I have five Division II or Division III commits this year. And without an option locally to play that way, you might be on to something. And upstate New York, Long Island, bringing those kids in with a good education. Good for you. So congratulations on it. I appreciate your time. Well, you know, I trust you with my life, except for the one time you got me into Citizens Academy and got me into the boxing ring at the Academy. But otherwise than that, you've never let me astray. Thanks again for having me on. Have a great day. No, you're welcome, Don. Thank you. Shop the Sherwin-Williams sale and get 30% off, Duration, Superdeck, and Woodscapes products August 14th through the 24th. Whether you're refreshing your interior or exterior, we've got the colors to bring your vision to life. And with delivery, getting everything to your door is easier than ever. Shop online to have it delivered or visit your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store. Click the banner to learn more. Retail sales only, some exclusions apply. See Store for Details. Delivery available on qualifying orders.