by Andrew Vines ’29 on October 8, 2026
Sports Debates
Providence College has a rich history in basketball, and this upcoming November, the Friars are celebrating their 100th season.
This history includes two final fours, in both 1973 and 1987. The 1973 team had both Ernie DiGregorio ’73 and Marvin Barnes ’74 on the court and Dave Gavitt on the sideline. Gavitt was both the athletic director and head basketball coach at Providence. In 1979, Gavitt formed the Big East Conference and became its first commissioner. This team put Providence basketball on the map and brought the city behind the team. DiGregorio was the third overall pick in the 1973 NBA draft, and Barnes was the second overall pick in the 1974 draft. Gavitt was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
The 1987 team included two basketball legends: one on the team, Billy Donovan ’87, and head coach Rick Pitino. During the final four seasons, Donavan averaged 20 points and 7 assists. Donavan would go on to be one of the best coaches in college basketball history. During Donovan’s time at the University of Florida, the Gators won back-to-back National Championships in 2006 and 2007 and made an additional two final fours in 2000 and 2014. Pitino, after his time coaching the Friars, would go on to win a National Championship in 1996 at Kentucky and later one in 2013 at Louisville, which has since been vacated. He has also coached teams to seven final fours, including the 1987 one with the Friars. These two teams alone represent the rich basketball history of PC.
The basketball program regularly sells out Amica Mutual Pavilion, a venue that seats over 12,000 fans. This school and city support this team through the good and the bad, the Friar fans being known throughout the country as some of the best in the nation. In a recent Ryan Hammer video, University of Connecticut player Jayden Ross said Providence was one of the toughest arenas he had to play in. March Madness is also one of the biggest events in sports, and a Friars March Madness run would have the school going crazy. The fanbase, combined with the rich history, is why Providence should be considered a basketball school.
-Andrew Vines ’29
For the question on what kind of sports school Providence College should be considered, some believe this is a strong debate. Many people have been programmed to answer basketball.
Others probably wonder why this is even a conversation. Personally, at a place like PC, where possibilities are endless, I believe there is a very strong case for another answer: hockey. Basketball may have the bigger stage, more fans, and March Madness, but hockey thrives on a different kind of energy: a solid identity.
It starts with the leader. Head coach Nate Leaman has led the Friars from the bench since 2011. He has given the program stability, a quality that’s hard to find in college sports. Now, entering his 15th year at PC, Leaman has built a program that consistently competes in one of the toughest college hockey leagues while keeping a strong identity. Players come and go, but his culture remains.
Beyond the ability to perform each season, that culture is what stands out the most. As a college, it feels like we can really see the hockey team as a team in every sense of the word. The level of chemistry and togetherness is so prevalent, both on and off the ice. The team creates an atmosphere that translates to the nights at Schneider arena. On those nights, the crowd is ready for a fast, physical, and unpredictable game, and the students are there because they truly want to watch hockey. This is obviously a good debate. There’s no question that the AMP is bigger, basketball games get national attention, the entire student body travels to games, and the team has consisted of iconic players and great seasons. But there is no secret that things have changed over the last few years. Coaching drama and player turnover can always make it feel like something is happening off the court. And while this new season and fresh roster look exciting for basketball, we consistently know this season will be great for hockey.
-Sarah Wolff ’28