2020 -- H 7063

========

LC003456

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

____________

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THOMAS A. DRENNAN, JR.

     Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, Fogarty, McEntee, Craven, and Mattiello

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2020

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Thomas A. Drennan, Jr., of Wakefield passed away on January 5, 2020. He

was the devoted husband of Ann E. "Nancy" (Curran) Drennan. Mr. Drennan was born in

Hartford, Connecticut, the son of the late Thomas Drennan, Sr., and Dorothy Drennan-Gray; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Drennan had a prestigious career as a golf coach for fifty years at the

High School, Junior College and NCAA levels. Coach Drennan is most noted for the spectacular

job he did as the Head Golf Coach at the University of Rhode Island for twenty-two years. Under

his direction, the University of Rhode Island Rams Golf Team qualified for NCAA Regional Play

in sixteen straight seasons from 1992 to 2007, and made history in 2004 when they finished

eighth at the Regionals and became the first golf program from the Northeast to reach the NCAA

Championship since the current postseason format was adopted in 1988; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Drennan also led the Rams to five Atlantic Ten Championships, ten

New England Intercollegiate Championships and seven New England Division One Titles. Three

of his golfers earned individual entries into the NCAA Regionals; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Drennan received numerous awards and honors throughout his

distinguished coaching career. He was named the New England Coach of the Year nine times,

and the Atlantic Ten Coach of the Year three times. Coach Drennan was inducted into the Golf

Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2008, the Rhode Island Golf Association Hall

of Fame in 2015, and the University of Rhode Island Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Drennan began his coaching tenure at URI in 1973, when he served as a

Men's Basketball Assistant Coach from 1973 to 1978 under Head Coach Jack Kraft. He also

served as the Director of Athletics and Head Basketball Coach at Roger Williams University from

1966 to 1974; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Ann, Mr. Drennan is survived by his children,

Kathleen Garlick and her husband, Raymond, Christine Drennan Skerry, Elizabeth Drennan, and

Meredith Drennan Gibbons and her husband, Toby. He also leaves behind his grandchildren,

Michaela, Bridget, Neive and Jack Skerry, Ceileidh and Conor Just, JT, Grace, Brendan and

Andrew Gibbons. Mr. Drennan also leaves behind his brother Robert Drennan; now, therefore be

it

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

Providence Plantations hereby expresses its condolences on the passing of Thomas A. Drennan,

Jr., and be it further

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

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mrs. Ann Drennan and Family, and President

David M. Dooley, University of Rhode Island.

========

LC003456

========

LC003456 - Page 2 of 2