Providence Mourns: Beloved Friars Board Member Thomas Reilly Dies Suddenly, Leaving a Legacy Larger Than Basketball”
June 6, 2025
By Clara Matthews, College Athletics Correspondent
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The heart of the Providence College community stopped for a moment this morning, as news broke that Thomas Reilly, a longtime Providence College Board of Trustees member and one of the most passionate supporters of Friars basketball, died suddenly at age 68 after suffering a heart attack at his home late Thursday night.
Reilly, known affectionately as “Mr. Friar” among players and fans, wasn’t just a donor or administrator—he was a pillar of the Friars’ spirit. His presence at nearly every home game, his emotional speeches to players, and his unwavering commitment to student-athletes made him one of the most beloved figures in the school’s recent history.
The Providence locker room was stunned into silence when head coach Kim English gathered the team early Friday to share the news. “He wasn’t just on the board,” English said, his voice heavy. “He was in our huddle. In our hearts. He bled black and white like the rest of us.”
For over two decades, Reilly championed initiatives that reshaped the Providence athletic department, including major upgrades to Amica Mutual Pavilion and the launch of the school’s mental health support center for student-athletes. He was often the first to greet freshmen at orientation and the last to leave the arena after a tough loss.
In 2023, when Providence lost in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round, cameras caught Reilly consoling a crying senior on the court—hand on his shoulder, whispering words of pride and encouragement. That image now sits framed outside the locker room.
His family released a statement early this morning:
“Tom loved this school with every part of his being. He believed in building not just a team, but a family. He passed peacefully, surrounded by that spirit.”
The entire Providence campus is in mourning. Black ribbons now adorn the gates of Harkins Hall. A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Sunday night at the campus chapel, where thousands of students and alumni are expected to attend.
There is talk among administrators of renaming the player lounge or even the court at the AMP in his honor—an effort, as one board member said, “to make sure every player who comes through this program knows who stood behind them when the lights weren’t on.”
Thomas Reilly never scored a point, never grabbed a rebound, never cut down a net—but he built the program from the inside out. And for the Providence Friars, his absence is a loss deeper than the box score will ever show.
“We’ll play for him now,” said a tearful assistant coach.
“And we’ll never forget who believed in us the most.”
