Ralph Tomasso, a native of West Warwick, R.I., was named an assistant coach with the UMass Lowell women's basketball staff, head coach Sarah Behn announced today.

A retired physical and health education teacher in the West Warwick, R.I., school district, Tomasso comes to UMass Lowell with a wealth of experience at the college and high school levels. He served a five-year stint as head coach at Bryant University (1986-91) as well as six years as boys' coach at his alma mater, West Warwick H.S. (1992-98), and many years as a camp counselor/clinician throughout Rhode Island.

“Ralph is great with strategy, extremely passionate and very knowledgeable about basketball,” said Behn. “He's been around the game a long time. He had five good years of head coaching experience at Bryant University. His personality is a great fit for us. He will be a real asset with recruiting.

“Ralph is also very experienced as far as strength and conditioning goes,” Behn added. “As far as all the things we need, he brings a lot to the table.”

Tomasso joins a UMass Lowell squad which posted an 11-16 overall record and a 9-13 clip in the Northeast-10 Conference (tied for ninth) last season. The River Hawks return four of five starters and nine veterans for 2012-13.

“I think all the pieces are in place to make this program go forward,” said Tomasso. “I think Sarah has laid all the groundwork to get players here. She has the contacts as far as player recruiting. The foundation is here.”

During Tomasso's tenure at Bryant University, he guided the Bulldogs to an overall record of 80-62 and a 48-40 clip in the NE-10. He twice led Bryant to the NE-10 Tournament Championship and the NCAA Tournament and reached the NE-10 Tournament all five years.

In 1987-88, he led the Bulldogs to a 22-9 overall record and a 13-5 showing in the NE-10 (third place) and peaked at the end of the season, defeating Bentley for the NE-10 Tournament crown. Despite a first-round loss to Delta State (Miss.), the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the program's history.

He repeated his success in 1988-89 with a 20-9 record (13-5 NE-10) and a second-place showing in the NE-10 regular season. Bryant again captured the NE-10 Tournament title and moved on to the NCAA Tournament where it lost to regional foe New Haven in the first round.

Tomasso left the post at Bryant following the 1990-91 season to return to teaching at West Warwick H.S., where he was named the boys varsity coach. He led the Wizards to the Rhode Island State Tournament quarterfinal in 1992 and 1994.

Tomasso spent 25 years as a health and physical education teacher at West Warwick H.S., retiring in 2009.

An accomplished player, Tomasso was an all-league and all-state standout his senior year at WWHS. He moved on to Barrington (R.I.) College where he was a New England Seaboard all-star and a Kings Conference All-Tournament selection as a junior. He was named a team co-captain as a senior.

Tomasso earned his undergraduate degree in physical education and health from Barrington College in 1975 and moved on to receive his master's certification in education from Providence College in 1978.

He lives in Andover, Mass.