The Community College of Rhode Island experienced two major changes in 2007-08, but three constants remained.

Lou Pullano, director of athletics since 2002, left his position before school started for a temporary assignment as vice president for enrollment management at CCRI. When the state offered incentives to certain employees to take early retirement, he accepted. His last day on the job was Friday, and he will be the guest of honor at a reception and dinner this Friday at the West Valley Inn, in West Warwick.

Joe Pavone, a longtime athletics administrator at CCRI, served as interim athletics director and is a candidate for the position.

Women's basketball coach Marcus Reilly led the Knights to another 20-win season and a berth in the NJCAA Tournament. Early in the spring he left to become head coach of the Rhode Island College women's team.

The constants? Women's basketball, which continued to win against a challenging national schedule; women's soccer, which posted a 15-2 record despite a season-ending injury to its best player, and another string of athletes transferring to NCAA Division I, II and III colleges to continue their careers.

"We've been very fortunate over the years with the talent we have around here in Rhode Island and throughout New England, and our coaches do a great job," Pavone said. "This was an exciting year for me. I've been here for 27 years, and the chance to take over on an interim basis and work closely with all the coaches -- I can't thank CCRI enough."

Pavone was the ideal choice to direct the department because he knows CCRI athletics better than most.

"I've done every job in the department," he said with a laugh. "Sports information director, assistant to the AD, assistant AD, associate AD. I feel like I've been in the trenches, and that helped me out when I was assigned the AD's position."

Pavone also coached tennis for a while.

Reilly was the ideal choice for the Rhode Island College job. In two stints at CCRI, he further established CCRI's national reputation and recruited well in this region. He has Division I experience, thanks to a three-year stay as an assistant at Jacksonville State in Alabama.

"We're very proud that CCRI chooses the best coaches for our teams, and it's nice to see that other schools feel the same way," Pavone said.

A search determined that men's assistant coach Kevin Monagle was the man for the women's job. Nick DiOrio was promoted to No. 1 assistant when Claudia DeFaria followed Reilly to RIC as associate head coach.

"As we looked around, we saw Kevin as a shining star," Pavone said. "The returning sophomores had concerns about losing their head coach, but I talked to them and now they're very excited to have Kevin. He has a tremendous rapport with them."

Pullano ended a 30-year career in education last week. A center fielder at CCRI and later at the University of Rhode Island, he was a teacher and coach in West Warwick for 18 years before joining the CCRI staff in 1995 as associate athletics director responsible for the daily administration of the program. He succeeded Vin Cullen upon Cullen's retirement in 2002.

Pullano took great pride in the success of CCRI athletes on their fields and courts, and in the classroom. He was responsible for the academic support program that resulted in improved retention, graduation and transfer rates. He kept abreast of national issues through his involvement with athletics directors associations, and established standards and policies at CCRI that will make the transition from one administration to another smooth.

"For me, it was a joy when he came to CCRI," Pavone said. "Lou wasn't just a boss to me. He was like a brother. He helped me out in preparing for this position."

CCRI officials are interviewing candidates this week.

The event Friday to honor Pullano is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is set for 7. Tickets are $50. Contact Linda Manish in CCRI's enrollment services office at 825-2179.

The summary:

CROSS-COUNTRY: James Sylvestre (Lincoln) finished second at the men's district championship and seventh at the nationals. Kristin Vanhowe (North Smithfield) ran seventh and 22nd, and Michele Finnel (Providence) 11th and 41st in the women's races.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL (27-18, 8-0 Region 21): Won fourth consecutive regional title and lost in district final. Ashley Markley set season assists record (1,099) and was 15th in the nation.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (15-2): Won seventh consecutive Region 21 title; both losses were to Monroe CC; Stephanie Grassini suffered a season-ending knee injury but was still a first-team All-America and a finalist for national player of the year.

MEN'S SOCCER (5-9-3): Lost in Region 21 semifinals.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (26-8): Made fifth consecutive appearance in NJCAA Tournament and lost to Kirkwood, the eventual national champion; Denise Scott joined former soccer player Katie Leahy (Warwick) as the only four-time All-Americas (preseason and postseason) in the same sport and will continue at Division II Le Moyne on a full athletic grant; freshman Taylor Simmons was third-team All-America.

MEN'S BASKETBALL (21-12): Won fourth consecutive Region 21 championship and lost in Northeast District tournament; Pat Dame (Exeter) finished with 1,040 career points and was eighth in the nation with 7.3 assists per game.

INDOOR TRACK: Amanda Kelley (Cumberland) finished fourth in the weight throw at the nationals. Sylvestre in the 5,000 and Vanhowe in the mile broke school records.

WOMEN'S TENNIS (0-4): First season; played all matches on the road.

MEN'S TENNIS (4-5): Inconsistent participation made fielding a full team a challenge; Dan and Joe DeLuca (Warwick) and Chris Izzo (Warwick) were All-Region in singles.

OUTDOOR TRACK: Kelley finished first in the javelin and second in the hammer, discus and shot put at the national championships. She was first-team All-America in the javelin. Sylvestre finished fourth in the 10,000.

SOFTBALL (16-5): Undefeated in Region 21, a program first; had a 15-game winning streak, a school record; Lindsay Johnson (Pawtucket) was two-time captain and hit .435 this season.

BASEBALL (22-14): Lost Region 21 championship to Avery Point; George Tager (North Providence) hit .453 with 5 homers and 37 RBI and is transferring to Maine; infielder Luis Chacon (West Warwick) and outfielder Luke Abraham (Cumberland) are transferring to URI with grants.

GOLF (2-2): Andrew Bernardo (Warwick) and James Bonas (Newport) were All-Region.