Since the 1966 season, the program has played at Bill Beck Field, located on the university's campus.

The university first held classes in 1892, as the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.

[3] Prior to the start of the 1921 season, Frank Keaney was named the program's head coach.

[3] In the preceding fall, Keaney had also been named the college's head football and men's basketball coach.

[4] On March 8, 1923, the Ram was adopted as the official mascot and nickname of the college's athletic programs.

In addition to Rhode Island State, the conference's members were Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Northeastern.

[3] He also stepped down as the school's men's basketball coach at this time, in order to become Rhode Island State's athletic director.

Prior to the 1981 season, the program joined the recently formed Eastern 8 Conference, playing in the East Division along with Rutgers and Massachusetts.

[13] Rhode Island made the transition under head coach John Norris, who had held the position since prior to the 1970 season.

In the four-team, double-elimination tournament, Rhode Island won its opening two games, 15–3 over West Virginia and 7–6 over Penn State.

The program survived, although for a time, its scholarship funding was cut entirely to comply with Title IX.

[3][13][18] Following the 2005 season, Leoni left Rhode Island to become the head coach at William & Mary.

[18] He was replaced by Jim Foster, a former Providence player and minor-league catcher who had been an assistant at Brown from 2002 to 2004 and at Rhode Island in 2005.

[3] In the A-10 Tournament, the team was eliminated after consecutive one-run losses: 3–2 against Saint Louis and 6–5 in 17 innings against George Washington.

[13][21][22][23] During an October 2011 fall workout, Rhode Island player Joseph Ciancola collapsed on the playing field and died in a hospital shortly thereafter.

[24][25] During the following season, Ciancola was commemorated by both Rhode Island and his former high school team.

In the opening round of the A-10 tournament, the Rams defeated La Salle, 5–2, behind a complete game by Mike Bradstreet.

It is named for Bill Beck, former Rhode Island football and baseball coach.