University of Richmond Athletics
Letter from Head Coach Peter Albright
07/19/2004 | Women's Soccer
July 19, 2004
In the course of speaking with players about a future with our team, I am often asked to talk about our university and soccer program. At The University of Richmond, we are blessed with a beautiful campus, an outstanding faculty, gorgeous facilities and the resources to create a wonderful experience for the student athlete.
But with so many other great universities, great coaches, programs and teams out there, I am often put in the position of being asked to answer the question: "Why Richmond?"
The easy answers include:
Our Teams
Richmond Women's Soccer has had 5 winning seasons in a row, and have established a high level of competitiveness by defeating such fine teams as Clemson, Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland, Boston College, James Madison, Villanova, West Virginia and Princeton on the way to becoming one of the most respected teams in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Our Alumni
In our brief history, Richmond has graduated 100% of the players who have completed their eligibility, placing graduates in the WUSA (Carolina Courage), Darden Business School at the University of Virginia, Catholic University, The Medical College of Virginia's Medical School, University of Virginia Masters Program in Sports Psychology, Villanova Law School, Richmond Law School, and several jobs in the public and private sector in education, finance and international business.
Our University
Richmond is rated as one of the most beautiful universities in America. It is a place where students are valued as individuals, and where professors take a personal interest in their success. It is a deep and varied academic community that challenges students to grow.
Our Players
Our team is comprised of players who love to work hard, love to win and love to be part of a dynamic and exciting group of young women who are working to earn the respect of the larger women's soccer community. With a team GPA of 3.36 (Spring 2002) we are committed to academic achievement and to positioning themselves for post graduate success.
Our Schedule
Richmond competes in the Atlantic 10 against strong conference rivals Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Dayton, St Louis, UNC-Charlotte and Xavier as well as a tough slate of non-conference opponents that have included Duke, Virginia, North Carolina, Princeton, James Madison, Clemson, Boston College, Villanova, Rutgers and Tennessee. We always strive to test ourselves against the best possible opponents.
These are things we are proud of, and they are easy to point out. But I believe that there is something more, something special that we have here at UR, something that makes our program really distinctive. The best word to describe it is BALANCE. There is so much to take in here, so much to experience, so much to enjoy, to explore. Our region, our city, our university, our student body and our team are packed with a richness of possibilities for LIVING and enjoying your four years of college. I believe that a student athlete can get a first class education, have a successful, challenging and rewarding soccer career and take advantage of the many, many opportunities that surround them at the University of Richmond. In this way, I think, my philosophy differs from that of many other coaches'. I believe that a healthy balance can and should exist between all aspects of a student athletes' life, and that that balance can and will lead to excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in all areas of a person's life. The players who have chosen UR are living proof.....and the best answer I that can think of to the question:"Why Richmond?".
