University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Baseball's Ron Atkins To Retire Following 2007 Season
06/15/2006 | Baseball
June 16, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Ron Atkins, Richmond's head baseball coach since 1985, announced Friday he will retire following the 2007 season. In 22 years at the helm, Atkins owns a 685-512-4 record. He has guided the Spiders to seven NCAA appearances, including a regional championship and Super Regional berth in 2002.
"I decided it was time to get it done," Atkins (62) said. "I'm no spring chicken anymore. I'm ready to move on, and I just felt like maybe with another year, we'll be able to turn it around a little bit."
Under Atkins' direction, the Spiders reeled off 10-straight winning seasons from 1990-99, with four NCAA appearances, including three-straight from 1997-99. On April 6, 1999, he won his 435th game with an 8-3 triumph over Virginia, surpassing the legendary Mac Pitt as the school's all-time winningest baseball coach.
"This has been a long road filled with many great moments," Atkins said. "I'm proud of our accomplishments as a team and I'm even more proud of the individuals who have been such an important part of the program.
The 2002 squad established a school record with 53 victories, won the NCAA Regional Championship at Winston-Salem, N.C., with a triumph over nationally-ranked Wake Forest, then extended powerhouse Nebraska to a third and deciding game in the Super Regionals in Lincoln, Neb. The landmark season earned Atkins his third conference Coach of the Year honor.
In addition to winning games, Atkins has produced an impressive list of professional draft picks and major league players. Brian Jordan, Sean Casey and Tim Stauffer, the fourth overall player selected in 2003, all played at Pitt Field for Atkins.
"Ronnie has had a successful career and has continued the great baseball tradition at Richmond," Richmond Director of Athletics Jim Miller said. "We want to celebrate Ronnie's final year and we look forward to building on the Spider baseball tradition in the future."
Miller also announced the Spiders will conduct a national search for an Associate Head Coach who will assume the role of Head Baseball Coach immediately following the 2007 season. Current assistant coaches Jason Johnson and Keith Little have announced their resignations, effective July 7, 2006. Atkins and the new Associate Head Coach will complete the 2007 staff with the hiring of an additional assistant coach.
"Ronnie's accomplishments earned him the right to decide how he wanted to make this transition," Miller added. "He will help in our search for a new coach. His voice will have strong input in that process."
Atkins became the Spiders' sixth head coach in 1985 after posting an .813 winning percentage at J.R. Tucker High School in Richmond, Va. His teams captured four District Championships and four State Class 3A crowns.
A 1967 graduate of Virginia Tech, Atkins earned his master's degree in industrial education from Virginia State University and taught at J.R. Tucker for 17 years prior to his arrival at Richmond.
"I'm going to enjoy this year. I look for a year of celebration," Atkins added. "More than anything, I want to go out a winner."
Atkins and his wife, Rose, have two children, Katie and Andy.
