University of Richmond Athletics
Soccer Captains Announced Ahead of Monday Exhibition
08/15/2014 | Women's Soccer
Richmond women's soccer announces the appointment of tri-captains for the upcoming 2014 season. Seniors Drika Bianchin (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Violet Miller (Falls Church, Va. / George Mason HS) and Ashley Williams (Williamsburg, Va. / Warhill) will serve as captains for the Spiders this fall.
“The team voted and in concert with the coaches, these three seniors were chosen to lead the team this season,” said associate head coach Mika Elovaara after Friday morning's full-team scrimmage. “This team is very young and needs veteran leadership. The great thing about these three is that they have a diverse set of responsibilities and they represent all parts of our team, so the leadership is spread out amongst the positions on the field.”
The captains were named ahead of the team's exhibition scrimmage, which will take place Monday afternoon at 5 p.m. at the UR Campus Practice Field against Lynchburg. That match will help the coaching staff to determine the initial starting lineup for the season-opening game, Friday, August 22, at Campbell University. Kickoff in Buies Creek, N.C. is set for 6 p.m.
Head coach Peter Albright said in his camp update comments that the team looks to go “about 18-deep” so minutes will be spread out, which means asking players to play harder in their truncated appearances. He said it is his deepest team in his 19th season at the helm of the Spiders.
Albright is the program's only head coach and is 21st in the NCAA for coaching victories (334) at four-year institutions. That includes his 15 seasons at his alma mater, Johnson State, where he coached before starting the Richmond program in 1996.
Richmond will play its first seven on the road before a homestand with five out of six games at home in Robins Stadium in the second half of September.
The team completed two-a-day training this week and will switch to regular-season practice mode on Saturday.
The 2014 squad features 16 returning letterwinners, including six returning starters and 11 newcomers.
