University of Richmond Athletics
Ali Wright Steps Down As Head Women’s Golf Coach
05/08/2019 | Women's Golf
RICHMOND, Va. – University of Richmond head women's golf coach Ali Wright announced that she is stepping down from her position to pursue other professional opportunities. Wright just concluded her fifth year at the helm of the Spiders and has taken the program to unprecedented levels of success during her time at Richmond.
"We would like to thank coach Ali Wright for her hard work and outstanding leadership of our women's golf program," Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt said. "Ali has established the Spider women's golf program as a championship caliber program and established a new standard of excellence moving forward."
In her five seasons at Richmond, Wright won three Patriot League championships -- the only three conference titles in program history – and was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year. Wright's first season at Richmond in 2014-15 coincided with the Spiders entry into the Patriot League.
"I would like to thank John Hardt, LaRee Sugg and David Walsh for their guidance and tremendous support during my time at the University of Richmond," Wright said. "The University of Richmond offers unique opportunities for student-athletes to strive for excellence academically and athletically, and I have been fortunate to coach incredible women and work with talented staff members over the past five years. I am proud of the strides the program has taken and I am full of gratitude for the people who have supported Spider Women's Golf during this time."
After guiding Richmond to a fourth-place finish in 2015, Wright and the Spiders won their first conference title in 2016, the first of three straight Patriot League championships for Richmond. The Spiders finished third at the 2019 Patriot League Championship after setting the program record for lowest 18-hole team score (a one-under 287 in a stroke play event vs Columbia in October) and winning a share of the Bucknell Spring Break Intercollegiate title during the season.
Wright led Richmond to eight team tournament titles during her tenure, including an unprecedented stretch of three straight at the start of the 2017-18 season, a run that ended with the Spiders as the last "undefeated" team in the nation. Wright's student-athletes earned 15 All-Patriot League selections, including Sophie DiPetrillo earning Most Outstanding Player in 2018 after winning the individual Patriot League title, Richmond's first individual conference title. Of the seven golfers with the lowest career scoring average in program history, six were coached by Wright including DiPetrillo, Annie Collom, and Lizzie Reedy from the 2018-19 team.
A national search for Wright's successor will begin immediately.
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"We would like to thank coach Ali Wright for her hard work and outstanding leadership of our women's golf program," Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt said. "Ali has established the Spider women's golf program as a championship caliber program and established a new standard of excellence moving forward."
In her five seasons at Richmond, Wright won three Patriot League championships -- the only three conference titles in program history – and was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year. Wright's first season at Richmond in 2014-15 coincided with the Spiders entry into the Patriot League.
"I would like to thank John Hardt, LaRee Sugg and David Walsh for their guidance and tremendous support during my time at the University of Richmond," Wright said. "The University of Richmond offers unique opportunities for student-athletes to strive for excellence academically and athletically, and I have been fortunate to coach incredible women and work with talented staff members over the past five years. I am proud of the strides the program has taken and I am full of gratitude for the people who have supported Spider Women's Golf during this time."
After guiding Richmond to a fourth-place finish in 2015, Wright and the Spiders won their first conference title in 2016, the first of three straight Patriot League championships for Richmond. The Spiders finished third at the 2019 Patriot League Championship after setting the program record for lowest 18-hole team score (a one-under 287 in a stroke play event vs Columbia in October) and winning a share of the Bucknell Spring Break Intercollegiate title during the season.
Wright led Richmond to eight team tournament titles during her tenure, including an unprecedented stretch of three straight at the start of the 2017-18 season, a run that ended with the Spiders as the last "undefeated" team in the nation. Wright's student-athletes earned 15 All-Patriot League selections, including Sophie DiPetrillo earning Most Outstanding Player in 2018 after winning the individual Patriot League title, Richmond's first individual conference title. Of the seven golfers with the lowest career scoring average in program history, six were coached by Wright including DiPetrillo, Annie Collom, and Lizzie Reedy from the 2018-19 team.
A national search for Wright's successor will begin immediately.
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