From The AD's Desk - John Hardt - University of Richmond Athletics

Dear Spiders,

I hope you and your family are staying safe and well during these challenging times. It has certainly been a strange start to the fall semester without our fall teams engaged in competition. However, our student-athletes, coaches and staff are all working extremely hard to be ready for the start of competition. I am especially impressed by the resiliency of our Spider student-athletes as they work through the challenges presented by the pandemic and handle the challenges of this most unique semester.

The University of Richmond has done a fantastic job in handling this semester, to date. We have been very fortunate to avoid the fate of many other institutions throughout the country who have had to deal with outbreaks. This is a testament to the quality and diligence of the people that make up the Spider community. We all have a shared commitment to ensure the success of this semester and protect our web. I am really proud of the Athletics Department's role in supporting these efforts.

Queally Athletics Center and Renovated Millhiser Gymnasium Opening

One of the few things that hasn't required an adjustment or alteration on the University of Richmond campus over the last five months is the timeline for completion of the Queally Athletics Center, the new home of Spider Basketball. Earlier this month, the Spiders men's and women's basketball teams held their first workouts in this new facility. The building also includes strength and conditioning facilities, athletic training and hydrotherapy centers, team locker rooms, and an entry-level Spider Hall that will be utilized by all of Richmond's athletic programs. In addition, historic Millhiser Gymnasium has been totally revamped and repurposed to house our Student-Athlete Development Center and basketball coaches' offices.

The Queally Athletics Center, along with the adjoining Student-Athlete Development Center in Millhiser Gymnasium, is expected to be fully open and functional later this month. I am very excited to see the positive impact this incredible project will have on Spider Athletics for years to come. It is truly a first-class facility that will have a tremendous impact on our student-athletes' experience and provide our men's and women's basketball programs with a state-of-the art practice facility. PHOTO GALLERY

Basketball

On September 16^th, the NCAA Division I Council announced the framework for the 2020-2021 Men's and Women's Basketball seasons and the plan to conduct fall sport championships in the spring of 2021. Men's and women's basketball began preseason practice on October 14^th. The first permissible contest is no earlier than November 25^th. This recent decision by the NCAA to push back the start of the season and reduce the number of non-conference games has forced all Division I programs to modify their schedules. Our non-conference schedules will be completed in the coming weeks and we will communicate them to you once finalized.

With a start date and a defined 2020-21 basketball season now on the calendar, several preseason rankings feature the Spider men's basketball program. Andy Katz of NCAA.com released his latest Power 36 rankings earlier this month, placing the Spiders 25th in the nation. With all five starters returning from last year's 24-7 team, the Spiders also received preseason top-25 rankings from several media outlets, among them Stadium (#14), Blue Ribbon College Basketball (#22), NBC Sports (#24) and The Mercury News (#13) We are excited to get the season underway!

Currently, the University is evaluating the possibility of hosting fans in the Robins Center. This decision will be based upon the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the campus community. Please note these decisions will be informed by Virginia public health guidelines and University protocols. The Commonwealth of Virginia currently restricts gatherings of over 1,000 individuals and the University's current framework prohibits gatherings of more than 25 people on campus. We are hopeful conditions surrounding COVID-19 will allow the University to host fans in the Robins Center this season. However, this situation remains fluid and health and safety requirements and protocols could result in changing capacity at the Robins Center throughout the season.

Football and Other Fall Sports

CAA Football is making plans to play a six-game conference schedule during the Spring 2021 season.   The conference will use a North/South divisional format, with all six league games coming against teams in the same division. The team with the best overall conference record will be the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Football Championship. If the divisional champions finish with the same record, a tiebreaking policy will be used to determine the automatic qualifier. The makeup of the divisions and the final conference schedule will be announced in the next several weeks.

Our fall sport programs will hold competitions in the spring and the NCAA will conduct championships with reduced fields and altered selection criteria.  I know you all join me in looking forward to seeing the Spiders back on the fields and courts of competition soon! Please keep an eye out for adjusted schedules on www.Richmondspiders.com in the coming weeks.

Richmond Spider Development Program

Earlier this semester, in an effort to integrate all services that impact the development of our student-athletes, we announced the creation of the Richmond Spider Development program (RSD). The RSD will utilize a holistic and innovative approach to maximizing the development of our student-athletes in all aspects of their lives. The RSD will integrate strength and conditioning, sports medicine, sports nutrition, sports psychology, data analytics, sports science, leadership development and several other University resources. This innovative approach, under the leadership of Lauren Wicklund, who was recently elevated to Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Leadership and Development, will have a significant impact on providing a top-notch student-athlete experience at the University of Richmond. LINK

Spider Athletics Partners with Darlow Brand Marketing

We are committed to providing an elite student-athlete experience here at Richmond, and we believe our recently announced partnership with brand marketing consultant Jeremy Darlow will further develop our student-athletes' skills to be successful in life after graduation. The young men and women in our varsity programs are far more than just athletes. They are students, leaders, citizens and future professionals who will make a positive impact on the world.  This partnership, in tandem with our Richmond Spider Development program, will help equip our student-athletes with the skills and knowledge that will maximize their potential in preparing for life beyond athletics. LINK

Voting Initiative

Our staff and student-athletes have been actively engaged in launching the Spider Voting Initiative in conjunction with the University's Bonner Center for Civic Engagement. During the week of September 21^st, we held a week of action that focused upon voter registration and civic engagement. Additionally, we announced earlier in the year that all Spider programs will have November 3^rd as an off day, so they may participate in Election Day activities. Following our decision, the NCAA passed legislation that will make election day a required off day moving forward. LINK

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives

Last month, we announced significant changes to our department in the important areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. LaRee Sugg was appointed as our Chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and I am confident she will do a great job in leading these efforts. LINK

Further, we announced the creation of the Athletics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, which is made up of a group of student-athletes, coaches and staff and will report directly to my office. It is imperative to have many voices at the table as we address these important issues, although it is the obligation of all of our staff members to embody these principles. I am looking forward to the work this group will do in this critical set of areas. LINK

In addition, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced the implementation of a Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. LaRee Sugg, Jaide Hinds-Clarke and Dr. Amy Howard were appointed to represent the University of Richmond on the Commission. LINK

Until the next edition, stay safe, be well, and… GO SPIDERS!

All the best-

John P. Hardt
Vice President and Director of Athletics

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