University of Richmond Athletics
From The AD's Desk - John Hardt
11/23/2020 | General, Spider Athletic Fund
Greetings Spider Fans!
I hope that you have remained happy, healthy, and safe during the past few months. One of the things that has strengthened me during this difficult period for the University is the tremendous support Richmond Athletics has received in many different forms from our Spider family. I am reminded daily of the devotion of our alumni and loyal supporters of Richmond Athletics, and I could not be more grateful to be a Spider. It has been inspiring to watch how student-athletes, coaches, staff, and our entire campus community has come together this semester under our University leadership to make the very best of a challenging situation. We are working together in the face of adversity to weather a situation we could not overcome on our own. It is what Spiders do best!
BASKETBALL SEASON UPDATE
After more than eight months without competition, we are thrilled to have our men's and women's basketball teams return to the court later this week. The men's team will open its season with three games at the Bluegrass Showcase in Lexington, Ky. where the Spiders will face Detroit Mercy, Morehead State, and national powerhouse Kentucky.  All of the men's basketball non-conference broadcast information can be found HERE. The women's team tips-off its 2020-21 season Wednesday at Virginia Tech of the ACC, and that contest will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.
Like all of our Spider basketball coaches and student-athletes, I am disappointed that we will not be able to have fans in the stands when play starts at the Robins Center this season. Please know that we will continue our efforts in working with University leadership and state health officials to evaluate our attendance policy throughout the season. Richmond Athletics is committed to offering the opportunity to see this year's Spiders to as many fans as possible while maintaining the highest standards of safety for our student-athletes, staff and the campus community. For those unable to attend games in person, we have developed a suite of virtual experiences that will enhance your ability to watch, listen to, and follow the Spiders when they play at the Robins Center.
In addition to preparing for the season, our basketball teams have spent the past month getting settled in at the Queally Athletics Center (QAC). This remarkable facility is the new day-to-day home of Spider basketball, offering our student-athletes strength and conditioning equipment, an athletic training suite, hydrotherapy pools, a nutrition and fueling station, and team locker rooms and lounges just steps from their new practice court! The Queally Athletics Center is already having a major impact on current and future Spiders, and we couldn't be more excited to have the QAC welcome all those who have helped make it possible as soon as conditions permit.
Finally, I know I speak for all Spider faithful when I say that I am heartbroken for Nick Sherod, a tremendous student-athlete who has contributed so much to our team and our University. For those who don't know, Nick suffered a serious knee injury at practice in October and will be unable to compete this season. Some of my favorite moments since coming to Richmond involve listening to the crowd at the Robins Center erupt after yet another big shot from Nick. He is as talented off the court as he is on it, having earned his Bachelor's degree in English in the spring and winning the Rhetoric and Communication Studies Department's Engaged Leader Award for his support of social justice efforts on campus. Nick is pursuing his Master's of Teaching degree and wants to begin a career in secondary education when he is done with basketball. I echo the sentiments of Chris Mooney, who said recently that he hopes Nick is a part of the Spiders men's basketball program, one way or another, for the next 50-years or more.
COVID • THIS SEMESTER AND NEXT
In the 190-year history of the University of Richmond, I can't imagine that there have been many semesters more challenging than this one, and the efforts of the entire University community have been nothing short of astonishing. Our staff has worked tirelessly to develop extensive protocols that allowed our student-athletes to safely return to the classroom and the practice field. Our faculty has created new ways to engage socially-distant students. And our student body has adapted to a new normal; one that is in many ways different from a traditional University of Richmond experience, but one that gives them the best opportunity to continue to learn and grow safely during these unprecedented times. I want to commend all Spiders for their efforts so far this semester and wish them good luck on their upcoming final exams as well as a healthy and happy winter break!
As we look towards the spring semester, we are planning to welcome our student-athletes back to campus on January 8th to give them adequate time to prepare for what might be the busiest semester in the history of Richmond Athletics. We plan to have all 17 of our varsity sports programs competing for their conference championship during the spring semester. With some dates still to be finalized, we believe the Spiders championship season will begin on March 5th, when Richmond hosts the A-10 Cross County Championships at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, and stretch for 13 weeks, ending with the final game of the A-10 Baseball Championship on May 29th.
In the CAA, Spider football will play a six-game conference schedule that includes three home-and-home series with the other teams in the newly-formed CAA South division: Elon, James Madison, and William & Mary. The team with the top conference record will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoff, which will begin on April 24th. Never before have the Spiders had the chance to win so many conference titles in so little time!
ACADEMICS
While Spider teams have been sidelined from competition this semester, our student-athletes continue to do an impressive job in the classroom. The NCAA released its latest round of student-athlete graduation success rate reports earlier this month. Overall, Richmond posted an impressive four-class average of 94 percent for student-athletes.
Eleven of the Spiders' 17 sport programs have perfect 100 percent GSR ratings: baseball, men's golf, men's cross country, women's basketball, field hockey, women's golf, soccer, swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track. All remaining sports were at 75 percent or better and all were ranked well above the federal graduation rates for those respective sports. We are very proud of our student-athletes' academic achievements and their continued success in the classroom!
NEW LOOKÂ WWW.RICHMONDSPIDERS.COM
With so much happening this spring, there is no better way to stay up-to-date on the story of the Spiders than on the new RichmondSpiders.com. The site was redesigned last month in a collaborative effort between Richmond Athletics and SIDEARM Sports to create a sleek, user-friendly experience across all devices. With the potential for COVID-19 to impact schedules, attendance policies, and much more, RichmondSpiders.com will be the best spot for our Spiders faithful to stay up-to-date with everything happening in Richmond Athletics.
GIVING TUESDAY • SPIDER ATHLETIC FUND
Finally, while we are extremely grateful for the consistent emotional and financial investment from our alumni, families and friends, this year we will rely on your continued support more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on unforeseen set of expenses to Spider Athletics and these unbudgeted expenses are projected to be at a minimum of $750,000 for this year. On December 1st, Giving Tuesday, the Spider Athletic Fund will host the #OneRichmond Campaign to help raise money for the Competitive Excellence Fund and help us to cope with these added expenses, so we can continue to provide an unrivaled student-athlete experience. In addition to your regular Spider Athletic Fund gift, I ask that everyone, if you can, consider making a gift (click here to make your gift today) to support this important cause. Any gift, no matter the size, will help Richmond Athletics successfully weather this storm.
As we enter the holiday season, I could not be more thankful for the continued support of our Spider family during what has been a turbulent year. My most sincere hope is that as we close out 2020 and move into the new year, the changing of the calendar will bring health, happiness, and peace to you and yours. On behalf of Richmond Athletics, let me be among the first to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year, and I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you in 2021! Go Spiders!
All the best-
John P. Hardt
Vice President and Director of AthleticsÂ
