University of Richmond Athletics
Photo by: Meg Lee
Football Ranked No. 25 In Preseason HERO Sports Poll
05/18/2022 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football program opens the 2022 season nationally ranked as the Spiders check in at No. 25 in the country in the HERO Sports preseason national rankings Wednesday. The Spiders are one of three teams from the Colonial Athletic Association Football in the rankings, joining the likes of Villanova (No. 9) and Delaware (No. 15).
Richmond is coming off a winning season in 2021, posting a 6-5 overall mark and finishing the season with four-straight wins, including a victory over rival William & Mary in the 132nd meeting of The Capital Cup. The Spiders are led into the 2022 season by their three captains in redshirt junior linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.), redshirt senior defensive tackle Aidan Murray (Ogdensburg, N.J.) and redshirt senior running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Wheeler leads the defense as a three-time All-CAA selection and two-time All-America honoree. He has recorded 256 career tackles in 27 games, including two seasons with over 100 tackles. His 256 career tackles ranks fourth in the nation among returning players in NCAA FCS football. Murray continues this Spiders' dominant tradition on the defensive line, posting 5.0 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in his first season as a starting defensive tackle.
Dykes headlines the returning offensive weapons, having played in 29 career games. He has recorded 3,252 all-purpose yards in his career, tallying 1,197 rushing yards, 554 receiving yards and 1,501 kickoff return yards. Dykes ranks second among all returning NCAA FCS kickoff returners with three house calls and ranks fourth in the nation with 1,501 kickoff return yards.
Sparking the Spiders on offense are four transfers, including quarterback Reece Udinski (North Wales, Pa.), wide receivers Jakob Herres (Easton, Pa.) and Nick DeGennaro (Old Bridge, N.J.) and offensive lineman Derek Ferraro (New Rochelle, N.Y.). Udinski has passed for 7,877 yards in his career at VMI. He ranks first in the country among NCAA FCS returning players in career passing yards while playing in the FCS. He has also passed for 48 career touchdowns in 27 career starts.
No returning player in NCAA FCS football has more career receptions than transfer wide receiver Jakob Herres at 226. Herres also ranks second among all returning wideouts in FCS football in career receiving yards (3,006) and receiving touchdowns (25).
The Spiders open the 2022 season on the road at Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Sept. 3. Richmond hosts Saint Francis in the home opener at Robins Stadium September 10 at 5:30 p.m.
Season tickets for the 2022 season are currently on-sale. Returning season ticket holders can click HERE to renew your season tickets. New season ticket holders can place a $50 seat deposit by clicking HERE or can call 1-877-Spider1.
2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
T25. UC Davis
T25. Richmond
24. Northern Iowa
23. Dartmouth
22. Harvard
21. South Dakota
20. Southeastern Louisiana University
19. Jackson State
18. Eastern Washington
17. Holy Cross
16. Chattanooga
15. Delaware
14. UT Martin
T12. Southern Illinois
T12. Incarnate Word
11. Stephen F. Austin
10. Sacramento State
9. Villanova
8. Kennesaw State
7. Sam Houston
6. Missouri State
5. East Tennessee State
4. Montana
3. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
1. North Dakota State
Received votes (alphabetical order): Eastern Kentucky, Mercer, Weber State
--UR—
Richmond is coming off a winning season in 2021, posting a 6-5 overall mark and finishing the season with four-straight wins, including a victory over rival William & Mary in the 132nd meeting of The Capital Cup. The Spiders are led into the 2022 season by their three captains in redshirt junior linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.), redshirt senior defensive tackle Aidan Murray (Ogdensburg, N.J.) and redshirt senior running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Wheeler leads the defense as a three-time All-CAA selection and two-time All-America honoree. He has recorded 256 career tackles in 27 games, including two seasons with over 100 tackles. His 256 career tackles ranks fourth in the nation among returning players in NCAA FCS football. Murray continues this Spiders' dominant tradition on the defensive line, posting 5.0 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in his first season as a starting defensive tackle.
Dykes headlines the returning offensive weapons, having played in 29 career games. He has recorded 3,252 all-purpose yards in his career, tallying 1,197 rushing yards, 554 receiving yards and 1,501 kickoff return yards. Dykes ranks second among all returning NCAA FCS kickoff returners with three house calls and ranks fourth in the nation with 1,501 kickoff return yards.
Sparking the Spiders on offense are four transfers, including quarterback Reece Udinski (North Wales, Pa.), wide receivers Jakob Herres (Easton, Pa.) and Nick DeGennaro (Old Bridge, N.J.) and offensive lineman Derek Ferraro (New Rochelle, N.Y.). Udinski has passed for 7,877 yards in his career at VMI. He ranks first in the country among NCAA FCS returning players in career passing yards while playing in the FCS. He has also passed for 48 career touchdowns in 27 career starts.
No returning player in NCAA FCS football has more career receptions than transfer wide receiver Jakob Herres at 226. Herres also ranks second among all returning wideouts in FCS football in career receiving yards (3,006) and receiving touchdowns (25).
The Spiders open the 2022 season on the road at Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Sept. 3. Richmond hosts Saint Francis in the home opener at Robins Stadium September 10 at 5:30 p.m.
Season tickets for the 2022 season are currently on-sale. Returning season ticket holders can click HERE to renew your season tickets. New season ticket holders can place a $50 seat deposit by clicking HERE or can call 1-877-Spider1.
2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
T25. UC Davis
T25. Richmond
24. Northern Iowa
23. Dartmouth
22. Harvard
21. South Dakota
20. Southeastern Louisiana University
19. Jackson State
18. Eastern Washington
17. Holy Cross
16. Chattanooga
15. Delaware
14. UT Martin
T12. Southern Illinois
T12. Incarnate Word
11. Stephen F. Austin
10. Sacramento State
9. Villanova
8. Kennesaw State
7. Sam Houston
6. Missouri State
5. East Tennessee State
4. Montana
3. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
1. North Dakota State
Received votes (alphabetical order): Eastern Kentucky, Mercer, Weber State
--UR—
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