University of Richmond Athletics
From The AD's Desk
03/29/2023 | General, Spider Athletic Fund
Greetings Spiders!
Hello from the University of Richmond, where both our postcard perfect campus and the Spider spring sports season are in bloom. With spring break behind and finals ahead, student-athletes from eight of our teams are preparing for their end-of-season conference championships. Spider Football, Soccer, Cross-Country, and Field Hockey are progressing through spring seasons consisting of scrimmages, self-scouting, and more. And our swimmers, divers, and basketball players have returned to the practice court (and pool) after a short break following the conclusion of their conference championships.
BASKETBALL REWIND
For the second straight season, the Spider Basketball season extended well into March, as Women's Basketball made its first trip to the Women's National Invitation Tournament since 2015! The Spiders defeated Penn at the Robins Center in the First Round of the WNIT for their 21st win of the season — their most since 2012 — before falling to A-10 foe Rhode Island on the road. With a A-10 semifinals appearance, a WNIT berth, and a 20-win season to build on, all of Richmond is excited to see what's next for Coach Aaron Roussell and his Spiders.
As many of you are undoubtedly aware of, Men's Basketball closed its season without Head Coach Chris Mooney, who announced last month that he would be missing the remainder of the season to undergo heart surgery. Since then, there's no question I've been asked more than "How's Coach Mooney?" The support for Chris and his family from all corners of Spider Nation has been tremendous, and I'm happy to share that Coach is back in his office and is well on his way to re-assuming his full role at the head of our Men's Basketball program.
In his absence, Peter Thomas stepped in as Interim Head Coach and led the Spiders to a pair of wins. In the opening round of the A-10 Tournament in Brooklyn, the Spiders defeated UMass 71-38, posting the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history. In Coach Thomas' first game as Interim Head Coach, Richmond overcame a 15-point deficit to stun preseason co-favorite Saint Louis before a rowdy crowd at the Robins Center. The arena was frequently crowded during Men's Basketball home games this season, with an average attendance of 6,285, a significant increase from last season and the highest among all Division I schools Richmond's size or smaller. Thank you to everyone who found their way to the Robins Center this season and we look forward to having you back next year!
RECORD-SETTING SUCCESS AT WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS
Both Swimming & Diving and Indoor Track & Field capped successful seasons with podium finishes at the A-10 Championships last month. Richmond finished third at the A-10 Indoor Track Championships in Rhode Island, grabbing nine medals including golds in the mile (Madison Trippett) and 4x800 and Distance Medley relays. Swimming & Diving was runner-up at the A-10 Championships in Ohio, making five trips to the medal podium, including one for gold after winning 200 medley relay with a time of 1:39.30, shattering the Richmond and A-10 records.
Even more impressive than their performance in the pool were the results produced by Swimming & Diving in the classroom last fall. When final grades from the semester were calculated, the team ended the term with a combined GPA of 3.82, second highest among all Division I Swimming & Diving programs and the best single-semester GPA for any team on record at Richmond! Congratulations to all Spider swimmers and divers on your outstanding accomplishments!
SPRING SPORTS HITTING STRIDE
The start of the spring season has once again seen the men and women of Spider Lacrosse testing themselves against some of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation. The Men's Lacrosse team has already faced off against No. 1 Virginia, No.2 Maryland, and No. 20 Georgetown on the road this season. As they prepare for conference play in their inaugural Atlantic 10 campaign, the Spiders sit at 5-3.
Women's Lacrosse has won 9 of its first 11 games, including a thrilling 16-15 win over 10th-ranked Virginia in double overtime at Robins Stadium. Senior Arden Tierney scored an incredible game-winning goal to secure another signature win for the Spiders, who have now beaten our in-state rivals twice in the last four seasons.
On the diamond, Spider Baseball has been making the most of the new upgrades to Pitt Field, recently completing a stretch of 15 home games in 27 days and winning 10 of those games. The team has benefited from its new indoor hitting and pitching practice facility down the left field foul line, and I've heard from many members of the Spiders faithful how much they've enjoyed watching the games from the new fan plaza in right field.
NEXT STEPS
These types of facility upgrades not only give our Spiders a competitive advantage, they are among the most concrete (at times, literally) examples of progress towards our goal to give every Spider an unrivaled student-athlete experience during his or her time at Richmond. We know that's an ambitious target, but we feel it's what our Spiders deserve for all they contribute to our campus and our community.
I hope you feel the same. If you believe that Spider student-athletes and Richmond Athletics are worthy of your support, please invest in the present and future of Spider Athletics by contributing to the team, department, or cause of your choice on UR Here Giving Day on April 4th and 5th.
The successes of Richmond Athletics are built upon a foundation of philanthropy from Spiders fans, friends, families, and more that began even before E. Claiborne Robins changed the course of this University with his landmark $50 million gift a half-century ago. As one of our most loyal Spiders supporters, with genuine gratitude and profound appreciation, thank you for all that you've done, all that you're doing, and all that you will do for your Spiders.
I look forward to seeing many of you at one of our upcoming Spider events and games!
Thank you, and… Go Spiders!
Hello from the University of Richmond, where both our postcard perfect campus and the Spider spring sports season are in bloom. With spring break behind and finals ahead, student-athletes from eight of our teams are preparing for their end-of-season conference championships. Spider Football, Soccer, Cross-Country, and Field Hockey are progressing through spring seasons consisting of scrimmages, self-scouting, and more. And our swimmers, divers, and basketball players have returned to the practice court (and pool) after a short break following the conclusion of their conference championships.
BASKETBALL REWIND
For the second straight season, the Spider Basketball season extended well into March, as Women's Basketball made its first trip to the Women's National Invitation Tournament since 2015! The Spiders defeated Penn at the Robins Center in the First Round of the WNIT for their 21st win of the season — their most since 2012 — before falling to A-10 foe Rhode Island on the road. With a A-10 semifinals appearance, a WNIT berth, and a 20-win season to build on, all of Richmond is excited to see what's next for Coach Aaron Roussell and his Spiders.
As many of you are undoubtedly aware of, Men's Basketball closed its season without Head Coach Chris Mooney, who announced last month that he would be missing the remainder of the season to undergo heart surgery. Since then, there's no question I've been asked more than "How's Coach Mooney?" The support for Chris and his family from all corners of Spider Nation has been tremendous, and I'm happy to share that Coach is back in his office and is well on his way to re-assuming his full role at the head of our Men's Basketball program.
In his absence, Peter Thomas stepped in as Interim Head Coach and led the Spiders to a pair of wins. In the opening round of the A-10 Tournament in Brooklyn, the Spiders defeated UMass 71-38, posting the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history. In Coach Thomas' first game as Interim Head Coach, Richmond overcame a 15-point deficit to stun preseason co-favorite Saint Louis before a rowdy crowd at the Robins Center. The arena was frequently crowded during Men's Basketball home games this season, with an average attendance of 6,285, a significant increase from last season and the highest among all Division I schools Richmond's size or smaller. Thank you to everyone who found their way to the Robins Center this season and we look forward to having you back next year!
RECORD-SETTING SUCCESS AT WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS
Both Swimming & Diving and Indoor Track & Field capped successful seasons with podium finishes at the A-10 Championships last month. Richmond finished third at the A-10 Indoor Track Championships in Rhode Island, grabbing nine medals including golds in the mile (Madison Trippett) and 4x800 and Distance Medley relays. Swimming & Diving was runner-up at the A-10 Championships in Ohio, making five trips to the medal podium, including one for gold after winning 200 medley relay with a time of 1:39.30, shattering the Richmond and A-10 records.
Even more impressive than their performance in the pool were the results produced by Swimming & Diving in the classroom last fall. When final grades from the semester were calculated, the team ended the term with a combined GPA of 3.82, second highest among all Division I Swimming & Diving programs and the best single-semester GPA for any team on record at Richmond! Congratulations to all Spider swimmers and divers on your outstanding accomplishments!
SPRING SPORTS HITTING STRIDE
The start of the spring season has once again seen the men and women of Spider Lacrosse testing themselves against some of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation. The Men's Lacrosse team has already faced off against No. 1 Virginia, No.2 Maryland, and No. 20 Georgetown on the road this season. As they prepare for conference play in their inaugural Atlantic 10 campaign, the Spiders sit at 5-3.
Women's Lacrosse has won 9 of its first 11 games, including a thrilling 16-15 win over 10th-ranked Virginia in double overtime at Robins Stadium. Senior Arden Tierney scored an incredible game-winning goal to secure another signature win for the Spiders, who have now beaten our in-state rivals twice in the last four seasons.
On the diamond, Spider Baseball has been making the most of the new upgrades to Pitt Field, recently completing a stretch of 15 home games in 27 days and winning 10 of those games. The team has benefited from its new indoor hitting and pitching practice facility down the left field foul line, and I've heard from many members of the Spiders faithful how much they've enjoyed watching the games from the new fan plaza in right field.
NEXT STEPS
These types of facility upgrades not only give our Spiders a competitive advantage, they are among the most concrete (at times, literally) examples of progress towards our goal to give every Spider an unrivaled student-athlete experience during his or her time at Richmond. We know that's an ambitious target, but we feel it's what our Spiders deserve for all they contribute to our campus and our community.
I hope you feel the same. If you believe that Spider student-athletes and Richmond Athletics are worthy of your support, please invest in the present and future of Spider Athletics by contributing to the team, department, or cause of your choice on UR Here Giving Day on April 4th and 5th.
The successes of Richmond Athletics are built upon a foundation of philanthropy from Spiders fans, friends, families, and more that began even before E. Claiborne Robins changed the course of this University with his landmark $50 million gift a half-century ago. As one of our most loyal Spiders supporters, with genuine gratitude and profound appreciation, thank you for all that you've done, all that you're doing, and all that you will do for your Spiders.
I look forward to seeing many of you at one of our upcoming Spider events and games!
Thank you, and… Go Spiders!
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Loyola Postgame
Sunday, March 01
A10 Track & Field Preview
Thursday, February 26
Women's Basketball Postgame - Rhode Island
Thursday, February 26
Women's Basketball Highlights vs. Rhode Island
Thursday, February 26