University of Richmond Athletics
Members of Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Announced
08/26/2024 | Cross Country, Football, General, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer, Men's Basketball
RICHMOND, Va. — Four standout Spider student-athletes and two teams that both won conference championships on one unprecedented day comprise the 2024 University of Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame class, announced today by Vice President and Director of Athletics John P. Hardt.
The Class of 2024 consists of TJ Cline '17 (men's basketball), Rodney Elam '76 (football), Meghan Ogilvie '05 (women's soccer), and Abby Oliver '12 (women's basketball). The 2010 men's and women's cross country teams, which both won Atlantic 10 titles, will be honored as the Teams of Distinction.
The 47th Hall of Fame class will be enshrined during a ceremony Friday night, November 1 at the Jepson Alumni Center on campus. The class will be introduced during the Homecoming football game Saturday, November 2 at 2 PM against Towson.
Ticket information for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception is available by visiting https://uronline.net/hc24. Tickets for Saturday's football game can be obtained online or by calling the Richmond Athletics Ticket Office at 1-877-SPIDER-1.
TJ Cline – Men's Basketball – 2013-2017
Spider fans were seeing triple-double watching the skills displayed on the basketball court by TJ Cline. He became the first player in program history to record a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 101-90 victory at the Robins Center over Duquesne on Jan. 28, 2017. Cline did it again later that season on his senior night with 19 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists in an emotionally-charged 72-62 triumph over Saint Louis. And yet, those games – still the only triple-doubles in school history - just begin to tell his Richmond story.
A transfer from Niagara, Cline played three seasons for the Spiders, twice reaching the NIT quarterfinals. His points, rebounds, and assists averages improved each year. As a senior, he averaged 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He earned Atlantic 10 and Virginia State Player of the Year honors in 2017, and was an honorable mention Associated Press All-American. His 648 points, 243 field goals, and 197 assists are among the Spiders single-season top 10. He tallied 11 double-doubles, the most by a Spider since 1988, with 14 20-point games and two 30-point games.
TJ completed his career with 1,647 points, 569 rebounds, and 374 assists. He finished among the program's top 10 in career points, scoring average, rebounds, and assists. He was a two-time All-Conference and All-State standout. After his Richmond career, Cline played professionally in the NBA G League, as well as in Turkey and Israel.
Rodney Elam – Football – 1973-1975
His name doesn't appear among Richmond's football statistical records for top scorers, rushers, passers or receivers, but without Rodney Elam many of the names that do appear wouldn't be there either.
As an offensive lineman, Rodney earned the prestigious Jacobs Blocking Award in 1975, emblematic of the Southern Conference's top offensive lineman. He made such an impact that season he was also selected Big Five Offensive Player of the Year and All-Southern Conference. He was a team captain as the Spiders captured the SoCon regular season title with a 5-1 league mark. During Rodney's three years, the Spiders were 13-5 against the Southern Conference.
Following his standout collegiate football career, Rodney displayed his versatile athleticism and strength by becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion. A local product, he was named the Richmond Touchdown Club High School Player of the Year in 1971. In 2014, he was inducted into the first class of the Mechanicsville High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
Meghan Ogilvie – Women's Soccer – 2001-2004
Meghan Ogilvie was one of the team's integral leaders during a golden era of Richmond women's soccer. In her four-year career, the Spiders compiled 46 wins, finished no lower than third in the Atlantic 10, captured the 2002 A-10 championship, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
An offensive standout and two-time team captain, Meghan was twice named All-Conference, and was selected the Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Tournament, when the Spiders earned the championship with victories over host Dayton and Rhode Island. An historic season continued with NCAA tournament victories over #15 Clemson and James Madison, as the Spiders advanced to the Sweet 16 against #8 seed and host Portland, which went on to win the national championship.
Following a professional soccer stint in the Iceland Premier Division, Meghan returned home and founded Dog Tag Bakery LLC, a non-profit organization dedicated to giving veterans the skills to enter the workforce and business community. In 2017, she was honored with the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the United States Army.
Abby Oliver – Women's Basketball – 2008-2012
At any hour of the day or night, if the lights were on in the Robins Center, chances were good Abby Oliver was on the court, practicing and perfecting her craft and her passion. Then on game days, Abby shined brightest. She scored 1,488 points, currently eighth on Richmond's all-time scoring list, while playing in 129 games, the third most in program history.
She was named A-10 Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore, a foreshadowing of what was to come. In her senior season, Abby led the A-10 in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. Her 93.8 free throw percentage led all of NCAA Division I. Only the late Hall-of-Famer Ginny Doyle was more accurate at the free throw line in the history of Richmond women's basketball at 95% in 1992. In addition to scoring and games played, Abby's name still appears in the top 10 in the Richmond record books for career field goals, three-point field goals, and free throws.
A two-time team captain, she led the Spiders to a four-year record of 85-44, including three 20-win seasons and four postseason berths in the WNIT. Abby was named A-10 First Team in 2012, when she was also honored as the University of Richmond's Student-Athlete of the Year.
Teams of Distinction – 2010 Men's & Women's Cross Country
When the 2010 Richmond men's and women's cross country teams made it a clean sweep at the Atlantic 10 championships, it marked the first time in program history that the Spiders were victorious on both the men's and women's side in the same year.
The women tallied 43 points to record their third A-10 title and second in three years. Five Spider runners placed in the top 14 with seniors Nicol Traynor and Amy Van Alstine leading the way placing second (17:17) and fourth (17:33), respectively.
On the men's side, Richmond claimed its first A-10 Championship in school history finishing with 51 points as five runners finished in the top 22 including three in the top six. Fifth-year senior Andrew Benford led the way setting a course record with a time of 24:12. Teammate and fellow fifth-year senior Matt Llano placed third in a time of 24:23.
Steve Taylor and Lori Taylor were each named Coach of the Year. Traynor, Van Alstine, senior Julie Rechel, freshman Jill Prentice and senior Jenn Ennis earned All-Conference honors for the women. Benford was named A-10 Men's Performer of the Year, and was joined by Llano and senior Tim Quinn on the All-Conference team.
The men's team earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA Championships while Amy Van Alstine competed as an individual at the women's NCAA Championship.
The Class of 2024 consists of TJ Cline '17 (men's basketball), Rodney Elam '76 (football), Meghan Ogilvie '05 (women's soccer), and Abby Oliver '12 (women's basketball). The 2010 men's and women's cross country teams, which both won Atlantic 10 titles, will be honored as the Teams of Distinction.
The 47th Hall of Fame class will be enshrined during a ceremony Friday night, November 1 at the Jepson Alumni Center on campus. The class will be introduced during the Homecoming football game Saturday, November 2 at 2 PM against Towson.
Ticket information for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception is available by visiting https://uronline.net/hc24. Tickets for Saturday's football game can be obtained online or by calling the Richmond Athletics Ticket Office at 1-877-SPIDER-1.
TJ Cline – Men's Basketball – 2013-2017
Spider fans were seeing triple-double watching the skills displayed on the basketball court by TJ Cline. He became the first player in program history to record a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 101-90 victory at the Robins Center over Duquesne on Jan. 28, 2017. Cline did it again later that season on his senior night with 19 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists in an emotionally-charged 72-62 triumph over Saint Louis. And yet, those games – still the only triple-doubles in school history - just begin to tell his Richmond story.
A transfer from Niagara, Cline played three seasons for the Spiders, twice reaching the NIT quarterfinals. His points, rebounds, and assists averages improved each year. As a senior, he averaged 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He earned Atlantic 10 and Virginia State Player of the Year honors in 2017, and was an honorable mention Associated Press All-American. His 648 points, 243 field goals, and 197 assists are among the Spiders single-season top 10. He tallied 11 double-doubles, the most by a Spider since 1988, with 14 20-point games and two 30-point games.
TJ completed his career with 1,647 points, 569 rebounds, and 374 assists. He finished among the program's top 10 in career points, scoring average, rebounds, and assists. He was a two-time All-Conference and All-State standout. After his Richmond career, Cline played professionally in the NBA G League, as well as in Turkey and Israel.
Rodney Elam – Football – 1973-1975
His name doesn't appear among Richmond's football statistical records for top scorers, rushers, passers or receivers, but without Rodney Elam many of the names that do appear wouldn't be there either.
As an offensive lineman, Rodney earned the prestigious Jacobs Blocking Award in 1975, emblematic of the Southern Conference's top offensive lineman. He made such an impact that season he was also selected Big Five Offensive Player of the Year and All-Southern Conference. He was a team captain as the Spiders captured the SoCon regular season title with a 5-1 league mark. During Rodney's three years, the Spiders were 13-5 against the Southern Conference.
Following his standout collegiate football career, Rodney displayed his versatile athleticism and strength by becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion. A local product, he was named the Richmond Touchdown Club High School Player of the Year in 1971. In 2014, he was inducted into the first class of the Mechanicsville High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
Meghan Ogilvie – Women's Soccer – 2001-2004
Meghan Ogilvie was one of the team's integral leaders during a golden era of Richmond women's soccer. In her four-year career, the Spiders compiled 46 wins, finished no lower than third in the Atlantic 10, captured the 2002 A-10 championship, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
An offensive standout and two-time team captain, Meghan was twice named All-Conference, and was selected the Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Tournament, when the Spiders earned the championship with victories over host Dayton and Rhode Island. An historic season continued with NCAA tournament victories over #15 Clemson and James Madison, as the Spiders advanced to the Sweet 16 against #8 seed and host Portland, which went on to win the national championship.
Following a professional soccer stint in the Iceland Premier Division, Meghan returned home and founded Dog Tag Bakery LLC, a non-profit organization dedicated to giving veterans the skills to enter the workforce and business community. In 2017, she was honored with the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the United States Army.
Abby Oliver – Women's Basketball – 2008-2012
At any hour of the day or night, if the lights were on in the Robins Center, chances were good Abby Oliver was on the court, practicing and perfecting her craft and her passion. Then on game days, Abby shined brightest. She scored 1,488 points, currently eighth on Richmond's all-time scoring list, while playing in 129 games, the third most in program history.
She was named A-10 Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore, a foreshadowing of what was to come. In her senior season, Abby led the A-10 in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. Her 93.8 free throw percentage led all of NCAA Division I. Only the late Hall-of-Famer Ginny Doyle was more accurate at the free throw line in the history of Richmond women's basketball at 95% in 1992. In addition to scoring and games played, Abby's name still appears in the top 10 in the Richmond record books for career field goals, three-point field goals, and free throws.
A two-time team captain, she led the Spiders to a four-year record of 85-44, including three 20-win seasons and four postseason berths in the WNIT. Abby was named A-10 First Team in 2012, when she was also honored as the University of Richmond's Student-Athlete of the Year.
Teams of Distinction – 2010 Men's & Women's Cross Country
When the 2010 Richmond men's and women's cross country teams made it a clean sweep at the Atlantic 10 championships, it marked the first time in program history that the Spiders were victorious on both the men's and women's side in the same year.
The women tallied 43 points to record their third A-10 title and second in three years. Five Spider runners placed in the top 14 with seniors Nicol Traynor and Amy Van Alstine leading the way placing second (17:17) and fourth (17:33), respectively.
On the men's side, Richmond claimed its first A-10 Championship in school history finishing with 51 points as five runners finished in the top 22 including three in the top six. Fifth-year senior Andrew Benford led the way setting a course record with a time of 24:12. Teammate and fellow fifth-year senior Matt Llano placed third in a time of 24:23.
Steve Taylor and Lori Taylor were each named Coach of the Year. Traynor, Van Alstine, senior Julie Rechel, freshman Jill Prentice and senior Jenn Ennis earned All-Conference honors for the women. Benford was named A-10 Men's Performer of the Year, and was joined by Llano and senior Tim Quinn on the All-Conference team.
The men's team earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA Championships while Amy Van Alstine competed as an individual at the women's NCAA Championship.
Football Postgame vs Fordham
Saturday, November 01
Women's Basketball Preseason Press Conference
Friday, October 31
Men's Cross Country A10 Championship Preview
Friday, October 31
Women's Cross Country A10 Championship Preview
Friday, October 31