University of Richmond Athletics
Women’s Basketball Ranked No. 24 in AP Preseason Poll
10/14/2025 | Women's Basketball
The Spiders open the 2025-26 season Nov. 4 at home against Mount St. Mary’s.
RICHMOND, Va. — The University of Richmond women's basketball team will open the 2025-26 campaign ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25, the wire service announced on Tuesday. The Spiders are the only mid-major program represented in the Top 25.
The ranking marks the first time in program history that Richmond has appeared in the AP Top 25, a testament to the program's rise under head coach Aaron Roussell, who enters his seventh season at the helm. The Spiders have won back-to-back Atlantic 10 regular season titles, captured the 2024 A-10 Championship crown and made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program's first NCAA Tournament win in 2025 as an at-large bid.
Richmond returns a strong veteran core led by reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan and All-Conference First Team selection Rachel Ullstrom, both of whom played key roles in last year's 28-7 campaign. Doogan averaged 17.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while Ullstrom posted 15.3 points per contest and shot 42.3 percent from three-point range.
The Spiders also add key newcomers to an already deep roster, highlighted by All-Conference transfer Tierra Simon from Saint Louis and graduate transfer Skylah Travis from Louisiana.
Richmond's 2025-26 roster also features six new faces, including a four-member freshman class headlined by Richmond Times-Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year Rayne Wright. The Spiders also welcome Ava Persichetti, Shaneka Campbell and Aneisha Scott.
The Spiders open the 2025-26 season on Nov. 4, playing host to Mount St. Mary's at 6 p.m. inside the Robins Center. Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now. For more ticketing information, contact the Richmond Athletics Ticket Office at 1-877-SPIDER-1 or visit RichmondSpiders.com.
