As we enter the holiday season, I want to share my best wishes with Spiders near and far for health, happiness, and a time to reflect on all for which we are thankful.
I'm thankful for the many special people who play a pivotal role in the success of Spider Athletics. I'm grateful to have partners across our campus who support the success of Spider Athletics and our student-athletes in so many different ways. I'm grateful for our coaches and staff who work tirelessly — often giving up their nights, weekends, and holidays — because they are committed to building an athletics program befitting a school of Richmond's stature. And I'm grateful to the more than 400 Spider student-athletes who continue to impress and amaze me with their dedication, development, and tremendous record of achievement in competition and the classroom.
For the third straight year, Spider football captured the Capital Cup, defeating William & Mary 28-21 in Williamsburg Saturday after trailing by 14 points in the second half. The victory secured a winning season for the Spiders and ensured that Richmond will hold the cup when the teams meet again next year in Robins Stadium, this time as Patriot League rivals.
Spider field hockey also ended its regular season with a resounding victory over its biggest rival, stunning VCU on the road in overtime to capture the Atlantic 10 regular season title, its first since 2015.
Our Spider basketball teams are a combined 10-1 as they head south for a pair of holiday tournaments this week. The men's team is 5-0 for the first time since 2019 and will face Furman (Thursday at 11 AM on ESPN2) and either Charlotte or Illinois State in the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational at Disney's Wide World of Sports. The women's team is 5-1 and will face eighth-ranked TCU (Thursday at 9 PM on FloSports) and Green Bay (Friday at 9 PM on FloSports) at the Cancun Challenge in Mexico.
Members of the basketball teams, field hockey team, football team, and every other Spider sports program contributed to Richmond Athletics' most impressive accomplishment of the fall season: a 98% Graduation Success Rate, tied for ninth-highest among more than 350 schools in Division I.
As I've joined the Spider faithful at the Robins Center this month, I've also realized how grateful I am that we have new and improved spaces to gather together. The new videoboards and audio system in our wonderful arena have the Spiders sounding and looking better than ever, and both basketball teams, as well as Spider soccer and women's lacrosse, are benefiting from extensive renovations to the locker room and team room spaces in the building.
These improvements are only possible due to the outstanding support and generosity of our greater Spider family, which continues to strengthen Richmond Athletics during a time of transition for college sports. I'm thankful each and every day for how we come together to support our Spiders, and I'm grateful for each of you and the important role you play in Richmond Athletics. Thank you!
