University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Picked To Win Four Conference Titles
Aug. 21, 2003
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - After capturing a program-record five conference titles and its first Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Cup, the University of Richmond returns to athletic competition this fall, a season when the Spiders excelled a year ago.
The Atlantic 10 announced its pre-season coaches' polls this afternoon and Richmond was chosen to win four of the five championships. Women's cross country, field hockey and both men and women's soccer were selected to win the league title and propel the Spiders to another outstanding year.
Head coach Jeff Gettler's men's soccer team opens the 2003-04 Richmond athletic season at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 29, against Clemson at VCU. Gettler and the Spiders earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last fall and finished with a 10-8-3 record.
After finishing last season ranked No. 16 in the nation, head coach Peter Albright and his women's soccer team begins the 2003 campaign at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 30 at VCU. The 2002 Atlantic 10 Champion Spiders finished last fall with a 15-6-2 record, after advancing the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen.
Ange Bradley, 2002 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, and her field hockey team went undefeated in A-10 play (6-0) and earned the program's first NCAA Tournament bid last fall. The Spiders, who enjoyed a program-record 14-match win streak and completed the season 17-7, open 2003 at 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 31 against Vermont at Crenshaw Field.
The women's cross country team is picked one spot above its 2002 finish. Head coach Lori Taylor will attempt to capture this year's cross country title after leading the Spiders to an Indoor Track & Field championship last winter.
Third-year men's cross country coach, Steve Taylor, and his team are picked in a tie for fourth with Dayton in the pre-season poll. La Salle, last year's men's and women's cross country champions, are selected to win.
The University of Richmond hosts both the men and women's soccer conference championships this fall. The women's soccer championship will be contested from Nov. 6-9, while the men's championship will be held from Nov. 13-16, both on campus at First Market Stadium. The 2003 Atlantic 10 field hockey tournament will be held on Nov. 7-8 in Philadelphia, while the city will also host the cross country championships on Nov. 1.