University of Richmond Athletics
National Champions Arrive Back On Campus
Dec. 20, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The 2008 Division I Football National Champion Richmond Spiders arrived back on campus Saturday afternoon and were greeted by hundreds of fans at the Robins Center. The Spiders defeated Montana, 24-7, Friday in the FCS title game to capture the school's first NCAA championship.
With a police escort down Boatwright Drive, past First Market Stadium and into the Robins Center parking lost, a crowd of nearly 300 roared when head coach Mike London emerged from the bus holding the National Championship Trophy high in the air.
Spider players and coaches met with the media and thanked the fans for their tremendous support one last time before heading home for the holidays.
Senior TB Josh Vaughan, a Richmond native and Hermitage High grad, rushed for a game-high 162 yards and a TD, while fellow senior DE Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. reeked havoc on the Montana offense with a career-high four sacks. The Spiders sacked the two-time Champion Griz seven times and forced two turnovers.
A 1983 Richmond alum, London became just the third rookie head coach to lead his team to the title game (all three have won it), while Richmond became just the second-ever private school to claim the FCS National Championship, joining Furmanin 1988.
Photographer Jim Morris was in Chattanooga to chronicle the biggest win in school history and a gallery with over 100 photos is now posted at RichmondSpiders.com (click here to view gallery).
Photos from that, and any gallery can be purchased from RichmondSpiders.com. Click here for more information.