Richmond Leader

Greetings Spiders!

As summer begins, it's always fun to reflect on the accomplishments of the past academic year. I am so proud of all of our Spider student-athletes and their success in competition, academics and the community in 2021-2022.  Most especially, I am grateful for the tremendous achievements of our recent graduates and look forward to all they will accomplish in the next chapter of their lives.   Due to their leadership and contributions, the future of Spider Athletics is bright!

Members of the Class of 2022 will depart Richmond with the knowledge that they have the ability to overcome even the most seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This year's graduates completed their degrees under extremely difficult circumstances, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced changes again and again to nearly every aspect of the University. But the members of the Class of 2022 adapted. They innovated. They persevered. And I'm confident that the next time these Spiders  face a formidable challenge in their personal or professional lives, they will used these important lessons learned to overcome whatever obstacles they face.  Congratulations to each and every member of the Class of 2022 on a job well done!

Spiders Continue to Excel in the Classroom!

From graduates to first year students, Spider student-athletes of every stripe helped make the 2021-22 school year the best uninterrupted academic year on record for Richmond Athletics. Our varsity teams averaged a 3.38 GPA during the spring semester, with 22 athletes earning a perfect 4.0! Over the course of the year, more than 300 Spiders -- representing three quarters of all Richmond student-athletes – posted a GPA of 3.0 or better. Our Spiders test themselves against some of the most rigorous and demanding academic programs in Division I athletics and continue to achieve new levels of success.

Spiders Enjoyed a Successful Spring!

June started with more good news for our men's basketball program. We are all excited by the announcement from All-Conference performer Tyler Burton that he will return to the program next season after withdrawing his name from the 2022 NBA Draft. We all know that Tyler will have a tremendously successful professional career, but we are looking forward to watching his development continue as a Spider in 2022-23.

The highlight of spring for many Spiders was watching our men's lacrosse team capture another conference championship! Coach Dan Chemotti led the Spiders into the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four full seasons, where Richmond pushed third-seeded Penn to the limit, ultimately falling 11-10 in overtime. The Spiders will take momentum from another championship campaign with them to the Atlantic 10 next season, where Richmond will compete against High Point, Hobart, Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, and UMass in the newly created six-team league.

Our women's lacrosse team finished the season 14-4, rising as high as 16th in the national rankings. Anne Harrington, who served as interim coach during the season, did a tremendous job and has been elevated to head coach. We are looking forward to having her on the Spiders sideline and successfully leading the program for many years to come.

The Spider women's track & field team finished fourth at the Atlantic 10 Championships, earning four gold medals along the way. Richmond won the 400M (Rachel Helbling), 800M (Brooke Fazio), 4x400M relay and 4x800M relay, and Kayla Woods added another individual title when she won the long jump at the ECAC Championships a week later.

Our men's and women's golf teams each recorded their best conference tournament finish in recent years this spring, with the women placing second at the Patriot League Championship (their best since 2018) and the men finishing fourth at the Atlantic 10 Championship (their best since 2017). The women's team finished a single stroke behind Boston University, while the men's team rallied to shoot four-under par in the final round, second best of any team in the field.

Both Spider tennis teams reached the quarterfinals at the Atlantic 10 Championships in Orlando, Fla., where the women's team fell to VCU, and the men's team dropped a match versus Davidson.

Spider baseball officially ended the 2021-22 intercollegiate athletics season at UR with a jolt, winning four games over three days to stage a remarkable run to the final game of the Atlantic 10 Championship. This was Richmond's first trip to the championship game of the A-10 tournament since 2012, and UR finished the season with 30 wins, its most since 2018. Thanks to Spider baseball for ending the year with one more reminder of the thrill we all get watching our teams compete at a championship level!

A Busy Summer Awaits as we Look Towards 2022-2023!

When the Spiders return to Pitt Field next season, they will see a new fan plaza beyond the right field fence as well as a new indoor practice facility down the left field foul line. These facility improvements will give our team a venue to practice in regardless of the season and offer a variety of new seating options for Spider spectators who come to see them play next spring.

 We're also planning to install a new upgraded audio system at Robins Stadium this summer. With last year's installation of a state-of-the-art videoboard at the stadium, the facility will now have  top notch audio and video systems.  The new audio systems should be ready for our Spider fans and  supporters to enjoy when the football team takes the field in the fall.

The tremendous support we receive from our fellow Spiders allows us to build and maintain a set of athletic facilities that have been rated among the 10 best in the nation by the Princeton Review. As we approach the end of our fiscal year, we are mapping out our plans for the 2022-23 school year and beyond. If you're able, please consider giving to the Spider Athletic Fund.  Your support allows us to provide one of the nation's best student-athlete experiences for our Spiders.

Original source can be found here.