Richmond Spiders
Encyclopedia
The Richmond Spiders represent the University of Richmond
, a member of the NCAA
's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association
.
From 1876 through 1893, Richmond's sports teams were known as the "Colts", reportedly for their play as an "energetic group of young colts." But in 1894, a baseball team comprising Richmond students and city residents took on the "Spiders" name after Ragland Chesterman of the Richmond Times-Dispatch
used the term to refer to pitcher Puss Ellyson's lanky arms and stretching kick. To this day, Richmond is the only university in the United States with the spider
as its official nickname.
has served as the home of Spider football since 1929, located a few miles from campus. On September 16, 2009, it was announced by the university that the on-campus stadium (formally First Market Stadium
) has been renamed the E. Claiborne Robins Stadium in honor of E. Claiborne Robins, Sr. and his historic philanthropy to the school. The university is currently expanding Robins Stadium (currently home to the soccer, lacrosse, and track and field programs) to accommodate football as well.
The Robins Center
arena serves as home to the men's and women's basketball programs. Other facilities at the Robins Center include the natatorium, home of the women's swimming and diving program, as well as offices and support facilities for most of the Spider athletic programs.
Brian Jordan
and Sean Casey and 1957 World Series
Most Valuable Player
Lew Burdette
. Other notable Spiders in the major leagues include Andy Allanson
, Mike Smith, and Tim Stauffer
. 23-year head coach Ron Atkins stepped down at the conclusion of the 2007 season and is being succeeded by Mark McQueen, former pitching coach at UR and Virginia Commonwealth University
who returned to the Spiders in 2006 as associate head coach. The Spiders' home field is Malcolm U. Pitt Field
, named for legendary Spider baseball, basketball and football coach Malcolm Pitt
.
at the conclusion of the 2006 season, and former Indiana University
assistant coach Gina Lucido has taken the helm of the Spiders program. The team's home field is Crenshaw Field.
and the team's home field is First Market Stadium. Notable Spiders that have played professionally include defender Craig Ziadie
, who was selected 28th overall by D.C. United
in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
, and goalkeeper Shawn Alexander, who was selected in the first round of the 2002 USL A-League
draft.
, the eventual national champion. The head coach of the Spiders is Peter Albright and the team's home field is First Market Stadium. Spider standout defender Jaclyn Raveia was selected by the Carolina Courage
in the second round of the 2001 Women's United Soccer Association
supplemental draft.
team plays in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference
(BRHC) of the American Collegiate Hockey Association
( ACHA
). The University of Richmond's hockey
team won the BRHC Playoff Championship four times in a row (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 seasons). They have also gone to the ACHA
National Championship tournament multiple times. The team is coached by Kevin Silver.
team plays in the Tidewater Division of the National College Lacrosse League
(NCLL). In 2007, the team recorded wins against Duke
(7-3), Hampden-Sydney
(10-2), and Georgetown
(5-4). The team also participated in the Beltway Bash, hosted by the University of Maryland's club lacrosse team. Richmond men's lacrosse team is coached by Fred Plaisted and the team's current president is Dan Colosimo.
team plays in the Virginia Rugby Union Division II. In 2007, the team finished in 2nd place, losing to eventual national champion Radford University in the VRU championship game. In each of the past three seasons the Spiders have placed high enough to advance to the first round of playoffs in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. In 2008, the Spiders lost to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. In 2006 and 2007, they lost to Salisbury University
of Maryland. In 2011, the team finished in 2nd place, losing to Longwood University. Division opponents of the UR Men's team are James Madison University
, the University of Mary Washington
, Radford University
, Virginia Commonwealth University
, and Virginia Military Institute
. The team is coached by Carl Schmitt, Matt Willson, and Sam Hall. The University of Richmond's women's rugby team is also gaining popularity.
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, a member of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
.
From 1876 through 1893, Richmond's sports teams were known as the "Colts", reportedly for their play as an "energetic group of young colts." But in 1894, a baseball team comprising Richmond students and city residents took on the "Spiders" name after Ragland Chesterman of the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
used the term to refer to pitcher Puss Ellyson's lanky arms and stretching kick. To this day, Richmond is the only university in the United States with the spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
as its official nickname.
Facilities
University of Richmond StadiumUniversity of Richmond Stadium
City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia is used by the Richmond Kickers for soccer and was used by the University of Richmond for American football from 1929-2009. It is owned by the City of Richmond and is located south of the Carytown district off the Downtown Expressway. The stadium was built in 1929...
has served as the home of Spider football since 1929, located a few miles from campus. On September 16, 2009, it was announced by the university that the on-campus stadium (formally First Market Stadium
First Market Stadium
E. Claiborne Robins Stadium is a 8,700-seat multi-purpose stadium at the University of Richmond. It is currently home to the Richmond Spiders men's football, men's and women's soccer, women's lacrosse, and men's and women's track and field teams...
) has been renamed the E. Claiborne Robins Stadium in honor of E. Claiborne Robins, Sr. and his historic philanthropy to the school. The university is currently expanding Robins Stadium (currently home to the soccer, lacrosse, and track and field programs) to accommodate football as well.
The Robins Center
Robins Center
The Robins Center is a 9,071-seat multi-purpose arena in Richmond, Virginia. Opened in 1972, the arena is home to the University of Richmond Spiders basketball. It hosted the ECAC South men's basketball tournament in 1983. It is named for E...
arena serves as home to the men's and women's basketball programs. Other facilities at the Robins Center include the natatorium, home of the women's swimming and diving program, as well as offices and support facilities for most of the Spider athletic programs.
Baseball
The University of Richmond's baseball team ended the 2007 season with a record of 32-28 and finished third in both the Atlantic-10 regular season schedule and championship tournament. A number of Spider alumni have played in the major leagues, including All-StarsMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Brian Jordan
Brian Jordan
Brian O'Neal Jordan is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and National Football League safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, while he played in the MLB for the St...
and Sean Casey and 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
Most Valuable Player
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
. Other notable Spiders in the major leagues include Andy Allanson
Andy Allanson
Andrew Neal Allanson , is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for eight seasons, from 1986 to 1995. Andy was signed as a second-round pick in the 1983 amateur draft, by the Cleveland Indians and scout Bobby Malkmus...
, Mike Smith, and Tim Stauffer
Tim Stauffer
Timothy James Stauffer is an American professional baseball pitcher with the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. He was born in Portland, Maine....
. 23-year head coach Ron Atkins stepped down at the conclusion of the 2007 season and is being succeeded by Mark McQueen, former pitching coach at UR and Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
who returned to the Spiders in 2006 as associate head coach. The Spiders' home field is Malcolm U. Pitt Field
Malcolm U. Pitt Field
Malcolm U. Pitt Field is a baseball field located on the campus of the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, USA. The field is home to the Richmond Spiders baseball team of the Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. The field is named after longtime Spiders baseball and basketball coach...
, named for legendary Spider baseball, basketball and football coach Malcolm Pitt
Malcolm Pitt
Malcolm Pitt was the head men's basketball coach at the University of Richmond from 1933-1952. He also served as the Spider baseball coach from 1935-1971 , as football coach in 1943 and 1944 , and as athletic director from 1941-1967...
.
Women's Basketball
The University of Richmond Women's Basketball team is on its second-straight 20-win season, and are back in the WNIT for the second-straight year and are about to play Syracuse.. They have the leading scorer in the conference, Brittani Shells, who has been nominated for the Nancy Lieberman award. The team lost to eventual champion #5 Xavier in the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals, and are currently with a 20-12 record. Michael Shafer is in his fifth year as head coach of the Spiders and has posted a 83-73 coaching record. His assistant coaches are Ginny Doyle, Mike McGuire, and former Spider standout Ebony Tanner Moore.Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
The Spiders Men's Cross Country and Track and Field teams are coached by Steve Taylor, who has been the coach since 2001. In 2006, the Spiders Cross Country team finished fourth in the Atlantic Ten Cross Country Championships out of fourteen schools. At the Atlantic Ten Indoor Track and Field, the team finished 7th, and at the Outdoor championships, the team finished 10th. In 2010, the men's team won the Atlantic 10 Championship as a team for the first time ever. They went on to place fourth at the NCAA Southeast Regional meet to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA National Championship. Seeded in 28th place, the Richmond Spiders placed 24th at the NCAA National Championship beating, among others, top-ranked Notre Dame, Texas, Louisville, Penn State, and Georgetown.Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
The Richmond Spiders Women's Cross Country and Track and Field teams are coached by Lori Taylor. In 2006-2007, she guided the Spider women to a second place finish in the Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track. In 2008, she coached the Spider women to a conference championship in Cross Country. In 2010 the conference championship again went the Spider women, making it their second championship to date. The home of the Spiders XC/Track program is the Fred Hardy Track, on the University of Richmond's campus just north of the Robins Center.Field Hockey
The University of Richmond's women's field hockey team finished the 2006 season with a record of 17-5 and captured their fifth straight Atlantic 10 Conference championship and NCAA Division I tournament berth. The history of the program dates to 1920, and it has been ranked as high as tenth among Division I programs in recent years. After six years with the Spiders, head coach Ange Bradley moved to Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
at the conclusion of the 2006 season, and former Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
assistant coach Gina Lucido has taken the helm of the Spiders program. The team's home field is Crenshaw Field.
Men's Golf
The University of Richmond's men's golf team finished fourth in the 2007 Atlantic 10 Conference championship tournament. The Spiders have captured three conference championships and qualified for four NCAA Regional Championships, as well as the 1999 NCAA National Championship. The current head coach of the Spiders is Adam Decker.Women's Golf
The University of Richmond's women's golf team competes as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association and finished fourth in the 2007 championship tournament. The program came into existence in 2002, and since that time the Spiders have finished no lower than fourth in any of the five CAA championship tournaments in which they have competed. The current head coach of the Spiders is Jill- Briles Hinton.Women's Lacrosse
The University of Richmond's women's lacrosse team finished the 2007 season with a record of 14-6 and has captured three consecutive Atlantic-10 championships and NCAA Division I tournament berths. The history of the program dates to 1957, although it did not compete on the NCAA Division I level until 1992. The program has been ranked as high ninth among Division I programs. The head coach of the Spiders is Stephanie Samaras Mantziaras and the assistant coach is Kelly Kasper Carter. The team's home field is Robins Stadium.Men's Soccer
The history of the program dates to 1975, and the Spiders have won or shared three conference title and advanced to three NCAA Division I championship tournaments. The head coach of the Spiders is Clint PeayClint Peay
Clint Peay is a retired U.S. soccer defender who is currently the head coach with the University of Richmond men's soccer team. He was a regular on the U.S. junior national teams and U.S. Olympic team in the mid-1990s. He also spent several years with D.C...
and the team's home field is First Market Stadium. Notable Spiders that have played professionally include defender Craig Ziadie
Craig Ziadie
Craig Ziadie is a Jamaican-American soccer player, who last played right back for the MetroStars of Major League Soccer.- Youth and College :...
, who was selected 28th overall by D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
2001 MLS SuperDraft
-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:-External links:*...
, and goalkeeper Shawn Alexander, who was selected in the first round of the 2002 USL A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
draft.
Women's Soccer
The history of the program dates to 1996, and the Spiders have won the Atlantic 10 conference title once (2002) and advanced to two NCAA Division I championship tournaments. In 2002, the Spiders advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament before falling to the University of PortlandUniversity of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
, the eventual national champion. The head coach of the Spiders is Peter Albright and the team's home field is First Market Stadium. Spider standout defender Jaclyn Raveia was selected by the Carolina Courage
Carolina Courage
Carolina Courage were a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Fetzer Field on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus in 2001, and then at the soccer-specific SAS Stadium in Cary, North Carolina in 2002 and 2003. The team began play in 2001; the...
in the second round of the 2001 Women's United Soccer Association
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
supplemental draft.
Women's Swimming & Diving
The University of Richmond's women's swimming and diving team has captured the Atlantic-10 championship each of the last seven years, dating back to UR's entrance into the conference. In addition, the Spiders have won seven consecutive A-10 Coach of the Year and Most Outstanding Performer awards, as well as five Most Outstanding Rookie Performer awards. The Spiders have qualified at least one swimmer for the NCAA Division I championship meet in each of the past five seasons. The head coach of the Spiders is Matthew Barany and the team's home pool is the Robins Center Natatorium.Crew
The University of Richmond's crew team was founded in 1891. Over the years the team has come and gone several times. The modern team came about in the late 1980’s. In 2009 there were over 45 members on a co-ed team. The team competes in regatta such as The Head of the Charles, Head of the Schuylkill, Head of the South, Head of the Occoquan, Clemson Sprints and Rockets Landing Regatta among others.Ice Hockey
The University of Richmond's men's ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team plays in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference
Blue Ridge Hockey Conference
The Blue Ridge Hockey Conference or BRHC is an ACHA club ice hockey conference in the Southeast region of the United States. The league's mission is to develop and advance collegiate ice hockey...
(BRHC) of the American Collegiate Hockey Association
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
( ACHA
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
). The University of Richmond's hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
team won the BRHC Playoff Championship four times in a row (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 seasons). They have also gone to the ACHA
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
National Championship tournament multiple times. The team is coached by Kevin Silver.
Men's Lacrosse
The University of Richmond men's lacrosseLacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team plays in the Tidewater Division of the National College Lacrosse League
National College Lacrosse League
The National College Lacrosse League is a men's lacrosse league comprising mostly Eastern United States college lacrosse clubs . There are over 110 teams divided into 11 conferences. The programs are split into Division I and Division II, with a championship held for each at the end of the season...
(NCLL). In 2007, the team recorded wins against Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
(7-3), Hampden-Sydney
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
(10-2), and Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
(5-4). The team also participated in the Beltway Bash, hosted by the University of Maryland's club lacrosse team. Richmond men's lacrosse team is coached by Fred Plaisted and the team's current president is Dan Colosimo.
Rugby
The University of Richmond's men's rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team plays in the Virginia Rugby Union Division II. In 2007, the team finished in 2nd place, losing to eventual national champion Radford University in the VRU championship game. In each of the past three seasons the Spiders have placed high enough to advance to the first round of playoffs in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. In 2008, the Spiders lost to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. In 2006 and 2007, they lost to Salisbury University
Salisbury University
Salisbury University is a public university in Salisbury, Maryland.According to U.S. News and World Report's 2009 America's Best Colleges index, "In guidebooks and surveys by U.S...
of Maryland. In 2011, the team finished in 2nd place, losing to Longwood University. Division opponents of the UR Men's team are James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
, the University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington
The University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
, Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
, Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
, and Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
. The team is coached by Carl Schmitt, Matt Willson, and Sam Hall. The University of Richmond's women's rugby team is also gaining popularity.