Virginia Commonwealth University Rams
Encyclopedia
The VCU Rams are the athletic teams of Virginia Commonwealth University
that represent the university in college athletics
. Members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
's Division I, the Rams' eight varsity sports compete in the Colonial Athletic Association
. The most successful teams have been the men's tennis and basketball teams, which have had success in their conference and on the regional and national stages.
The Rams field 16 different varsity sports teams, eight men's and eight women's sides. The men's teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field. The women's teams include basketball, cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
. The present head coach is Shaka Smart
, who led the team to their first Final Four in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
In the 2011 NCAA tournament, VCU qualified as an at-large bid, having to play in the newly formatted tournament's "First Four" against USC
. The decision to allow VCU to participate in the tournament was widely criticized among pundits and the media. VCU defeated USC 59-46 in the "First Four" play-in game. VCU then went on to upset Georgetown University
74-56 in the round of 64. The 11th-seeded VCU Rams then upset 3rd-seeded Purdue University
94-76 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. In the sweet sixteen, VCU defeated 10th-seeded Florida State University
72-71 on a last second bucket in overtime to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in school history. VCU beat the #1 seeded University of Kansas
in the Southwest Regional final by a score of 71-61. It was the Rams' first trip to the Final Four
. Against Butler University
in the Final 4, VCU lost 70-62, ending one of the greatest Cinderella stories of all time. The VCU Rams finished 6th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the season. This was the highest ranking in VCU's history and the highest ranking of any team from the CAA
.
In 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, VCU received an invitation to the NCAA men's basketball tournament as a #2 seed in its region, the highest seeding that the team has ever earned. However, it was upset in the second round of the tournament by #7 seed Alabama
.
Until 2006 the team was coached by Jeff Capel
, who at the time of his promotion to head coach in 2002 was the youngest coach in Division I NCAA basketball at 27 years old. During his time with VCU, Capel compiled a 79-41 record (.658), and in his first year earned VCU 18 wins, the most ever for a first-year coach at the school. In April 2006, Capel announced his decision to coach the University of Oklahoma
basketball team
. He was replaced by Anthony Grant
, formerly an assistant head coach with the 2006 NCAA champions, the University of Florida
.
Regular season conference champs and first-seed VCU defeated sixth-seed George Mason in the CAA championship game on March 5, 2007 to receive an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. The Rams defeated the Patriots in a close fought game 65-59 to set a school record for wins in a season, finishing 27-6. The Rams also set a mark for the most conference wins in the regular season by any team ever in the CAA, finishing their CAA campaign 16-2 in the regular season and 3-0 in the tournament. In the first round of the 2007 NCAA tourney the 11 seeded Rams upset 6 seeded Duke
by Eric Maynor
's game-winning buzzer-beater. VCU then lost in the second round to 3-seed Pitt
in overtime.
The VCU Rams Women's team enjoyed the most successful season in their history in the 2008-2009 season. The team finished the season with a mark of 26-7 overall and a 15-3 conference record. Notably the team was a perfect 16-0 at home. After finishing second in their conference the team headed to their first ever NCAA tournament game as the 10th seed, where the #7 seeded Rutgers eliminated them 57-51 on their home court. In the 2009-2010 season Cunningham led the Rams to the NIT Sweet Sixteen where they were eliminated by the Syracuse.
. Recently, the baseball team has won several Colonial Athletic Association titles as of late, winning the CAA tournament five times in the past decade, most recently winning the tournament in 2010.
During the 2006 MLB Draft, three Rams were selected. Harold Mozingo, a right-handed pitch who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
; Scott Sizemore
, drafted by the Detroit Lions
and Michael Gibbs
who was drafted by the Colorado Rockies
.
, who would manage the varsity team for the next 15 seasons. During Hudson's coaching career at VCU, he led the team to three Colonial Athletic Association tournament titles, and two CAA regular season titles. Presently, the team is coached by Dave Giffard
who formerly worked as an assistant coach for the University of Akron
Zips
. Giffard has coached the team since 2010.
The team's most successful run in the College Cup, the men's NCAA Division I Soccer Tournament, came in 2004
, where the Rams entered the tournament as ranked 16th in the nation, earning a bye to the second round proper. In the second round, the Rams defeated George Washington
, before upsetting the number-one seeded, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
in penalty kicks. Reaching the regional finals, or quarterfinals in the entire tournament, VCU lost to eventual national finalists, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.
Following a string of three consecutive seasons without a berth in the CAA tournament, Hudson was fired to be subsequently replaced by Giffard. Giffard, who is the second head coach in team history, led the team to regular season runners-up in the CAA before falling in the semifinals of the playoffs.
(ITA) in 2005, and has been nationally ranked in the top 50 since 1993. The Rams have had 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances and had won nine consecutive Colonial Athletic Association tournament crowns until being dethroned in the 2005 CAA tournament final by William and Mary. In 2000, the men's team reached the NCAA Finals after defeating Illinois (Quarterfinals) and Tennessee (Semifinals) respectively. In the finals, Stanford rallied to win the doubles and swept Virginia Commonwealth in the singles to claim its 17th NCAA men's tennis title 4-0.
The Men's and Women's Track & Field Teams have also enjoyed success, having won multiple conference titles. The men's team won three consecutive outdoor track & field conference titles from 1994-1996 and an indoor track & field conference title in 1995. The first two conference titles came as a member of the Metro Conference and the third was won in the Colonial Athletic Association. VCU moved from the Metro Conference to the CAA in 1995 when the Metro was dissolved and many of the teams merged to form Conference USA. VCU's men's track & field team also won the 2006 Outdoor CAA Championships.
team that will play fellow club football teams within the Colonial Athletic Association and the state. Prior to the fielding of the team, there has been enduring debate on whether or not the school should field a varsity football team sometime in the near future. Former University President, Eugene P. Trani
, has been quoted to never field a football team during his administration.
The club coaches for the football team will be Lamar and Alfonso Bell.
team plays in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference of the American Collegiate Hockey Association
. The VCU Rams ice hockey team clinched a playoff spot in the Northeast BRHC standings in the 2006-2007 season.
Division III Collegiate Championships and received a bid to play in the East Coast Championship which was hosted by VCU April 22-24 of 2006. The team took fourth at the East Coast Championship tournament. Following their Division III success, they accepted an invitation to move to Division II in the Fall of 2006.
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...
that represent the university in college athletics
College athletics
College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...
. Members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
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, the Rams' eight varsity sports compete in 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,...
. The most successful teams have been the men's tennis and basketball teams, which have had success in their conference and on the regional and national stages.
The Rams field 16 different varsity sports teams, eight men's and eight women's sides. The men's teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field. The women's teams include basketball, cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
Rivals
- Old Dominion UniversityOld Dominion UniversityOld Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
- VCU's arch rival, mainly because of the similarities between the two schools. Both schools were founded by The College of William and Mary and both are urban research universities located just 90 miles apart. It is often called the best college basketball rivalry in the state of Virginia. - University of RichmondUniversity of RichmondThe 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...
- Called the "Black and Blue Classic" in reference to the colors of each team. This rivalry consists of two schools separated by 7 miles and often has a public school vs private school mentality. - George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
- GMU has become more and more of rival with the recent success of both basketball teams.
Men's basketball
The Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball team is widely regarded as one of the most popular and successful sports programs at the university. The first varsity basketball team was fielded in 1968, and coached by Benny DeesBenny Dees
Benny Dees is an up and coming DJ star. Born in Sydney, NSW Australia in 1995 he specializes in under 18's music festivals. He has played a such concerts as XOX Parties, Super Nova and soon will be performing at Breakout on the 2/12/2011 and I.D Some time during December.Benny Dees is a retired...
. The present head coach is Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart is an American college basketball coach, and the current head coach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball program...
, who led the team to their first Final Four in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
In the 2011 NCAA tournament, VCU qualified as an at-large bid, having to play in the newly formatted tournament's "First Four" against USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. The decision to allow VCU to participate in the tournament was widely criticized among pundits and the media. VCU defeated USC 59-46 in the "First Four" play-in game. VCU then went on to upset Georgetown University
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...
74-56 in the round of 64. The 11th-seeded VCU Rams then upset 3rd-seeded Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
94-76 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. In the sweet sixteen, VCU defeated 10th-seeded Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
72-71 on a last second bucket in overtime to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in school history. VCU beat the #1 seeded University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
in the Southwest Regional final by a score of 71-61. It was the Rams' first trip to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. Against Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
in the Final 4, VCU lost 70-62, ending one of the greatest Cinderella stories of all time. The VCU Rams finished 6th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at the end of the season. This was the highest ranking in VCU's history and the highest ranking of any team from the CAA
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,...
.
In 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began...
, VCU received an invitation to the NCAA men's basketball tournament as a #2 seed in its region, the highest seeding that the team has ever earned. However, it was upset in the second round of the tournament by #7 seed Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball
The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,...
.
Until 2006 the team was coached by Jeff Capel
Jeff Capel III
Felton Jeff Capel III is an American former college basketball player at Duke University and was a head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Oklahoma. He is currently an assistant coach for his alma mater, Duke.-Youth:Capel is from a basketball family...
, who at the time of his promotion to head coach in 2002 was the youngest coach in Division I NCAA basketball at 27 years old. During his time with VCU, Capel compiled a 79-41 record (.658), and in his first year earned VCU 18 wins, the most ever for a first-year coach at the school. In April 2006, Capel announced his decision to coach the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
basketball team
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
. He was replaced by Anthony Grant
Anthony Grant (basketball)
-External links:* at RollTide.com...
, formerly an assistant head coach with the 2006 NCAA champions, the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
.
Regular season conference champs and first-seed VCU defeated sixth-seed George Mason in the CAA championship game on March 5, 2007 to receive an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. The Rams defeated the Patriots in a close fought game 65-59 to set a school record for wins in a season, finishing 27-6. The Rams also set a mark for the most conference wins in the regular season by any team ever in the CAA, finishing their CAA campaign 16-2 in the regular season and 3-0 in the tournament. In the first round of the 2007 NCAA tourney the 11 seeded Rams upset 6 seeded Duke
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
by Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
's game-winning buzzer-beater. VCU then lost in the second round to 3-seed Pitt
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
in overtime.
Women's basketball
Former WNBA player and Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer Beth Cunningham coaches the VCU Rams women's team.The VCU Rams Women's team enjoyed the most successful season in their history in the 2008-2009 season. The team finished the season with a mark of 26-7 overall and a 15-3 conference record. Notably the team was a perfect 16-0 at home. After finishing second in their conference the team headed to their first ever NCAA tournament game as the 10th seed, where the #7 seeded Rutgers eliminated them 57-51 on their home court. In the 2009-2010 season Cunningham led the Rams to the NIT Sweet Sixteen where they were eliminated by the Syracuse.
Baseball
Baseball has been played on the varsity level at Virginia Commonwealth University since 1971. The Rams play in The Diamond, located in central RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Recently, the baseball team has won several Colonial Athletic Association titles as of late, winning the CAA tournament five times in the past decade, most recently winning the tournament in 2010.
During the 2006 MLB Draft, three Rams were selected. Harold Mozingo, a right-handed pitch who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
; Scott Sizemore
Scott Sizemore
Scott Daniel Sizemore is a Major League Baseball second baseman/third baseman for the Oakland Athletics.-Minor leagues:...
, drafted by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Michael Gibbs
Michael Gibbs
Michael Gibbs is the name of:* Michael Gibbs , Newfoundland lawyer and politician* Michael Gibbs aka Mike Gibbs, jazz composer and arranger* Michael Gibbs , Dean of Cape Town and Dean of Chester...
who was drafted by the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
Men's soccer
In 1995, Virginia Commonwealth University fielded its first varsity men's soccer team, under the helm of Tim HudsonTim Hudson
Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University...
, who would manage the varsity team for the next 15 seasons. During Hudson's coaching career at VCU, he led the team to three Colonial Athletic Association tournament titles, and two CAA regular season titles. Presently, the team is coached by Dave Giffard
Dave Giffard
Dave Giffard is the head men's soccer coach at Virginia Commonwealth University. He previously served as an assistant coach under Caleb Porter at Akron University, posting a 23-1-1 record in his final season there. Previously he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Indiana University for one...
who formerly worked as an assistant coach for the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
Zips
Akron Zips men's soccer
The Akron Zips men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of the University of Akron. The team is a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Akron is regularly ranked in the Top 10 NSCAA Collegiate men's soccer poll, and have achieved...
. Giffard has coached the team since 2010.
The team's most successful run in the College Cup, the men's NCAA Division I Soccer Tournament, came in 2004
2004 Division I Men's College Cup
The 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship was a tournament of 48 teams from NCAA Division I. This year's College Cup Final Four was held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. All the other games were played at the home field of the higher seeded team. The final was held on...
, where the Rams entered the tournament as ranked 16th in the nation, earning a bye to the second round proper. In the second round, the Rams defeated George Washington
George Washington Colonials
The George Washington Colonials are the athletic teams of George Washington University. The school sponsors 21 varsity sports , the majority of which compete in the Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. The men's and women's water polo teams compete in the Collegiate Water Polo Association and the...
, before upsetting the number-one seeded, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer
The Wake Forest University Demon Deacons men's soccer team is an amateur, NCAA Division I college soccer team composed of students attending the Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They achieved their greatest result in 2007, winning the 2007 Division I Men's College Cup. ...
in penalty kicks. Reaching the regional finals, or quarterfinals in the entire tournament, VCU lost to eventual national finalists, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.
Following a string of three consecutive seasons without a berth in the CAA tournament, Hudson was fired to be subsequently replaced by Giffard. Giffard, who is the second head coach in team history, led the team to regular season runners-up in the CAA before falling in the semifinals of the playoffs.
Men's Tennis
The VCU men's tennis team was ranked 14th pre-season by the International Tennis FederationInternational Tennis Federation
The International Tennis Federation is the governing body of world tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations.It was established as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by 12 national associations meeting at a conference in Paris, France on 1 March 1913...
(ITA) in 2005, and has been nationally ranked in the top 50 since 1993. The Rams have had 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances and had won nine consecutive Colonial Athletic Association tournament crowns until being dethroned in the 2005 CAA tournament final by William and Mary. In 2000, the men's team reached the NCAA Finals after defeating Illinois (Quarterfinals) and Tennessee (Semifinals) respectively. In the finals, Stanford rallied to win the doubles and swept Virginia Commonwealth in the singles to claim its 17th NCAA men's tennis title 4-0.
Track & Field
The VCU men's track team won the 2006 CAA Conference Championship after placing second in the CAA's in the previous 2 years. The team was led by Davion Lambert and James Frerson who were named the Field MVP and Track MVP respectively. The team is looking to be led to another CAA victory with some old and new faces at the CAA Championships this year.Other sports
Football
Starting in 2011, Virginia Commonwealth University will field a club footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team that will play fellow club football teams within the Colonial Athletic Association and the state. Prior to the fielding of the team, there has been enduring debate on whether or not the school should field a varsity football team sometime in the near future. Former University President, Eugene P. Trani
Eugene P. Trani
Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. is the former president of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. He held this position from 1990 until July 1, 2009.-Education and early career:...
, has been quoted to never field a football team during his administration.
The club coaches for the football team will be Lamar and Alfonso Bell.
Ice Hockey
The VCU 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 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....
. The VCU Rams ice hockey team clinched a playoff spot in the Northeast BRHC standings in the 2006-2007 season.
Lacrosse
The Rams Lacrosse Club began competitive play in 2004 with the National Collegiate Lacrosse League. The club embraces players with and without experience in the sport, often giving new players the opportunity to excel at the club level alongside skilled ones. Rams Lacrosse competes in the Tidewater Division of the NCLL, against UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, William & Mary, and cross-town rival University of Richmond. Club highlights include claiming first place in 2005 at the Old Dominion Shootout in Lynchburg over Liberty University, and their best-ever finish in 2007. The club claimed the Tidewater Division title and made it to the second round of the playoffs.Men's rugby
The VCU Men's Rugby team took the 2005 Virginia Rugby Union and the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football UnionMARFU
The Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union is an association of youth, high school, collegiate, and adult men's and women's rugby teams in the Mid-Atlantic United States....
Division III Collegiate Championships and received a bid to play in the East Coast Championship which was hosted by VCU April 22-24 of 2006. The team took fourth at the East Coast Championship tournament. Following their Division III success, they accepted an invitation to move to Division II in the Fall of 2006.
Facilities
- The Diamond
- Baseball
- Verizon WirelessVerizon WirelessCellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel CenterStuart C. Siegel CenterStuart C. Siegel Center is a multi-purpose facility on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. The facility's main component is the 7,500- seat Verizon Wireless Arena. It also served as a student recreational area until the new Cary Street Gym complex was built...
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Cheerleading
- Sports Backers StadiumSports Backers StadiumSports Backers Stadium is a 3,250-seat stadium in Richmond, Virginia. The facility was opened in 1999.Sports Backers Stadium is used throughout the year by various parties including the soccer and college athletics teams from Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Union...
- Soccer
- Track and Field
- Cary Street Field
- Field Hockey
- Thalhimer Tennis Center
- Leigh Street Field
- Men's and Women's Rugby