The Collegian
Monday, May 05, 2025

Sports


Sports

Women's basketball team loses four-game winning streak

The University of Richmond women's basketball team struggled offensively and was unable to stop the Charlotte 49ers, and lost 64-55 Sunday at the Robins Center. The loss ended a four-game winning streak for the Spiders and was the last home game for seniors Ryann Dannelly, Sam and Rachael Bilney.


Sports

Spiders win, 73-64, over George Washington on Senior Night

The University of Richmond men's basketball team trumped conference-opponent George Washington University, 73-64, in the Robins Center on Wednesday after trailing the Colonials for the majority of the game. With about six minutes left in the second half, sophomore Alonzo Nelson-Ododa made a three-pointer to give Richmond the lead for the first time since the beginning of the game. Richmond continued to build on that lead with several plays close to the basket by senior Greg Robbins. Coach Chris Mooney said that Robbins, who finished the game with 15 points, had played tremendously and understood how the team could gain and maintain the lead. Although Richmond tied the score in the last seconds of the first half, GW quickly regained the lead in the second, and scored 12 points to Richmond's three in the first four minutes. Mooney said that despite the team playing poorly for the majority of the game, it was a good sign his players were able to recover at the end. Robbins said that if the game had been at GW, he didn't think the Spiders would have been able to close out the win. The referees called 54 fouls in the game, including one technical on Mooney for arguing a call. "It's hard to get into a groove with a lot of fouls called," Robbins said.


Sports

Baseball dominates Coppin State Eagles in a 13-0 victory

After recovering from two close losses in Jacksonville, a strong early lead helped the Spiders take a sweeping victory against the Coppin State Eagles on Wednesday. Well-placed hits by the Spiders and poor playing on the field by the Eagles resulted in a 13-0 victory, putting the Spiders at 6-2 for the season. Returning sophomore Chris Bates made his second start of the season pitching and maintained his 0.00 ERA, not letting any hitters score a run.


Swimming & Diving

Swimming and diving wins third consecutive A-10 Championship

University of Richmond Swimming and Diving team won its 11th conference title in 12 years at the A-10 Championships this weekend in Geneva, Ohio. The meet earned the Spiders its third consecutive A-10 championship, sophomore swimmer Anna Fetter said. The Spiders swept all five relays and earned 12 top finishes throughout the weekend, finishing with 737 points.


Sports

Pep band hires professionals to improve presence

The University of Richmond pep band is composed of professional musicians, many of whom are graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University. Although Richmond students are invited to play with the band and sometimes do, the core group of members consists of people from outside the university.


Sports

Virginia dominates second half in 13-7 win over Richmond

Junior Bailey Zerr scored on a rebound with seven seconds left in the first half to give the women's lacrosse team a 7-6 lead in Robins Stadium Wednesday evening. For the first time in four games against top-eight teams, the Spiders had the lead at halftime and held the momentum at the start of the second half. Yet, as in its other three games this season, the Spiders allowed a string of goals it could not match.


Sports

Sharp shooting propels Spiders over VCU

The Richmond women's basketball team made 12 three-pointers on its way to defeating cross-town rival, VCU, 66-62, Wednesday at the Robins Center. The game was a memorable night for sisters Sam and Rachael Bilney, who combined to score 31 of the team's points, on nine of 16 shooting from three-point range.


Sports

Spider baseball stays undefeated in close-game victory over VMI

The Spiders remain undefeated after winning their fourth straight game to begin the season with a win over Virginia Military Institute on Wednesday. Redshirt senior Bret Williams, junior Nick Poulos and freshman Jansen Fraser led the offensive charge in the 5-4 victory. Williams went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run, but he was quick to congratulate his teammates for their accomplishments. "Jansen had a huge hit," Williams said.


Sports

Three equestrian team members qualify for regionals

Three members of the University of Richmond equestrian team have qualified for regionals on March 30 at Goucher College in Towson, Md. Sophomore Erin Flynn will compete in novice flat, senior Caroline Elia will ride in open fences and open flat and junior Christina Cribari will compete in advanced walk, trot and canter. The team is especially proud of Elia, the outgoing president, for qualifying for regionals in two open classes, said Cribari, the incoming co-president.


Track & Field

Women's track wins four races at A-10 indoor championships

Imagine running a race, and just after you take off, an opponent spikes you in the back of the ankle, causing you to lose your stride and your heel to pop out of your shoe. Junior Alyson McGonigle and her teammates not only won this race, but helped set a record in it, despite having half a foot in her shoe. McGonigle, seniors Stephanie Paradis and Lydia Morton and sophomore Taylor Clevinger composed one of two successful Richmond women's track relay teams at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday and Saturday at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. McGonigle, Paradis, Morton and Clevinger ran the women's 4-x-800-meter relay in an A-10 record time of 9 minutes, 3.71 seconds on Saturday, beating the former record holder and the second-place Rhode Island team by about four seconds. And if McGonigle had run with both shoes fully on, the Spiders might have won by even more time. When McGonigle was stepped on, she said: "I was trying to get my shoe back on for the first two laps but was unable to, so I had to change my gait and try to just keep it on and keep running." As McGonigle passed her baton to Paradis, the Spiders relay team was in second place, just a few seconds behind the Rhode Island team. "I was able to come back a lot in my last lap," McGonigle said.


Baseball

Baseball team defies expectations in opener, sweeps the series

For a team that was supposed to be weakened by its lack of experience and offense, the Spider baseball team defied all preseason expectations in its opening series against Bucknell University. In the first game of the season, the rookies showed their merit in beating the Bucknell Bison 10-4, with solid performances from freshmen Tanner Stanley, Jansen Fraser and Aaron Newman and redshirt freshman Jon de Marte. Stanley and Newman both went 1-for-4, but their hits were their first collegiate home runs, accounting for three of the Spiders' 10 runs of the day.


Sports

Swim and dive team members earn conference honors

A busy schedule is routine for two members of the University of Richmond's women's swim and dive team who won conference honors this month, particularly as the team prepares to go to its conference championships this week. Katherine Cook, a sophomore diver, was named Atlantic 10 Conference performer of the week, and Kelley Yang, a freshman swimmer, was named rookie of the week for the week of Jan.


Sports

Bilney scores 1,000th career point in conference win

Senior Rachael Bilney scored her 1,000th career point and contributed to an 81-63 win in the University of Richmond women's basketball game against the University of Massachusetts on Sunday. Bilney was 11 points away from reaching 1,000 before the game and scored the final two at the start of the second half against the Atlantic 10 conference opponent. Despite being the 19th Spider in program history to reach this accomplishment, Bilney showed no reaction after she scored, and sprinted down the court to get on defense. "The game wasn't over," she said.


Sports

Men's lax wins big in 1st home game since promotion announced

Richmond men's lacrosse defeated University of Kentucky, 26-2, in its home opener on Sunday. This was the first home game for Richmond since the school announced the lacrosse team would become a varsity team next year. Richmond exerted its dominance over Kentucky early and led, 17-0, at the half.


Sports

Spiders survive Bonnies, 83-80, in overtime game

Richmond survived a late run and was able to outlast the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 83-80, in an overtime thriller, Saturday night at the Robins Center. Darien Brothers stepped to the free throw line with just over 24 seconds left in the overtime period, and made three straight to give the Spiders a two-point lead.