The announcement that the University of Richmond is cutting the men's soccer and men's track and field programs to add men's lacrosse has sent shockwaves throughout the university community, including alumni, athletes, students and faculty. The Board of Trustees ultimately made the decision, said Jim Miller, Richmond athletic director.
Despite the announcement that their team will be eliminated at the end of the 2012-2013 season, the six men who are on the University of Richmond track team, but do not also hold spots on the cross country team, have decided to finish out their education at the university. Even though the majority of the track team members are also members of the cross country team, not all students appear on both rosters.
Editors note: Senior Charlie Hudson spoke with The Collegian before the team was asked to not speak to the media. Yesterday, about three hours before the varsity club lacrosse team had its first practice of the season, Charlie Hudson, a senior player, sat down for an interview about the team's soon-to-be NCAA division I status. "It was definitely exciting," Hudson said, remembering how the team reacted to the announcement.
Under clear, sunny skies and 82-degree heat, the University of Richmond field hockey team defeated Longwood University, 5-2, on Saturday. Three freshmen were among the five Richmond players that scored in the game.
Spending more than three weeks in Japan winning a gold medal in the U-20 Women's World Cup, junior Becca Wann made her return to Robins Stadium memorable, scoring twice to help the Spiders defeat American University, 2-0. Despite the storyline, the match was driven into the background by the recent announcement of the school eliminating the men's soccer and men's track and field programs.
The absence of University of Richmond President Edward Ayers and Athletic Director Jim Miller at the game was spineless and pathetic, said the angry father of one of the players of the men's soccer team.
Cutting the men's track and field and men's soccer teams in order to add men's lacrosse was not solely the athletics department's decision, Richmond Athletic Director Jim Miller said. "The decision was made at the Board of Trustees' level," he said. The university established the committee, which had a representative from the athletics department on it, in April of 2011 that was composed of faculty and administrators from across campus, Miller said. "[The committee] did a year-long study of what sports we should have, looking at budgets, admissions issues and everything else you could imagine," he said.
The men's track and field and men's soccer teams were officially cut in favor of men's lacrosse, which moves up to varsity from varsity club level. The men's soccer team was told at a meeting at 2:30 p.m.
Last year's "Fourth-Quarter Frenzy," created to encourage University of Richmond students to stay until the end of home football games, has been moved to the first quarter, with one unique addition. "We know for sure that students will still be there in the first quarter," said Vaughan Moss, director of marketing and sales in the Richmond athletics department.
With the addition of 14 new riders this year, the women of the University of Richmond equestrian team are determined to qualify for the regional, zone and national championships in the spring. The 20-person roster is one of the largest that the team has seen since it formed 10 years ago at the university, said senior Caroline Elia, president of the equestrian team. "Last year, we moved from 10th place in the region to 6th place," Elia said.
Richmond football used an explosive third quarter, in which the Spiders scored four touchdowns, to cruise past VMI in Lexington, Va., on Saturday.
LEXINGTON, Va. -- With four touchdowns in the third quarter, the Richmond Spiders turned a close game with a longtime rival into an opportunity to get the backups playing time. "We really exploded," Richmond coach Danny Rocco said.
Final Score: University of Richmond- 47, Virginia Military Institute- 6 What Happened: Richmond got just the pep talk they needed the locker room, coming out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter.
4th Quarter, 0:00- This game comes to a close. Richmond- 47, VMI- 6. 4th Quarter, 7:50- Drive stalls as what looked like a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone is ruled out of bounds, and Hinshaw comes in and makes his fourth field goal of the game, this one from 22 yards out, pushing the lead further, 47-6. 4th Quarter, 9:18- Strauss finds Roller across the middle to pick up a first down on a 4th and 2, getting the ball to the VMI 14. 4th Quarter, 12:31- Great catch by freshman receiver Reggie Diggs on a deep out route out across midfield.
Storylines: 1) The last win before last week- Prior to last week's convincing victory over Garner-Webb, Richmond hadn't won a game since last season's contest with these same VMI Keydets.
Richmond football recorded its first victory in its last 10 tries on Saturday, defeating Gardner-Webb University, 41-8.
Representatives from 30 sports club teams set up booths in the Forum for the University of Richmond's Sports Club Rush to recruit new members for the school year. The event was held Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Members handed out candy, stickers and pamphlets while music played and students played games. "We're looking for committed players, and we would like to win a couple of games," said Jillian Husband, a sophomore on the club soccer team. The women's club soccer team had a rough year last year, losing all of its games, she said.
The University of Richmond's men's and women's tennis teams are playing tournaments this fall to get ready for the spring tennis season in which the women will meet VCU for the first time. The women's team is facing in VCU a team that is ranked in the top 50 in the country. "VCU has a good training program, so we will have to raise our level of play," women's head coach Mark Wesselink said.
A new turf, costing approximately $500,000, has been installed in the Robins Stadium to promote safety. "Since it was old turf, people were getting injured because there were lots of holes in the ground," Kendall Gaskins, senior fullback and team captain said.
Despite the graduation of several runners from last season, men's cross country coach Steve Taylor said there was a strong team returning this year, as well as promising new freshmen. The competitiveness and spirit of the team are things to be excited about, Taylor said. "This weekend we beat William and Mary and George Mason," Taylor said.
