Athletics and Sport Clubs richmondspiders.com • recreation.richmond.edu/clubs facts University of Richmond SpinnURs effectively, and it may allow a coach to Squash gauge whether or not a prospect would Sports: Why the Spiders? Synchronized swimming be a competitive student-athlete at From 1876–1893, Richmond carried Tennis Richmond. For students who hope to the nickname “Colts” into its athletic Ultimate frisbee meet with a coach when visiting contests, so dubbed for their play as Volleyball campus, it is best to contact him or an “energetic group of young colts.” Water Polo her in advance; contact information is available at richmondspiders.com. In the summer of 1893, a new nickname was born. A baseball team Most have active travel schedules and composed of University of Richmond NCAA Division I Sports are not always available on campus. athletes and city residents had a star pitcher named Puss Ellyson. Ellyson’s at the University of Richmond lanky arms and stretching kick The Spiders compete in the Atlantic 10 NCAA Regulations: confused batters to such an extent that in 14 varsity sports, and the Colonial Recruiting Rules to Know Richmond Times writer Ragland Athletic Association, Patriot League, and Southern Conference in one sport each. Phone Calls Chesterman used the name of that In most Division I sports, new rules clever creeping arachnid, the spider, to Team and Coach allow coaches to call a prospect beginning fittingly describe the erudite members Sept. 1 of the prospect’s junior year. of the team. So was created perhaps Baseball: Tracy Woodson Basketball (men’s): Chris Mooney Football phone call rules vary, with a the most unique school nickname in the single call during spring of junior year nation. To this day, the University of Basketball (women’s): Michael Shafer Cross Country (men’s): Steve Taylor and limited phone calls after Sept. 1 of Richmond is the only school in the senior year. Cross Country/Track & country that sports the nickname Spiders. Cross Country (women’s): Lori Taylor Field and Swimming & Diving are Field Hockey (women’s): Gina Lucido limited to calling prospects after July 1 Football: Danny Rocco before senior year. Sport Clubs Golf (men’s): Adam Decker A prospect or prospect’s parents or Sport clubs at Richmond provide men Golf (women’s): Alison Wright legal guardians may call a coach at his and women with opportunities for Lacrosse (men’s): Dan Chemotti or her own expense as often as he or recreation, instruction, and competition Lacrosse (women’s): Allison Evans she wishes. in a variety of activities. Since students Soccer (women’s): Peter Albright are responsible for the planning, Swimming & Diving (women’s): Written and Electronic recruitment, financing, and adminis- Correspondence tration of the clubs, there are ample Matt Barany Tennis (men’s): Ben Johnson In general, coaches may not correspond opportunities for student leadership with a prospect before Sept. 1 of his or and involvement. Tennis (women’s): Mark Wesselink her junior year. NCAA educational For updated information, please Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field information, camp brochures, and consult the sport clubs website at (women’s): Lori Taylor questionnaires may be sent prior to recreation.richmond.edu/clubs. Sept. 1. Clubs Badminton Initiate Contact with a Coach Contacts Baseball (men’s) For questions about a varsity athletic While specific sport rules may vary, Basketball program, please feel free to contact the especially in basketball and football, a Climbing appropriate coach directly. Please be coach may not contact a prospect until Crew aware that because of NCAA July 1 following the prospect’s junior Dance Squad regulations, certain coaches have limits year. A contact is defined as any Equestrian on the number of times that they are face-to-face encounter between a Field hockey allowed to contact prospects by prospect or the prospect’s parents and Golf phone. The best way for students to a college coach during which any Ice hockey (men’s) make themselves known to a coach is dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange Lacrosse to e-mail or complete an athletic of a greeting. Martial arts questionnaire at richmondspiders.com. Quidditch Appropriate information supplied by Dead Periods Rugby (men’s) prospective students can enable the There are certain times of the year that Soccer coach to respond to questions more are designated as “dead periods” in each sport. During a dead period, it is not permissible for a coach to have any Athletic Facilities contact with prospective student- Robins Center Weinstein Center athletes or their families. These dead Built in 1972 through the generosity of for Recreation and Wellness periods vary by sport. It is important for the E. Claiborne Robins family, the Opened in January 2007, the prospective students to contact any Robins Center houses the University’s $13.5 million Weinstein Center for coach they may wish to visit before athletic squads and serves as the Recreation and Wellness clearly arriving on campus. If the students visit showplace for University of Richmond communicates that the University is as campus during a dead period, the coach basketball. The center underwent a $17 committed to its students’ health and cannot meet with them. million renovation in 2013 that has wellness as it is to their intellectual transformed it into one of the premier development. One of the most actively Boosters college basketball arenas in the nation, and universally used buildings on the Boosters are representatives of an while drawing rave reviews from players, campus, the 90,000-square-foot center institution’s athletic interests, and they coaches, fans, and media. provides students, staff, and faculty the may not have any contact with a The renovations created a more intimate opportunities for health and physical prospective student at any time. game-day atmosphere and provided fitness benefits. Boosters may not call or write a enhanced amenities for basketball fans. Facility highlights include: prospective student-athlete, nor may Renovations to the main Robins Center • 3-court gym they be present during any contact a arena included new state-of-the-art LED • Elevated 1/10-mile jogging track coach has with a student-athlete. lighting, midnight blue-painted ceiling, • Wellness Center with fitness Boosters may not provide a student or a four 15- by 32-foot video boards, assessment and massage therapy student’s family with any gift, benefit, or scoreboards, refurbished seats, new rooms arrangement. premium seating options, new terrace • 2-level fitness center hospitality areas, a refinished/newly • 2 multipurpose rooms Extra Benefits painted court, and renovated restrooms. • Locker rooms and saunas An extra benefit is any benefit not The video boards are the largest in the The Weinstein Center also contains a available to prospective or current Atlantic 10 conference, and among the six-lane swimming pool, as well as four students in general. Student-athletes lose largest of any on-campus arena in the racquetball and two squash courts. their eligibility for intercollegiate ACC or Big East. Other recreational facilities include the athletics if any staff member or booster The Robins Center also added a new Richmond College Tennis Courts, offers the student or his or her relations center-hung LED ribbon board and 48 Intramural fields (field turf), the High any financial aid or other extra benefits feet of courtside LED displays on the Ropes Course, and River Road playing not permitted by NCAA legislation. baseline nearest the home team bench, fields. This information is a summary of to complement existing LED displays at NCAA rules and regulations and is not the scorer’s table and at the base of the Pitt Field (Baseball) to be relied upon as the sole source for four corner entrances. The men’s and Located on campus, Pitt Field is the information. Additional information women’s locker rooms and lounges were home of the University of Richmond’s and interpretations may be obtained by modernized and upgraded with state-of- baseball program. In early 2015, a contacting the Richmond Athletics the-art amenities. state-of-the-art field turf surface was Compliance Office at (804) 287-6551. In addition to sporting and recreational installed at Pitt Field, giving the Spiders activities, the Robins Center hosts more opportunities for games and Richmond’s annual commencement practices. A new outfield fence was also exercises and provides a forum for other constructed as part of the project. Spiders in the Pros educational and cultural events. Previous renovations included new, Shawn Barber, National Football League expanded dugouts and brick pilings (ret.) Robins Stadium along the foul lines. Sean Casey, Major League Baseball (ret.) The expanded Robins Stadium, nestled Ben Edwards, football adjacent to the Robins Center, opened Tennis Complex Justin Harper, basketball in the fall of 2010 with the first home This eight-court facility is located on Tim Hightower, football football game on campus in 81 years. the Westhampton side of campus and Brian Jordan, Atlanta Braves baseball, This multi purpose venue, with a features a new computerized scoreboard Atlanta Falcons football (ret.) field-turf playing surface, is also used by that can track six matches Paris Lenon, Denver Broncos football Spider lacrosse, track and field, and simultaneously. In all, the Spiders have Arman Shields, Oakland Raiders football women’s soccer teams for events and two outdoor facilities with a total of 16 Lawrence Sidbury, Atlanta Falcons practices. The 8,700-seat stadium has courts. football undergone a $25 million expansion and Matt Snider, formerly with Houston includes a state-of-the-art videoboard Crenshaw Field (Field Hockey) Texans football and scoreboard, lighting, and sound The Stadia Premier Turf field, with a Tim Stauffer, San Diego Padres baseball system, as well as full concessions and a new watering system, is an ideal playing Cooper Taylor, football working press facility for print, radio, surface for NCAA Division I field Kerry Wynn, football and television.