The A-10 Era a look back at richmond's first 15 years in the Atlantic 10
On July 1, 2001, the University of Richmond entered a new era, joining the Atlantic 10 Conference. This move was seen as an opportunity to take the athletic department to new heights and expand the Spiders' national profile.
15 years later, that move has paid large dividends for the Spiders and the Atlantic 10.
“The A-10 is truly a special conference. The schools have so much history and tradition! When one of our players is recognized by the conference, I remind him of how many tremendous players have also been honored by this incredible conference. The company that we are in – as part of the A-10 – is truly special."
- Men's Basketball Head Coach Chris Mooney
Richmond has seen an undeniable amount of success across its 17 intercollegiate programs since joining the Atlantic 10.
Twelve different programs have won Atlantic 10 championships over the past 15 years, by the far the highest total of any school in the league.
In the sports that Richmond has competed in the Atlantic 10, the Spiders' 48 championships are 17 more than the nearest competitor that is currently still in the league.
“Richmond has been a valued and important member in the Atlantic 10 Conference, aligning perfectly with our core values of academic and athletic excellence. Presidentially, Richmond has great leadership, and under the direction of Athletic Directors Jim Miller and Keith Gill, the Spider program has flourished in the last 15 years. UR’s tenure in the A-10 has been a win-win for both the University and the conference. Their success in all sports, including the 2011 Sweet 16 men’s basketball team, has been among the best in the Atlantic 10. That success compliments the institution’s reputation as one of the premiere academic and athletic institutions in the country.”
- Commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Bernadette V. McGlade
“The Atlantic 10 is a terrific league that challenges us to compete at the highest level in every facet of our department. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff have done a tremendous job over the past 15 years of achieving a great deal of success both on the field of play and in the classroom.”
- Director of Athletics Keith Gill
The women's programs have been outright dominant in the Atlantic 10.
Over the past 15 years, the Spiders' women's programs have won 40 championships, 19 more than any other school in the Atlantic 10.
"The Atlantic 10 is a fierce conference that has brought out the best in our program. We have some outstanding memories and experiences in the Atlantic 10 tournament thanks to outstanding rivalries and competitive play. Being in this conference has allowed us to schedule and recruit at a high level, and put our program up against the very best in the country."
- Field Hockey Coach Gina Lucido
Richmond's Swimming & Diving program is the most decorated program in the Atlantic 10 over the past 15 years.
The Spiders 14 championships in the past 15 years is the most for any program in any sport at any A-10 institution over that stretch.
Only three other programs have double-digit championships, the closest being UMass rowing with 12 titles.
“The Atlantic 10 continues to improve, which continues to challenge us year after year, it challenges us to find ways to improve at a rate faster than our conference foes. Our student-athletes are motivated to perform well and win, and it’s not always clear who our main competition will be at the A-10s because of the rapid improvement of our competitors.”
- Swimming & Diving Head Coach Matt Barany
“The Atlantic 10 has really continued to develop throughout the years that we’ve been in the league. I feel like we have all helped raise the bar and push the other schools in our conference to compete at the highest level. We’re certainly proud of our success in such a great league and look forward to more and more challenges in the future.”
- Women's Tennis Head Coach Mark Wesselink
“This league continues to raise the bar across the board. Being a part of this conference, competing against the schools that we do in this league, truly has elevated our athletic department in every way. We look forward to continuing to compete in such a tremendous league for years to come.”
- Director of Athletics Keith Gill