Football
Duke shutout sparks outstanding season
The Richmond football team achieved its best start since 1995, winning five games and losing only to New Hampshire, a team that was ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA at the time.
In the season opener, Richmond defeated Duke 13-0 on the road. It was the Spiders first win over a Division I-A school since 2000 (Arkansas State) and its first victory over an ACC team since 1978 (North Carolina).
See you at the top!
Andrew Benford, ’10, placed 12th among 80 competitors at the World Junior Mountain Running Championships in Bursa, Turkey. He finished first among the American runners, leading Team USA to its best performance in the 22-year history of the event.
Benford completed the 8.5-kilometer course—which ascends 3,000 feet—in 46:36, five minutes ahead of his teammates. Together, they placed eighth among the 20 countries in the competition.
“I was really happy with my race and my finish,” Benford says. “My experiences in Turkey and at the world championships were incredible. I really enjoyed meeting all the people from all over the world, and of course racing against them. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to take this trip and to represent the U.S.A. It is something I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
Cross country coach Steve Taylor was thrilled by Benford’s performance in Turkey. “It shows the top athletes in the nation that their dreams will be realized at the University of Richmond,” he says.
Benford comes to Richmond from the “mountain state” of West Virginia, where he was undefeated in cross country during his senior year of high school. Early in his cross country career at Richmond, Benford earned two Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week awards.
Linebacker Adam Goloboski, ’07, was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week for making seven tackles, forcing a fumble and blocking a field goal attempt. Quarterback Eric Ward, ’09, was named A-10 Rookie of the Week for performing well in his first collegiate start. In its second game, Richmond crushed VMI 58-7 before 10,560 fans at UR Stadium. Running back Justin Forte, ’09, earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors by rushing for 144 yards and scoring a touchdown.
Richmond next beat Bucknell, 48-21, with a balanced attack—243 yards on the ground and 250 yards through the air.
The next game was more of a defensive struggle, with Richmond edging North-eastern, 12-7. Forte earned his second Rookie of the Week award for his contributions on special teams. He blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown, and he later tackled the punter for a safety. After losing to New Hampshire, 27-17, the Spiders beat Rhode Island, 31-6.
At mid-season, Richmond’s defense led the Atlantic 10 in fewest passing yards allowed per game, fewest total yards allowed per game and fewest points allowed per game. The Spider offense averaged 30 points per game and had gained 400 or more total yards three times.
In October, the team ranked 10th in the nation among Division I-AA teams.
Basketball
Mooney expects hoops improvement
Before the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Head Coach Chris Mooney answered questions about the men’s basketball team.
Q. Last year was obviously a frustrating season, with only seven scholarship players for most of the year. What were the positive signs?
A. Our team improved and began to understand the value of playing hard and playing together. Our returning players are in much better condition this year, which enables them to practice harder and play better. They have become stronger leaders because of the experience they gained last season.
Q. You have said it might take a few years to get your offense working properly. Are you where you want to be at this point?
A. I always want us to be better, but I understand that it can take time. Our guys are working very hard, and that is most important. Also, our recruiting can continue to improve the overall talent level, which helps everything.
Q. What type of student-athlete do you want to recruit?
A. We are looking for young men who appreciate the value of the University of Richmond. We want to have student-athletes who are just as comfortable and motivated in the classroom as they are in the Robins Center.
Q. Are you happy with the freshmen?
A. Yes, I’m very happy with the freshmen. My staff worked hard to attract these players. Each of them was very successful in high school and has the skills to improve our team.
Q. There is a perception that your style of play emphasizes skill more than athleticism. Is that true?
A. Not at all. We play a style that is greatly enhanced by speed, quickness and strength. While we value highly skilled players, we especially value the combination of skill and athleticism.
Q. Now that you have players who fit better in your style of play, how will the offense perform this year?
A. Our offense should be much better this year because of the improvement of our veterans and the potential of our freshmen. Our ball handling will be much better, and we will be able to score inside more consistently. Our ability to penetrate and score inside should create better shooting opportunities for everyone.
Q. Some people say your style of play is not as exciting to watch. What’s your response?
A. I think our style is a winning style, and winning is exciting. Our average attendance at Air Force was under 1,200 our first year and was over 5,400 our final season. We attracted fans because we were winning.
NCAA
University initiates NCAA self-study
Every 10 years, universities with NCAA athletic programs must conduct a comprehensive self-study that focuses on academic integrity, equity and student-athlete welfare, and governance and rules compliance.
Richmond will conduct its self-study during the 2006–07 academic year. To submit comments for the study, contact Associate Provost Joe Kent or go to http://oncampus.richmond.edu/ncaa.
Visit Spiders on the Web — RichmondSpiders.com
