UR Women's Soccer coach resigns after 22 seasons

After 22 years, University of Richmond women’s soccer coach, Peter Albright, stepped down on Wednesday. He has been the only coach in the program’s history.

His resignation comes after a season in which the Spiders won only two games. Richmond finished with a record of 2-13-2, the worst results for the team since 1996, the year the program was created.

“We would like to thank Coach Albright for all he has done for both the Richmond women’s soccer program and the Richmond Athletic Department as a whole during his 22 years of service," David Walsh, interim athletic director said in a released a statement. "We appreciate everything he put into building the program, and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

This news comes at the very end of Walsh’s tenure as Athletic Director, as longtime Bucknell AD John Hardt is set to take over in January.

The athletic department would not make further comment on the motives behind Albright’s resignation.

Under Coach Albright, the UR women’s soccer team went 198-220-36 and 98-99-17 in conference play. He led the team to the NCAA tournament twice, in 2000 and 2002 and won the A10 conference tournament in 2002. However, the team has only had two winning seasons since 2005.

Albright began his career as a coach at Johnson State College in Vermont before moving to Richmond. Until today, he had been a collegiate soccer coach for more than 30 years.

Albright could not be reached for comment, but in a statement he said: "I am incredibly grateful to the University of Richmond for allowing me to spend a big part of my career here, raising my family as part of this community and doing a job that I love. The bonds, friendships and experiences that I’ve enjoyed over the years have enriched my life in too many ways to mention. I look forward to watching the incredible young women of UR accomplish great things in the future, and it has been my great honor and privilege to serve them for all these years.”

According to the athletic department, the search for Albright’s replacement will begin immediately. The final hiring will likely take place once Hardt has taken over as Athletic Director in January.

Contact sports editor Michael Cronin @michael.cronin1@richmond.edu.