It’s official: Atlantic 10 basketball runs through the University of Richmond.
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are A-10 regular season champions for the first time ever, giving both teams the number one seed in their respective upcoming conference tournaments.
The women’s basketball team clinched this feat in their final regular season game in an away 61-46 victory against St. Bonaventure University on March 2, ultimately finishing 26-5 and 16-2 in conference play.
Against the Bonnies, sophomore forward Maggie Doogan led the way with 19 points, while senior guards Grace Townsend and Siobhan Ryan chipped in 12 and 10 points apiece.
“Just really proud of the offseason we had,” UR Head Coach Aaron Roussell said in a press conference on March 5. “Here we are in March and you’re talking about how we finished and getting to celebrate a regular season championship. But if you’re not at a certain level when you come back here in August, this is not able to happen.”
With these regular-season accomplishments also came some end-of-the-year awards for the women’s basketball team.
UR Head Coach Aaron Roussell was awarded A-10 Coach of the Year, senior forward Addie Budnik was named A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Conference Second Team and All-Defensive Team, Doogan and Townsend were named to the All-Conference First Team and sophomore guard Rachel Ullstrom was awarded A-10 Sixth Woman of the Year.
“I think it’s just a really selfless group,” Roussell said. “I think when you have a day like this and you get to see some of your players are awarded and rewarded for the season, it’s rewarding to us, but I think just the collective group right now, none of ‘em were out here for awards. I think everyone’s incredibly proud and happy for each of their teammates.”
The women’s basketball team will take on Loyola University Chicago at 11 a.m. on March 8 in the A-10 Tournament quarterfinals at the nearby Henrico Sports and Events Center.
The men’s basketball team, on the other hand, clinched at least a share of the regular season championship title March 6, when the Spiders took on Saint Joseph’s University at the Robins Center. With one game against George Mason University still remaining, the men’s squad’s record sits at 23-7 and 15-2 in conference play.
“We just put our name in history,” graduate guard Jordan King said in a postgame interview. “It’s the first A-10 regular season championship. I’m just proud of my guys, all the coaches – they put us in the right spots, everyone came to work hard and I’m glad we got the win.”
Against Saint Joseph’s, graduate center Neal Quinn paced the Spiders with 21 points. UR’s other double-figure scorers were senior guard DeLonnie Hunt, who finished with 18 points, and graduate forward Zae Bigelow, who finished with 10 points.
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“Just to be this good and have these guys come together as quickly as they did, I mean, it’s really special,” UR Head Coach Chris Mooney said in a postgame interview.
Following their game against the Patriots, the Spiders will travel to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York for the A-10 Tournament, where they will play in the quarterfinals on March 14 and look to repeat their success from the 2021-2022 season when UR took home the A-10 Championship.
Contact sports editor Jimmy James at jimmy.james@richmond.edu.
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