Back in business: Anna Camden’s electric start for the Spiders

It had been 613 days since University of Richmond women’s basketball graduate forward Anna Camden had suited up for a basketball game heading into the team’s season opener against Temple University on Nov. 4. 

Against the Owls, Camden finally got to play out her long-awaited moment.

For context, following four years with Penn State University’s women’s basketball team, in April of 2023, Camden decided to transfer to UR for her remaining year of collegiate eligibility. Soon after she had joined her new program, however, Camden devastatingly tore her ACL during her first practice as a Spider. 

This meant she would be out for the extra season that she had chosen to come to UR to see through. 

This year, Camden ultimately decided to return to the Spiders after sitting on the sidelines during UR’s Atlantic 10 Championship run last season, which ended in a trip to the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament. 

After some preseason games in Spain, Camden finally took to the floor, scoring nine points in her Spider debut. 

“It obviously means so much,” Camden said. “I think on Monday versus Temple, I just had an overwhelming amount of gratitude throughout the day. The last year of my life has changed me for the better and taught me so much and I’m just so thankful.”

Camden’s debut at the Robins Center against Morgan State University on Nov. 9 was also one to remember, as she and junior forward Sam Dewey led the way in the box score for the Spiders with 15 points apiece. Camden shot 6-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. 

“I play with a new amount of joy on the court than I think I’ve ever had,” Camden said. “I love my teammates, I love my coaches and I’m just happy to be here.” 

UR Head Coach Aaron Roussell said he originally recruited Camden when he was at the helm of the Bucknell University Bison women’s basketball team before he took over the Spiders’ program. 

“I feel like I was the only one in this program that knew how good of a player [Camden] was and how great of a fit she was for our program,” Roussell said. “And so that’s something that I tried to tell her throughout [the recruiting process], that ‘you’re gonna be great here.’”

Roussell said between Camden, graduate forward Addie Budnik, junior forward Maggie Doogan, and junior forward Sam Dewey, the Spiders have a lot of depth in the post position. He added that Camden might know the offensive system a little more than the others and puts in the work by watching game films.

“[Camden’s] just a high-level player, has competed at a high level and is maybe, with all due respect to what she’s done before, maybe getting into her comfort level with how we’re using her to her strengths,” Roussell said. 

In four years at Penn State, Camden averaged 5.3 points per game, tallying 583 points across her time as a Lady Lion. 

As of Nov. 9, she’s only played two games with the Spiders, but through those early outings, Camden has averaged 12 points per game on 57.1% shooting from 3-point range and 58.8% shooting from the field, already making her a difference-maker for UR’s squad this season.

The Spiders have several other transfers that have already made an impact on the team thus far as well such as graduate guard Alyssa Jimenez, graduate forward Steph Ouderkirk, and Dewey who, like Camden, have all contributed to UR’s second unit off the bench.

“Second unit, I mean we kind of just watched that first unit go,” Dewey said following the Spiders’ win over Morgan State on Nov. 9. “We watched them pretty closely on the bench kind of do what they do, go in and do our jobs and be solid and score.”

The 2-0 Spiders will take on Fairfield University at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 as UR continues to build out its non-conference resume in the early stages of this season. 

Contact sports editor Jimmy James at jimmy.james@richmond.edu.