Richmond Cross Country Gears Up For Paul Short Invitational

Spiders set to run against some of the top ranked cross country teams in the nation.

The Spider women are coming of a strong win at the NC State Wolfpack Invitational two weeks ago...

They will compete against 3 nationally and numerous regionally ranked teams including Villanova (NCAA#1), Georgetown (NCAA #6) and Virginia (NCAA #16)...

While the Spider men will bring their top team of runners to the start line for the first time this season...

The men will face 5 nationally ranked teams including Iona (NCAA #12), Virginia (NCAA #22), Princeton (NCAA #23), Georgetown (NCAA #24) and William & Mary (NCAA #28)...

Follow our travel on TWITTER and our BLOG...

(L-R) Andrew Benford, Matt Llano and Jon Wilson
will have their season debut on Friday for the Spiders.
Llano placed 9th in the 10,000M at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships...
Benford led the USA team at the 2009 IAAF World Mountain Running Championships
last fall placing 12th...and Wilson set several personal bests while redshirting last fall.

Sept. 29, 2010

by KC Rismiller-UR SID

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The Richmond men's and women's cross country teams head to Bethlehem, Pa. this week for the Paul Short Invitational on Friday, Oct. 1. Both Spider teams are competing in the top-seeded gold race set to begin at 11 a.m. on the campus of Lehigh University.

"We are looking forward to the race," said men's head coach Steve Taylor. "It will be the first time this season many of our athletes have competed. It's been a calculated decision with their input. Our athletes worked hard this summer and especially the past six weeks. Now it's time for them to have the opportunity to race. There are several things we will work on in this meet. Execution of what we have practiced will be the key to our teams success."

Amy Van Alstine helped the Spiders to victory over NC State
two weeks ago. She qualified for the first round of the
2010 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 5,000M.

This will be Richmond's third-straight appearance at the Paul Short Invitational. Last year the women came in 10th-place, led by Jenn Ennis who finished 32nd overall (21:16). Tim Quinn placed 29th in the men's race (24:20), helping the team to an 18th-place finish.

"This is always a great meet and certainly one of the top 3 collegiate meets in the nation this weekend," said women's head coach Lori Taylor. "Several of the top nationally ranked teams are entered and the starting line will be packed with nearly 400 runners, so our team will have to be ready for a fast start."

Nicol Traynor led the Spiders to victory two weeks ago.
She redshirted last spring after qualifying
for the 2009 NCAA Championships in the 5,000M.

Tim Quinn and Levi Grandt.
Quinn led the Spiders in every meet last fall
and earned All-Conference honors.
Grandt won the Spider Alumni Open 4 weeks ago.

Going into this weekend, the Richmond women are ranked sixth in the Southeast Region and both Richmond teams are leading the Atlantic 10 coaches' polls. A-10 teams participating in the event include Duquesne University, George Washington University, La Salle University, University of Massachusetts, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph's University, and Temple University.

Freshman Allie Mannon will be returning to
one of the courses she ran last year in high school.

Freshman Roxanne Henningson

The men's gold 8K race begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, and the women's gold 6K starts at 11:45 a.m.

Stay tuned to RichmondSpiders.com for a complete report of Friday's meet.

Sophomore, Chris York is coming off a 37th place

at the IAAF World Jr Mountain Running Championships

in Slovenia. He and fellow Spiders come together on Friday.

For more in-depth coverage on the race, visit Coach Taylor's blog, or follow him on Twitter.

Richmond's Rechel Win's 2010 Mid Atlantic Regional Collegiate Triathlon Championships

Rechel's winning margin was over 8 minutes...

Her performance qualifiers her for the Collegiate National's next Spring...

Richmond's Julie Rechel shown winning
the Columbus Trek Women Triathlon Series event at Buckeye Lake last July (2010).

September 25, 2010

(Huddleston, VA) Spider standout distance runner Julie Rechel recently won the the Big Lick Triathlon at Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston, VA. The event served as the 2010 Mid Atlantic Regional Collegiate Triathlon Championship and is one of the longest running triathlon's in the Virginia Triathlon Series (VTS) and benefited the YMCA of the Roanoke Valley.

The race brought together the top collegiate triathlon athletes in the Eastern US and served as a qualifier for the Collegiate National's held next Spring. The event started with a a crisp clean swim off a sandy beach within Smith Mountain Lake State Park and was followed by a challenging 40K rolling bike course and a hilly 10K run all inside the park.

Rechel took the command of the event and never looked back winning by a huge 8 minute margin over 2nd place Tracy Fridye from Navy. She will now focus on the remainder of the Spiders cross country season before turning her attention to the Collegiate National Championships in the Spring.

2010 Mid Atlantic Regional Collegiate Triathlon Championship
COLLEGE WOMEN'S RESULTS
Smith Mountain Lake State Park - Huddleston, VA 9/25/2010 09:00AM

Place---NAME-----------COLLEGE----------TIME
1-----Julie Rechel------RICHMOND-----2:13:34
2-----Tracy Fridye--------NAVY---------------2:21:36
3-----Sarah Thomas----JMU------------------2:23:57
4-----Jessica Hafey-----NAVY----------------2:26:00
5-----Brianna Cash------MARYLAND------2:29:50
6-----Tracey Bruce------NAVY----------------2:29:53
7-----Edith Nault----------VT--------------------2:32:33
8-----Kathryn Fabish----JMU-----------------2:34:38
9-----Kay Comer---------VT--------------------2:35:28
10----Leah Stiegler-----VT--------------------2:36:01

Big Lick Triathlon
OVERALL WOMEN'S RESULTS
Smith Mountain Lake State Park - Huddleston, VA 9/25/2010 09:00AM

Place-Age---NAME--------CITY/STATE-----TIME
1-----22----Julie Rechel---Worthington OH--2:13:34
2-----21----Tracy Fridye--Annapolis MD--------2:21:36
3-----24----Sarah Thomas-Terre Haute IN-----2:23:57
4-----21----Jessica Hafey--Annapolis MD------2:26:00
5-----26----Brianna Cash--Washington DC----2:29:50
6-----23----Tracey Bruce--Annapolis MD-------2:29:53
7-----47----Ellen Sortore---Roanoke VA--------2:30:44
8-----22----Edith Nault----Poquoson VA---------2:32:33
9-----20----Kathryn Fabish-Harrisonburg VA--2:34:38
10----43----Cortney Martin-Blacksburg VA----2:35:06

Richmond Spider Women Take First in Wolfpack XC Invitational

Nicol Traynor led Richmond to victory over NC State.

The Spiders take 2, 3, 4 to win 27-33…with a 5K team average of 17:43.1

The Richmond women following the victory
in the 2010 NC State Wolfpack Cross Country
Invitational in Raleigh, NC on September 17.

Before their warm-up the team attached

their race numbers to their uniforms...

Dana Guglielmo before the race...

She was instrumental in the Spiders victory

leading the team late into the race...

The warm-up begins...

On the start line...

...and they are off.

At the 1.3 mile mark the Spiders

held 5 of the top 9 places

including the top 3 in the race...

Spider Women Take First in Wolfpack Invitational

Sept. 18, 2010

KC Rismiller, UR SID

Women's Results

CARY, N.C. - The Richmond women's cross country team captured first-place at the Wolfpack Invitational on a sweltering Friday evening in Cary, N.C. Senior Nicol Traynor came in second-place, assisting the Spiders in a first-place finish over host NC State.

Weather became a major factor when temperatures reached 91 degrees at race time, but that did not hold the Spiders back from taking four of the top-ten spots at the Wolfpack Invitational. Traynor finished the 5K race in 17:30.3, followed by senior Amy Van Alstine in third (17:31.6), sophomore Dana Guglielmo in fourth (17:33.2) and senior Julie Rechel finished eighth (17:48.8).

Of the top four Richmond runners, all have qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships throughout their careers. Nicol Traynor currently holds the University of Richmond 5,000 meter run (16:17.64) and the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:28.46) records. Traynor also competed in the 5,000 meter race at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. A year later, at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Amy Van Alstine ran in the first round of the 5,000 meter race, Dana Guglielmo competed in the first round of the 3,000 meter steeplechase, and Julie Rechel ran in the first round of the 10,000 meter run.

In Richmond's first appearance at the Wolfpack Invitational, the Spider's made a lasting impact. Not only did the team clinch first-place, but Traynor, Van Alstine, and Guglielmo's individual times ranked among the fastest ever run on the WakeMed Park Cross Country Course.

"I'm pleased with much of what we did here this evening. We controlled the race early with our front 5 runners working together and leading through the mile...We had some good performances and some that we know can run better... Our 1-5 split was 41 seconds and that is something we will work on. The girls are keeping perspective and systematically doing what is necessary."

Overall, the Spiders defeated the Wolfpack, 27-33. Prior to Friday's meet, NC State was ranked fourth in the NCAA Southeast Region and Richmond was ranked 11th.

"The win over NC State is nice. They have a lot of history within their program and they are well coached. We respect that history but our women do not fear it, there's a big difference. We look at these races as opportunities. We are building our program every year and it takes athletes that believe and athletes that can objectively see what we offer at the University of Richmond."

Also for Richmond, freshman Jill Prentice finished 11th (18:11.7), followed by senior Jennifer Ennis in 16th (18:35.9). Senior Erin Lunny was 18th (18:42.1) and junior Beth Kelly was 20th (18:46.1) to account for the Spiders in the top 20.

NC State's Laura Hoer (17:00.8) won the women's race, helping the Wolfpack to a second-place finish. East Carolina University came in third (68), while Virginia Wesleyan finished fourth (144) and Winston-Salem State rounding out the top five (166).

"Right now the key is that we are healthy and that showed today. That was not the case last year. We changed some things around and have seen positive results from those changes. We continue to move forward and that's the most important thing at this point in the season."

The Spider women will re-join the men in two weeks to compete at the Paul Short Invitational in Lehigh, Pa. on Oct. 1.

For more in-depth coverage on the race and the women's Wolfpack experience, visit Coach Taylor's blog, or follow him on Twitter.

Richmond's Track & Field Facilities...A Close Look

Ranked among the top universities in the nation, the University of Richmond has exceptional athletic facilities...

--The Fred Hardy Track at the New Robins Stadium...

--The Locker Rooms...

--St. Christopher's Indoor Track & Field Facility...

--Sports Medicine...

--Strength & Conditioning...

--Heilman Dining Center...

--Pocahontas State Park...

--Pony Pasture Park and other nearby Parks...

--The Weinstein Center and Indoor Natatorium...

The Fred Hardy Track within Robins Stadium now ranks as one of the top 5 track & field venues in the nation.

The entrance to E. Claiborne Robins Stadium...

The south end of the Fred Hardy Track...In the background you see the West side of the stadium and the suites...

Another angle view of the stadium entrance...

The West side of the stadium with the suites...

Same view...

View from the Northeast side of the stadium...in the background you see Milhiser Gym and the Robins Center home to our coaches offices and Spiders Basketball.

...A closer view.

Our women's cross country team doing drills on the Fred Hardy Track...

The courtyard next to the stadium and track.

One of the entrance gates...

The top of the East side of the stadium...

Of course!!!

Flat screen TV's above the concessions...

The Daktronics video/scoreboard interfaces with Hytek's track & field meet manager so track & field results can be posted directly to the scoreboard. The scoreboard is 75 feet high and the Spidervision videoboard is 25 feet high and 35 feet wide.

No doubt you are in the Spiders home when you walk into the stadium.

The concessions on the East side of the stadium and the flat screen TV's...

Coaches Lambert and Lawson in the suites overlooking the Fred Hardy Track...

A view from the suites...

Another view from the suites...

THE MEN'S TRACK & FIELD LOCKER ROOM at Robins Stadium...

The locker rooms has 90 lockers with chairs. The lockers are 36" wide with a shoe box in the bottom.

The bathroom includes multiple personal showers...

The locker rooms includes 2- 50"flat screen tv's...

Here is the 2nd 50" flat screen TV...

This locker room also has it's own Sports Medicine Room...

...and a meeting room which is home to the sound system that independently controls the built in speakers system in each room...

The Fred Hardy Track was named for the Spiders legendary track & field coach who led the program for 35 years.

Students enter for a home football game in 2010...

Several bricks make-up the entrance way to Robins Stadium and Fred Hardy Track.

The track & field facility is named for legendary, Hall of Fame Coach Fred Hardy.

ST. CHRISTOPHER'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD FACILITY

For a Photo Gallery of the facility we use for indoor track & field practice go HERE.

It's a 200 Meter flat competition track with 8 sprint lanes, 2 long/triple jump runways, high jump, pole vault and throws area. One of the top indoor tracks in the eastern US... Link to Photo Gallery.

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SPORTS MEDICINE DEPARTMENT...

Nine (9) certified athletic trainers serve our student-athletes...They are joined by two team physicians and countless specialists in Richmond to combine to makeup our Sports Medicine Staff.

WEIGHT LIFTING ROOMS within the Robins Center

We have three weight lifting rooms in the Robins Center...That does not include the Weinstein Center...

Coaches Lawson and Molz prepare for our team lift following the workout.

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HEILMAN DINING CENTER on the University of Richmond Campus

The award winning Heilman Dining center includes a cook-to-order Mongolian Grill, a pasta station, fresh brick-oven pizza, the Spider Grill, comfort food, a Latin American station, full homemade soup and salad bar, vegetarian and vegan station, desserts, deli and more.

The dining hall is an athletes dream...

Fresh fruit available for every meal...

Health conscious choices are also available for each meal...

A small section of the salad bar...

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POCAHONTAS STATE PARK and it's trails...
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Only 20 minutes from the University of Richmond campus, Pocahontas State Park offers miles and miles of dirt running trails...

Fendley Station Trail within Pocahontas State Park...

Amy Van Alstine (2010 NCAA XC All-Region, 2010 NCAA XC National Qualifier, 2010 NCAA National Championship 5K Qualifier) and Nicol Traynor (2009 NCAA National Championship 5K Qualifier) run Fendley Station Trail at Pocahontas State Park.

Tim Quinn (2010 NCAA XC All-Region), Andrew Benford (12th at the 2009 IAAF World Mountain Running Championships, 2010 NCAA XC All-Region) and Matt Llano (2010 NCAA 10K All-American, 2010 XC All-Region) running trails at Pocahontas State Park.

PONY PASTURE PARK and the James River Trail System

Link to in depth trail links HERE...

Pony Pasture Park is roughly 2 miles from campus and hold several trails perfect for running...
The James River is one of the most scenic rivers in the eastern US. It also has a tremendous history connected to settlement and formation of our nation.. Just off the University of Richmond campus are the joys of rapids perfect for canoeing or kayaking... Multiple species of Ducks, Geese and other wildlife can be viewed all along the James River...

The canoe landing at Pony Pasture Park...

...the landing is a perfect place to soak following a run on the trails.

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THE WEINSTEIN CENTER for Recreation and Wellness

The Weinstein Center is home to our natatorium...Here Coach Lori Taylor supervises participants in our Track & Field Camp while they aqua run...Our camp is held each July...

Our 6 lane pool is home to our Spdiers Swimming Diving teams...We us the natatorium for cross training in the form of aqua running, swimming and multiple drills with our track & field teams.

ROBINS STADIUM DEDICATION (October 22, 2010)

On Friday, October 22 the University of Richmond officially named the new on-campus stadium the "E. Claiborne Robins Stadium"...Here are a few photos from the event...

NASA Astronaut, Leland Melvin talks with Jenn Ennis, Julie Rechel, Amy Van Alstine and Nicol Traynor at the Robins Stadium dedication on October 22, 2010. Leland Melvin was a member of two Space Shuttle Flights: STS-122 (February 7-20, 2008) which was the 24th Shuttle mission to the International Space Station and...STS-129 (November 16-29, 2009) which was the 31st Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. In all his Space travel totaled 9.8 million miles and 374 orbits of Earth!!!

2010 Spiders Cross Country Team Captains at the Robins Stadium Dedication on October 22, 2010...(L-R) Julie Rechel, Andrew Benford, NNicol Traynor, Amy Van Alstine, Tim Quinn, Jenn Ennis, Erin Lunny and Matt Llano.

(L-R) 2010 Spiders Cross Country Team Captains Erin Lunny, Jenn Ennis, Julie Rechel, Amy Van Alstine and Nicol Traynor pause for a photo with Leland Melvin at the Stadium dedication on October 22, 2010.

(L-R) Sprider Track All-American, Matt Llano was one of the guest speakers at the Robins Stadium dedication...He stands with fellow team captains Tim Quinn and Andrew Benford. Centered is University of Richmond Hall-Of-Famer, Leleand Melvin who...again.... was a member of two Space Shuttle Flights: STS-122 (February 7-20, 2008) which was the 24th Shuttle mission the the International Space Station and...STS-129 (November 16-29, 2009) which was the 31st Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. In all his Space travel totaled 9.8 million miles and 374 orbits of Earth!!!