The women’s basketball team made history this past weekend beating Rhode Island 65-51 to win the program’s first Atlantic 10 Conference Championship title. It earned the team its first conference title since the 1991 season in the CAA.

Addie Budnik was named tournament MVP. She also was named to the All-Championship team alongside teammates Maggie Doogan and Grace Townsend.

When women’s basketball coach Aaron Roussell came to Richmond in 2019, he wanted to get the fans excited, and that was evident throughout the tournament. The final drew more than 3,000, and the crowd was overwhelmingly in Spider red. “To have that, it was goosebumps coming out here all three days,” he said.

“It was a touching moment for the ladies, and they made everyone in the crowd feel like they won it with them,” one fan said. “Coach Rousell turning to the crowd and pumping his fist [at the final buzzer] was a great tribute to the Richmond community.”

Townsend agreed. “We always talk about the ball being our sixth teammate, but also the crowd and the environment was our seventh teammate today, and it really helped propel us to this win.”

The energy also was a win for the region as the games were held at the newly opened Henrico Sports and Events Center. “We’re tremendously proud of the A-10 Women’s Championship win by the Spiders last weekend,” said Katherine O’Donnell, Richmond Region Tourism executive vice president and a 1999 UR alum. “This exciting tournament drove tourism to our region with basketball fans far and wide joining UR students and alumni who filled up the stands of the gorgeous Henrico Sports and Events Center. We’ll be cheering on this talented team as it heads to the NCAA tournament.”

On the road to the championship title, the Spiders broke the program record for the most wins in a season after beating No. 8 seed Loyola Chicago 70-54 in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, the Spiders beat No. 5 seed Duquesne 80-66. It was the team’s first appearance in the A-10 Championship final game since 2009.

Richmond also won the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title, finishing league play with a 16-2 record. The Spiders were the No. 1 overall seed in the A-10 Women’s Basketball Championship.

The Spiders currently have a 29-5 record and a perfect 14-0 record at home.

As the winner of the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship, the team receives the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which tips off Wednesday, March 20. The team will learn this Sunday who and where they will play.