An estimated 200 alumni and students gathered at the University of Richmond’s Spider Hall in the Queally Athletics Center to see the home team play in the first-round. They watched the game on an extra-large screen. They shook pom-poms and celebrated the team’s 74-49 win against Georgia Tech. Students in attendance included members of the men’s basketball team.

“Friday night was unbelievable. Everyone was so excited and ready for a great game,” said Melissa Hassen, assistant athletics director for gameday experience & marketing services.

For the second-round game on Sunday, about 50 returned to the venue to watch the Spiders hard-fought effort against the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins on their own turf, including student-athletes who had just returned from playing in a baseball game at Saint Joseph's.

The Bruins prevailed in an 84-67 victory.

“Even though the Spiders lost, everyone was so proud of the team,” Hassen said. “They were also thankful for a great season and looking forward to next year already.”

Although they were 2,600 miles away from home, the Richmond women’s basketball team received love and support from the Spider community for their NCAA tournament run. Alums gathered in cities across the U.S. for watch parties as the basketball team powered through to the second round for the first time in the program’s history.

Friday night in Los Angeles, where the tournament took place, around 50 alumni gathered for a pre-watch party at Broxton Brewery, then headed over to the Pauley Pavilion for the tip-off. They later joined other Spiders at the game. Wearing their Spider spirit wear, the boisterous UR alumni of over 100 people filled the seats behind the women’s bench and through other parts of the pavilion for the Spiders first game in the tournament. They enthusiastically cheered as the team dominated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Alumni and their families gathered to watch the game in Atlanta. “We had almost 20 people show up, counting kids, and most wore some UR gear. I had stickers for people that didn't,” said Ara Scordato, a 2013 alum who has been a regional leader for seven years.

Chris Johnson, a 1997 alum and a regional leader, organized a get-together in Baltimore. “About a month ago, I saw that the women’s basketball team was having another great season, and I wanted to host a watch party for a regular season game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make the dates work,” Johnson said. “When Maggie Johnson (with Alumni Engagement) reached out to me about hosting a watch party for the first round of the NCAA tournament, I jumped at the opportunity to support the team.” 

The Hampton Roads alumni group met at CP Shuckers in Virginia Beach to cheer on the Spiders. One of the regional leaders Susan Hillsman Hurley, a 1985 alum, helped organize the event. “I felt that watch parties would be a good way to show support for our women’s basketball team having another great year.”

Their group of nine ranged from the Class of 1977 to the Class of 2020 and arrived decked out in Spider gear or red and blue. One attendee had a suitemate on the women’s basketball team when she was at UR and she remained a fan of the women’s team. Hurley enjoyed seeing a few alumni who hadn’t been able to attend in a couple years, and sharing stories and laughs from their time at UR.