UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – Head Coach Dave Clawson announced the Richmond football team has set its spring practice dates for the 2006 spring season.  The workouts begin March 17 and will conclude with the Annual Spring Game, April 15, at First Market Stadium set to kickoff at 1 p.m.

The defending Atlantic 10 Conference Champion Spiders will practice Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday’s from March 17-April 12.  Practice locations are to be determined, but will consist of First Market Stadium, UR Stadium and the River Road Practice Fields.

In 2005, Richmond finished the season ranked No. 8 by The Sports Network after advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-AA Championships.  The Spiders, who garnered an overall mark of 9-4, and won a share of the Atlantic 10 crown with a mark of 7-1, scored a school record 349 points during the season.  Clawson, who was named I-AA.org’s National Coach of the Year, engineered the biggest turnaround in Richmond Football history in 2005, including a season-ending eight-game win streak.

Important 2006 Richmond Football Dates

March 17 - Team begins spring practice (Mon., Wed., Fri. and Sat.).

April 12 - Last day of spring practices.

April 15 - Spring Game at First Market Stadium (1 p.m. kickoff)

Sept. 2 - 2006 Season-opener at Duke (time to be announced)