RICHMOND, Va. -- The University of Richmond has announced that their football team will be moving on from the CAA following next season. The team will instead compete in the Patriots League.
The University says that the decision to leave the Coastal Athletic Association follows a comprehensive review of the team's conference affiliation in response to continuing changes in the national college football landscape.
"The institutions of the Patriot League are outstanding, both athletically and academically, and we are excited to join them for the 2025 football season," said University of Richmond President Kevin F. Hallock. "The University of Richmond is firmly committed to not only meeting, but advancing the competitive goals of our student-athletes, and the upward trajectory of the Patriot League provides a great environment for the future success of Spider Football."
The move makes Richmond football the eighth member of the Patriot League. They joins Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Lafayette, and Lehigh.
The Spiders are the first school to join or leave the Patriot League conference since 2004. This is also the first change in conference affiliation for Spider Football since 2007.
All conference affiliations outside of football will remain unchanged.
"I'm excited for what joining the Patriot League means for the future of our program," said Spider Football head coach Russ Huesman. "This is a big change for Spider Football, but our goals will stay the same: win conference championships, advance in the FCS Playoffs, and compete for national championships. The Patriot League is full of great football programs and great schools, and I think it will be a great fit for Richmond."
The Patriot League has had five teams finish in the top 25 of the final FCS Coaches Poll in three full seasons since the COVID-19 pandemic, with Holy Cross advancing to the second round of the postseason in 2021 and the quarterfinals in 2022.
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