THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 16, 1995 TAG: 9511160424
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
When Greg Richards tried out for William and Mary's soccer team as a walk-on three years ago, there were no guarantees.
No guarantee of scholarship money, or of even making the team - or of playing time if he did make it. Certainly no guarantees of starting.
So as his senior season winds down, Richards, who has started all but twice in his 89-game career with the Tribe, can't help but look upon his time in Williamsburg as an unqualified success.
``I couldn't ask for much more from college soccer,'' said Richards, 21, as the Tribe (17-5) prepared for a first-round NCAA tournament game Saturday at Creighton (14-2-1) in Omaha, Neb. ``Except for going somewhere in the tournament.''
As long as the Tribe continues to win, its players will be doing just that.
William and Mary plays its home games on artificial turf, a surface the NCAA tournament tries desperately to avoid. And the closest team in the Tribe's eight-team bracket in the 32-team field is Clemson, which is eight hours by bus.
Although Richards, who was an All-Beach District player at First Colonial High, isn't the greatest of flyers, he'll be more than happy to board the team's 10:45 flight out of Norfolk on Friday morning.
And despite rumors, he claims he's not the team's worst flyer.
``We're going to have to put guards on Nelson Warley,'' Richards said. ``He's got to take medication just to get on the flight. When we switch flights in Chicago, the entire team is going to be in charge of watching him.''
It might not be a bad idea to have Richards shadow Warley.
As one of the Tribe's top marking backs, Richards is due a lion's share of credit for the four-game shutout streak William and Mary carries into the tournament. The Tribe blanked Richmond in its regular-season finale, then shut down East Carolina, American and George Mason in its march to the Colonial Athletic Association title.
In the Tribe's eyes, that was the only way it was guaranteed a spot in the NCAA playoffs. The CAA tournament winner earns an automatic berth.
Last year's team, which lost the CAA final to James Madison 3-1, was snubbed by the selection committee despite an 18-3-1 record and despite losing to eventual national champion Virginia 2-1 in the opening round of the previous year's tournament.
``We're just excited to be here after the disappointment of last year,'' Richards said. ``It would have been a huge disappointment not to make it this year. We set our goals extremely high. And one goal was to win the CAA and eliminate all chance (of not going to the NCAAs).''
Richards, who has nine career goals for the Tribe, is far from being the only Virginia Beach product on the Tribe's squad. Four other players from the Beach start for the Tribe - Billy Owens, Steve Jolley, Wade Barrett and Josh Quinter. Another, Dan Zickefoose, is a backup forward.
Owens, Jolley and Barrett were highly touted William and Mary recruits with high school All-American pedigrees. Richards, meanwhile, was contacted by the Tribe only when Owens, who had already signed with William and Mary, learned that coach Al Albert was still looking for an extra defensive player. Owens immediately suggested Richards.
Richards was already being passively recruited by Old Dominion, Stetson and Vanderbilt. With his father, Laurence, already teaching graduate courses at ODU, he didn't feel it would be the right place for him.
``I owe Billy a big `thank you,' '' said Richards, who is majoring in finance.
It will take three victories for the Tribe to have what would qualify as a home game in the tournament. The NCAA Final Four will be played in Richmond, Dec. 8 and 10.
``That's a little far off,'' Richards said. ``But in the backs of our minds, it's the perfect setting. A lot of people figure (four-time defending national champion) Virginia will be there. We'd like to give the tournament two home teams. And we'd love to play Virginia in the final.'' ILLUSTRATION: VIRGINIAN-PILOT FILE PHOTO
Former walk-on Greg Richards, a First Colonial grad, has started all
but two games in his career at William and Mary.
by CNB