The Places
Walter J. Zable Stadium
Originally constructed in 1935 thanks to a grant from President Franklin Roosevelt’s Public Works Administration, Zable Stadium has hosted William and Mary football games for 75 years. Recent additions include permanent lighting, a video-replay scoreboard and the installation of a FieldTurf Pro playing surface.
Kaplan Arena at William and Mary Hall
Opened in 1971, Kaplan Arena typically holds 8,600 Tribe fans with the capacity to seat up to 11,300 people. The building plays host to both men’s and women’s basketball games, as well as volleyball matches and gymnastics meets. The Hall also houses the majority of the College’s athletic offices.
Plumeri Park
Built in 1999 with a large donation from Tribe alum Joe Plumeri, Plumeri Park is a state-of-the-art baseball-only facility that includes a 10-foot artificial turf halo behind home plate, locker rooms, a press box, concession space, a grandstand and covered outdoor batting cages. Plumeri Park seats approximately 1,000 fans.
The Faces
Jonathan Grimes
Football, Junior, Tailback
After two productive seasons in the backfield, Grimes enters his junior season as a preseason All-American and is featured on the Walter Payton Award Watch List.
Quinn McDowell
Basketball, Junior, Forward
Having proven he was a scoring threat, McDowell enters 2011 as one of the Tribe’s key veterans. He will lead a talented group of younger Tribe players this season.
Grace Golden
Lacrosse, Senior, Midfield
Last spring Golden continued building her impressive legacy. She led the Tribe with 44 goals, 10 assists and 75 shots on goal en route to another CAA Tournament appearance.
Jimmye Laycock, ’70
Football, Head Coach
Laycock has helmed the Tribe football program for 31 years. Highlights include an FCS National Semifinal appearances in 2004 and 2009, plus last year’s win over the University of Virginia.
Taysha Pye
Basketball, Junior, Guard
Pye’s play was a bright spot for the Tribe last season, as she grabbed 155 rebounds and averaged 16.4 points per game while earning second-team all conference honors.
Tony Shaver
Basketball, Head Coach
After building the Tribe from CAA cellar-dweller to contender, Shaver’s unique offensive strategy helped the College enjoy breakout success in 2010.
The Rivalries
Richmond Football
Labeled “The South’s Oldest Rivalry,” the Spiders and Tribe have met 119 times since 1898, making the contest the fourth most-played matchup in Division I history. Last year the No. 5 Tribe lost to the No. 4 Spiders 13-10, as Richmond made a 47-yard field goal as time expired. This year the Capital Cup returns to Williamsburg on Nov. 20.
JMU Football
The Tribe and the Dukes have played every year since 1978, more often than not with major playoff implications on the line. In 2004, JMU defeated the Tribe in Williamsburg in a historic FCS National Semifinal Game. The College had dropped six straight against the Dukes until a convincing 24-3 victory last season.
ODU Basketball
Last season, the Tribe played the Monarchs three times with the College dropping a heartbreaker in Williamsburg. A Monarch blow out in Norfolk and a tight ODU win in the CAA Championship Game cemented this matchup as one of the most entertaining in the CAA.
The Alumni
Mike Tomlin, ’95
A wide receiver for the Tribe, Tomlin is currently the head coach of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, which he led to a Super Bowl championship in 2009. He was also the 2008 NFL Coach of the Year.
Jon Stewart, ’84
The Daily Show host played soccer for the Tribe from 1981-84, helping propel the squad to an NCAA tournament appearance his senior season.
Derek Cox, ’08
A four-year starter for the Tribe and two-time All-CAA selection, Cox was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Cox recorded four interceptions.
Darren Sharper, ’97
Drafted out of the College in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, Sharper is a five-time Pro Bowler and was a member of the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl squad.
Sean McDermott, ’98
An all-conference defensive back during his time at the College, McDermott has risen through the NFL’s coaching ranks and was named defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
Steve Christie, ’90
Christie is remembered as one of the greatest clutch kickers in NFL history. He played in three Super Bowls as a member of the Buffalo Bills, for which he played eight seasons.
The Teams
Football
After narrowly missing out on a trip to the national championship game, the College appears poised to improve on its stellar 2009 season. Junior tailback Jonathan Grimes will lead the offense, while junior linebacker Jake Trantin hopes to continue the College’s defensive dominance.
Men’s Basketball
After years of futility, the Tribe earned headlines last season by defeating ACC powerhouses Maryland and Wake Forest en route to a 22-10 record and the College’s first postseason appearance since 1982. Although the Tribe graduated key seniors, Head Coach Tony Shaver brings several prized recruits to Williamsburg in 2010.
Lacrosse
Although the Tribe experienced a down year in 2010, lacrosse has traditionally been one of the College’s strongest programs. In 2011, the squad will be anchored by a core of seniors, including midfielder Grace Golden, attacker Ashley Holofcener, midfielder Molly Wannen and defender Sarah Jonson.
