Richmond first-year coach Mike London stepped from the Spiders' team bus and held the championship trophy over his head.
"We brought this championship home for you," he told about 300 fans who gathered in front of the Robins Center on campus yesterday to welcome the national championship football team.
Fans chanted "UR" and waved posters as the players made their way off four buses that brought them from Richmond International Airport.
Londo thanked the crowd, players, coaches and staff for a season that concluded with the Spiders' 24-7 Football Championship Subdivision title victory over Montana on Friday night at Chattanooga, Tenn. The NCAA title is the first in school history.
London said he was "still on cloud nine right now."
"This turnout is awesome," he said. "This is truly amazing."
With the semester concluded at Richmond, the crowd included a large number of alumni from the area. Among those on hand were Jim and Jackie Sattenfield. Jim graduated from UR in 1948 and his wife graduated the next year. Jackie Sattenfield is the daughter of legendary UR coach and alumni Malcolm Pitt.
"I think he's in heaven looking down, thrilled to death," she said.
"[I'm] just so excited," she said. "Happy for all of them and what this means for the school. Those boys made us proud and they. . . . represented the school in outstanding fashion."
Added Jim Sattenfield: "I never thought we'd see a day like this."
Jenny Connors, who received her undergraduate degree from UR in 2004 and completed law school in 2007, called the victory "an early Christmas present for the players and the fans."
Will Healy, 23, a backup quarterback and special teams player, said the support of the fans helped the team. "It carried us through. . . . and it's been a tremendous boost to us," he said.
Healy is from Chattanooga and graduated from UR last week. He also may have been responsible for the largest contingent at the game - by his estimate about 400 to 500 family and friends.
"It was incredible to win the national championship in my last game," Healy said.
Contact Jamie C. Ruff at (434) 223-3678 or jruff@timesdispatch.com.
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