Class of '98's Clarey enters Richmond Hall of Fame

In Kristen Clarey’s senior year at Chapel Hill High School, the two-time first team All-State goalkeeper was met with a difficult question: where would she play college soccer?

After five official visits and trusted advice from Hall of Fame coach Ron Benson, Clarey chose to become a Richmond Spider.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Coach Benson for his encouragement to pursue my dreams of playing Division-1 soccer and leading me in the direction of the University of Richmond,” she said.

Nearly 18 years later, it seems that Clarey, now a Cary-area family sports medicine physician and a soon-to-be mother of three, made the right call in 1998.

Clarey, alongside three other Spiders sports legends, were honored as the University of Richmond’s Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2016 on February 13. The day began with an induction ceremony and reception, and wrapped up with a halftime introduction at the men’s basketball game.

“My initial reaction to getting selected was pretty shocked and surprised,” Clarey said. “Knowing the caliber of athletes that have gone through the University of Richmond, I am just absolutely thrilled to have it as a nice closure to my soccer career.”

This year’s class featured inductees spanning four eras of Richmond sports, including a football punter, a men’s basketball point guard, a men’s swimmer and Clarey, a goalkeeper.

Before starting a distinguished college career, Clarey found her roots in the Triangle.

She was a two-time First Team All-State keeper for Chapel Hill High School, playing for Benson from 1995-98 and winning four conference championships.

Clarey chose Richmond over a close second, Yale University.

During her four years at Richmond, Clarey set nearly every record possible for a keeper to hold, many of which remain today.

Apart from leading the Spiders to their first ever NCAA Tournament game and victory, Clarey holds records as the all-time leader for games (81), starts (81), minutes played, saves (410), saves per game, wins (46 – 20 more than 2nd) and shutouts (28.5).

While Clarey does not plan on pushing soccer on her kids in anyway, she is excited at the prospect of turning “all three of them into little soccer players.”

It seems her plan is already underway.

“My two and four-year-old already play at Dreamsports complex in Apex once a week right now,” she said. “They’re starting even younger than I did.”

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