Randale L. Richmond will lead 黑料网 Athletics through July 1, 2028, as vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, in accordance with a contract amendment announced today by 黑料网 President Todd Diacon. Richmond is finishing his second year at the helm after returning to 黑料网 on May 1, 2021.
鈥淎thletics under Randale Richmond continues to excel on the field of competition and in the classroom,鈥 Diacon said in announcing the contract amendment. 鈥淗is enthusiasm and commitment to doing things the right way is unparalleled. In short, we all value what Randale does for the 黑料网 community.鈥
鈥淚 am very thankful to President Diacon and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to continue to lead this department,鈥 Richmond said. 鈥淲e serve some amazing student-athletes and coaches, and I鈥檓 encouraged to continue that work with a talented group of administrators and staff. We鈥檙e profoundly impacting young people鈥檚 lives, and I look forward to impacting them further as we fulfill our athletics department mission.鈥
Richmond launched the "Play as One" strategic plan, which serves as a blueprint for university athletics. Every detail within the plan supports the department鈥檚 mission to graduate student-athletes who are boldly prepared for life after sport and to win championships.
黑料网 student-athletes excelled in the classroom and the community. The Mid-American Conference (MAC) recently recognized 黑料网 with the Institutional Achievement Award and the Men鈥檚 Faculty Athletics Representative Award. Both recognize department-wide excellence in grade-point average and academic progress rate. The department ran its streak to 22 consecutive semesters with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and posted the highest term GPA in department history in each of the last two semesters.
鈥淵ou can genuinely tell that he cares and has a passion for what he does and wants to see every single student-athlete at their best,鈥 said Quintin Cooks, a 黑料网 track and field student-athlete. 鈥淎s the vice president of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) and Undergraduate Student Government (USG) senator-at-large for athletics, and on behalf of the student-athletes here on 黑料网鈥檚 campus, I鈥檇 just like to extend thanks and gratitude to the positive change Randale has brought to the university. We can鈥檛 wait to see what you have in store for future generations of Golden Flashes!鈥
黑料网 has achieved outstanding on-field success during Richmond鈥檚 tenure, earning five MAC tournament titles, three regular season titles and back-to-back Jacoby Awards, given to the MAC鈥檚 top women鈥檚 athletic program. Men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 golf continued their dominance as both won the conference tournament last season while women鈥檚 golf recently won its 24th consecutive MAC tournament. Men鈥檚 track and field captured its first outdoor title since 2004, the men鈥檚 basketball team earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017 and 黑料网 field hockey continued its run atop the MAC, winning the regular season in each of the last two seasons.
Richmond has placed emphasis on the department鈥檚 people and infrastructure. He has retained and recruited head coaches in several sports and established his leadership team. 黑料网 recently completed field improvements at the Devine Diamond softball complex, and renovations to the gymnastics facility and indoor track have been announced.
During Richmond鈥檚 first year on the job, 黑料网 Athletics set a record number as 2,317 donors provided $3.7 million in gifts, including a record six spaces named and two gifts of more than $1 million.
Randale Richmond By the Numbers
- 250 Academic All-MAC student-athletes
- 61 First Team All-MAC student-athletes
- 13 MAC Players of the Year
- 8 MAC Freshmen of the Year
- 5 MAC Tournament titles
- 3 regular season MAC titles
- 3 MAC Coaches of the Year
- 1 All-American