Randale L. Richmond will lead 91ֿ Athletics through July 1, 2028, as vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, in accordance with a contract amendment announced today by 91ֿ President Todd Diacon. Richmond is finishing his second year at the helm after returning to 91ֿ on May 1, 2021.
“Athletics under Randale Richmond continues to excel on the field of competition and in the classroom,” Diacon said in announcing the contract amendment. “His enthusiasm and commitment to doing things the right way is unparalleled. In short, we all value what Randale does for the 91ֿ community.”
“I am very thankful to President Diacon and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to continue to lead this department,” Richmond said. “We serve some amazing student-athletes and coaches, and I’m encouraged to continue that work with a talented group of administrators and staff. We’re profoundly impacting young people’s lives, and I look forward to impacting them further as we fulfill our athletics department mission.”
Richmond launched the "Play as One" strategic plan, which serves as a blueprint for university athletics. Every detail within the plan supports the department’s mission to graduate student-athletes who are boldly prepared for life after sport and to win championships.
91ֿ student-athletes excelled in the classroom and the community. The Mid-American Conference (MAC) recently recognized 91ֿ with the Institutional Achievement Award and the Men’s 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.
“You 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,” said Quintin Cooks, a 91ֿ track and field student-athlete. “As 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 91ֿ’s campus, I’d just like to extend thanks and gratitude to the positive change Randale has brought to the university. We can’t wait to see what you have in store for future generations of Golden Flashes!”
91ֿ has achieved outstanding on-field success during Richmond’s tenure, earning five MAC tournament titles, three regular season titles and back-to-back Jacoby Awards, given to the MAC’s top women’s athletic program. Men’s and women’s golf continued their dominance as both won the conference tournament last season while women’s golf recently won its 24th consecutive MAC tournament. Men’s track and field captured its first outdoor title since 2004, the men’s basketball team earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017 and 91ֿ 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’s people and infrastructure. He has retained and recruited head coaches in several sports and established his leadership team. 91ֿ recently completed field improvements at the Devine Diamond softball complex, and renovations to the gymnastics facility and indoor track have been announced.
During Richmond’s first year on the job, 91ֿ 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