McKendree Announces 2021 Sports Hall of Fame Class

LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University congratulates one former student-athletes, a former coach and former sports professional who are entering the Bearcat Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.

Scott Cummings, Darron Randle and Melissa Ringhausen will be honored on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. during the university's Alumni Awards Dinner. Visit the McKendree homecoming website at www.mckendree.edu/homecoming or call (618) 537-6826 for more information.

The Sports Hall of Fame recognizes those who, through leadership and character, have made exceptional contributions to the honor and prestige of the university. Honorees can be inducted as former student-athletes, former coaches, or alumni coaches and sports professional.

The Class of 2021 will also be recognized at halftime of the McKendree football game vs. the University of Missouri Science & Technology on Oct. 23. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.

SCOTT CUMMINGS - Sports Information Director

Cummings served as McKendree's Sports Information Director for 22 years (1999-2020) and was also the voice of Bearcat Athletics. He passed away on December 3, 2020 following an 18-month battle with cancer.

For more than 20 years, Cummings was the ultimate servant, often spending 70-80 hours per week strictly focusing on promoting Bearcat student-athletes. He was a mentor to many and a friend to all. Cummings had "can-do" attitude, willingness and desire to put others first.

He received the Clarence "Ike" Pearson Award in 2005, the highest honor that can be given to an SID at the NAIA level, and was recognized in 2020 with the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) 25-Year Award for his long-time commitment and service to the athletic communications profession.

He was a winner of 57 NAIA-SIDA Publication Contest Awards, including 10 first-place awards, and is a two-time Mid-South Conference Sports Information Director of the Year (1996-97, 1997-98).

Cummings was president of NAIA Sports Information Directors from 2003-05, and was also a member of CoSIDA and NAIA-SIDA for 30 years.

He concluded his career working 295 consecutive college football games, dating back more than a quarter-century to his days at Union (Ky.), and served as media coordinator for 17 NAIA National Championships.

In 2004, Cummings orchestrated local, regional, and national media covering men's basketball coach Harry Statham in the lead-up to Statham's 880th career win, which pushed him past famed North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the all-time college basketball record.

He is survived by his wife Paula and children Hailey Edison (Jeffrey) and Ryan.

DARRON RANDLE - Men's Basketball

A 1992 McKendree graduate with a bachelor's degree in sociology, Randle was a four-year starter at point guard for the men's basketball team and two-year team captain.

He ranks 20th on the Bearcat all-time scoring list with 1,553 career points, and is also 10th in free-throws made with 387. Randle was named the District 20 All-Freshman team in 1989, and ranked in the top-20 in scoring (16.3 avg) as a sophomore in 1990.

As a co-captain in 1991-92, he helped lead the Bearcats to a 31-6 overall record and an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament. Randle was the 1992 Nate Clay Memorial Award and Lou Vesely Award recipient in recognition of athletic excellence, outstanding character, determination and inspiration on the court.

He helped lead the Bearcats to a 91-44 overall record in four seasons.

Off the court, Randle mentors and tutors and provides life coaching for at risk youth in the inner city. In 2002, he founded (and currently leads) Urban Alliances of Metropolitan Chicago, a nonprofit social service agency for inner city families. Randle has served as Executive Director for 10 years. He is also a Violent Interrupter/Life Coach at Chicago CRED, an agency started and run by former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Randle has two children - Chasity Spencer and Darron Randle Jr.

MELISSA RINGHAUSEN - Women's Basketball Coach/Athletic Administrator

Ringhausen served as McKendree's head women's basketball coach for 18 seasons (1997-2015), and spent the final 11 years of her career (2010-20) in administration.

Over her 18 seasons leading the Bearcats, Ringhausen guided McKendree to 316 victories, and is the program's all-time leader in wins. She coached the Bearcats to 11 20-win seasons, including a school-record 26 victories during the 2004-05 campaign. Under Ringhausen's leadership, McKendree reached the NAIA Division I National Championship nine times.

Ringhausen was an eight-time IBCA-NAIA Coach of the Year honoree, as well as a two-time recipient of the AMC Coach of the Year award. She coached 24 first-team All-Conference players, five NAIA All-Americans, four AMC Freshman of the Year recipients and one AMC Player of the Year honoree.

In the classroom, Ringhausen's teams was recognized among the NAIA's top 25 academic teams on six different occasions by the WBCA. Ringhausen coached 176 Academic All-Conference performers and 44 NAIA Scholar-Athlete honorees, and McKendree also boasted a 100 percent graduation rate among those who completed their four years within the program.

Ringhausen began her administrative career at McKendree in July 2010 when she was named as assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator. She was part of the administrative team that helped guide the department and the University through the three-year transition process from NAIA to full NCAA Division II membership that concluded in July 2013. Ringhausen served as the interim director of athletics in 2012, and then in 2013 was promoted to associate director of athletics.

Ringhausen and her husband, Lance, have one daughter Lindy. Lance spent 24 years as the head athletic trainer at McKendree.