Randell Strickland was a four-year member of the men’s track and field team who graduated in 1990. He held numerous records at the time of his graduation, some of which still stand today.
Randy had an impressive career and was an integral part of the last Knox Midwest Conference championship team in 1987.
Randy was the conference champion in the 55 meter dash at the Midwest Conference Indoor Championships in 1987, as well as a member of the 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter relay teams that also took home conference championships in 1987. That same year, he was the Midwest Conference Champion in the 100 meter dash at the conference Outdoor Championships, helping the team take home the Team Championship and earn himself Team MVP. In 1988, he won the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash at the Midwest Conference Outdoor Championships.
Randy still holds records in the 100 meter dash, 55 meter dash, and as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team. He still holds four of the top-ten individual performance in the 100 meter dash, ranks fourth in the 200 meter dash, and ranks eighth in the indoor 200 meter dash.
Randy went on to be political science professor at Knox, serve on the Alumni Council, and become a leader in the Black Alumni Network. Nyerere Billups ’99 holds Randy in high esteem. “With deep admiration and respect for Randy, his accomplishments, and the body of other Knox College Hall of Famers, I believe Randy is well deserving of a spot in the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame.”
After Knox, Randy went on to earn a master of arts and Ph.D. in comparative politics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His past employment includes consulting for the Governor's Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, serving as Dean of Restorative Justice & Male Student Development for DR Cameron Elementary School, and teaching at Knox. His current position is Assistant Project Director for City of Chicago Violence Reduction Strategy.
