2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 211
Commending the Randolph-Macon College women's basketball team.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, the Randolph-Macon College women's basketball team, a storied college athletics program in Ashland, celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025–2026 academic year; and
WHEREAS, the Randolph-Macon women's basketball team was first organized in 1975-1976 and coached by Billy Wood, who was working in admissions; and
WHEREAS, in 1976-1977 , the Randolph-Macon women's basketball team was a club-level team, but often faced varsity-level opponents as there were no junior varsity opponents available at the time; the program's first win took place at Virginia Wesleyan University and the first home win was against Liberty Baptist College; and
WHEREAS, in 1977-1978 , the Randolph-Macon women's basketball team played its first season as a varsity team and completed its first winning season with an 11–6 record; the team also recorded its first win over the University of Richmond and other notable wins against Liberty Baptist College and Christopher Newport University; and
WHEREAS, Linda Sheppe became head coach in 1978-1979 , followed by Linda Lerch in 1979-1980 , when the team was reclassified to Division III in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and played in its first playoff game; and