HARROGATE, Tenn. – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Famer Ritchie Richardson has been tabbed as the head coach of the Lincoln Memorial University softball program, Athletic Director Matthew Green announced on Wednesday. A graduate of Lincoln Memorial, Richardson returns to his alma mater after compiling well over 900 wins in his 21 seasons.
 
"We are beyond excited to introduce Ritchie Richardson as our next head softball coach," Green said. "Ritchie is a Railsplitter through and through who has enjoyed incredible coaching success throughout his career. Despite all of his many accomplishments, Ritchie still has an insatiable hunger to positively impact the lives of student-athletes and build championship programs. I have no doubt that Ritchie will develop the LMU softball program into a consistent championship contender on the field and continue to attract quality student-athletes that make LMU proud."

Richardson makes his way back to Lincoln Memorial after spending the 2017 campaign at Purdue University Northwest. In his one and only season leading the Pride, Richardson guided PNW to a 29-23-1 record and a 15-9 mark in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play. Led by four All-CCAC selections, the 29 wins represented a single-season program record.
 
"It isn't very often in college athletics that you get an opportunity to coach at the university you love near your family and friends," Richardson said. "I am honored and blessed to have that opportunity here at Lincoln Memorial University. I want to express my gratitude to Matt Green, the university president and the university's Board of Trustees for making it possible."
 
Prior to his stint at Purdue Northwest, Richardson, who is the second-winningest coach in NAIA history with an all-time record of 946-339-2, accumulated a 917-316-1 mark over 20 seasons at Olivet Nazarene. During his two decades in Bourbonnais, Illinois, Richardson guided the Tigers to 11 CCAC regular-season titles and 12 tournament championships. The Tigers made 10 appearances in the NAIA National Tournament and finished as high as third during his tenure. Richardson compiled 10 seasons with at least 50 wins and captured five National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championships.
 
Richardson's accolades include 12 CCAC Coach of the Year awards, 10 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honors, and five NAIA Region Coach of the Year plaudits. That is in addition to his five NCCAA National Coach of the Year awards. He has also coached 29 NAIA All-Americans and one NAIA National Player of the Year.  
 
In addition to the on-the-field success, Richardson's teams have also thrived in the classroom. He has coached 40 scholar-athletes, while PNW compiled a program-best 3.332 grade-point average during the 2016-17 academic year. Richardson was also a recipient of the NCCAA Meritorious Service Award.
 
Along with his 2009 induction into the LMU Athlete's Hall of Fame in recognition for a standout baseball career with the Railsplitters, Richardson is a member of the Union County High School Hall of Fame, the CCAC Hall of Fame (2005), the Olivet Nazarene Athletic Hall of Fame (2011) and the NAIA Hall of Fame (2016).
 
In addition to his tenures at PNW and Olivet Nazarene, Richardson spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois in 2001, helping the Fighting Illini finish fourth in the Big Ten in their inaugural season with a 49-23 overall record, which still stands as the most wins in program history. Illinois compiled a 12-8 conference record and finished third in its Big Ten Tournament debut.
 
Richardson graduated from Lincoln Memorial in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in business administration and earned his master's degree in secondary education from Olivet Nazarene in 1993.
 
Following his college career, Richardson played seven seasons in the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Men's Major and Major Modified Fastpitch Softball circuit and made an appearance in the 1988 ASA Men's Major Modified World Tournament as a member of the Warren Tire Expos.
 
"I can't wait to get to know and to work with the softball student-athletes at LMU," Richardson said. "Lincoln Memorial University will get nothing but my best effort in continuing to establish it as one of the finest institutions and athletic programs in the nation."