By PETE SCHLEHR, SID Emeritus

TOWSON, Md. – If Connie Blades Randolph had played volleyball all four years in a Tiger uniform, and the games had been scored to 25 points instead of 15 as in her day, the Towson Hall of Fame inductee would be almost uncatchable at the top of her program records.

Connie will join four-time all-conference softball selection Brooke Clyde (1999-2002), All-American quarterback Dan Dullea ((1973-76), legendary gymnastics coach Dick Filbert (1983-2010), All-American lacrosse faceoff record holder Mark Goers (1993-95) and one of Tiger baseball's all-time leading hitters Jimmy Kittelberger (1999-2001) on October 21 as Towson welcomes its 53rd class into its Athletics Hall of Fame.

After spending her 1991 freshman year at La Salle, Connie transferred to Towson as the Tigers began a three-year stint in the Big South Conference. Connie became an instant starting setter. In those three seasons she would amassed 3,578 assists, currently second on Towson's all-time list. Her 192 career service aces rank third.

In their second Big South campaign Connie led the Tigers to a runner-up spot in the conference standings. In 1994 the Tigers won the Big South championship, earning their first ever NCAA Tournament berth, facing Appalachian State in the play-in round.

Connie was named to the Big South second team both of those years. She was also a two-time All-tournament selection. In 1993 she was chosen the Big South Tournament's Most Valuable Player.

In her junior year Connie led the Big South with 1,338 assists while registering a team high 62 service aces that still tie her for seventh most in a single season at Towson. The following year she recorded a team high 1,275 assists.

"I probably should have been at Towson all four years," admits Connie, "but La Salle recruited me as a full scholarship player and I spent my freshman year there. Things didn't work out so I requested a transfer and moved on to Towson where I wanted to go initially anyway."

Connie wasn't heavily recruited but it wasn't because she lacked talent. What she lacked was exposure.

That, however, ceased to be a hurdle as she played on three teams that won Maryland state high school championships at North Caroline, two in softball while playing outfielder and one in volleyball. As the team's post-player, she helped North Caroline to a runner up finish in basketball.

"We were country girls," Connie says of life in Ridgely on Maryland's Eastern Shore. "
We'd never heard of sending out videos and other materials to get noticed so we could be recruited."
But when your teams advance to the state playoffs, you're suddenly very visible.
"When we got to the state semifinals the recruiting began," Connie recalls. "I was given a lot of business cards. La Salle and Towson were two of a handful of colleges I met with. I was very impressed with (head coach) Cathy Cain and (assistant coach) Mary Duckworth from Towson. But I followed the money to La Salle."

Eventually she found her way to Towson, where her brother, Allan, was finishing his undergraduate degree.

"I had a great experience at Towson," says Connie who earned her degree in Physical Education with a teaching certificate. "All my professors in the physical education department were huge fans. They would come out to the games. If I needed some extra time or extra work they were also very supportive there. The relationships I had with the players were terrific. And you couldn't have asked for better coaches than Cathy and Mary."

The most memorable event, however, occurred after a particular match.

"We were making a run at the Big South championship when the entire baseball and football teams came out to support us one evening," says Connie. "After the game one of the baseball players came down from the stands and introduced himself to me. We later started dating and the rest is history."

Connie met David Randolph that evening. The two Towson student-athletes later married. The couple have two children, a son, David, Jr., who is attending West Chester University and a daughter, Morgan who is a senior in high school. Connie and David later started an insurance business together. The agency is now in its 16^th year and growing in Norristown, Pa.

Although her playing days are behind her Connie can often be found with a volleyball in her hands. She coached the girls' jayvee and varsity teams at Norristown Area High School before taking a sabbatical. She was called back into service just last week, replacing a coach that abruptly quit, leaving the program rudderless.

"I didn't want to see the team have to forfeit the rest of its season," Connie says.

In addition Connie holds clinics, pro bono. "If there's a group of four or five girls who want to learn to play, I'll teach them." She conducts these sessions at an open gym on the campus of Saint Francis School.
Over the years several of her charges have gone on to play at the collegiate level.

It has been a fondness for the sport that has kept Connie involved in volleyball ever since she recorded her first assist back in the eighth grade. That involvement helped to earn a college degree and momentously meet the person she would forge a future with.

Towson's Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held Friday, October 21 beginning at 6 p.m. in the West Village Commons Ballroom on the Towson campus. For further information contact Hayley Ross at 410-704-4281 (hross@towson.edu) or Register online