Ron Wellman, Randolph Childress Set for Enshrinement into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
12/19/2023 10:05:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball
The Demon Deacons legends will be the latest inducted into the prestigious North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Former Wake Forest Director of Athletics Ron Wellman and men's basketball legend Randolph Childress will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, as announced on Tuesday. The enshrinement ceremony will take place on Friday, May 10, 2024 in Charlotte.
"Ron Wellman and Randolph Childress epitomize the excellence that Wake Forest and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame represent," director of athletics John Currie said. "Ron's incredible 27 years of service as Wake Forest director of athletics left an indelible mark on the history of Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, the ACC and the State of North Carolina. Not to outdone, but his immeasurable impact helped thousands of student-athletes in competition, off the field during their time at Wake Forest and how they all went on to serve their communities, families and friends upon graduation. His influence, leadership, and his commitment to winning with integrity continues to be felt each day at Wake Forest. Meanwhile, Randolph Childress' three-day run and 107 points scored to lead Wake Forest to the 1995 ACC basketball championship in Greensboro must rank at the top of the greatest individual performances in North Carolina sports history. That is just one example of how Randolph's fearless leadership and drive for competitive excellence helped elevate Wake Forest into the national spotlight during his career as a Demon Deacon. Additionally since his graduation, he has continued to represent Wake Forest and the ACC in a first class manner and this honor is very fitting of his career."
Ron Wellman
After nearly 27 years leading the Wake Forest University athletic department, Ron Wellman retired as Athletics Director on May 1, 2019.
Wellman has served as Wake Forest University's Athletic Director since 1992. In that time, Wake Forest emerged as a national powerhouse in golf, tennis, men's soccer and field hockey; the football team recently made history with bowl wins in three consecutive years and past members of the Wake Forest men's basketball team populate professional leagues.
Wake Forest's accomplishments under Ron's leadership include five team and seven individual national titles, 22 ACC championships and the renaissance of our athletics facilities. During his tenure, Wake Forest has raised over $400 million in philanthropic support for athletics.
Wellman served as Wake Forest's athletic director since October 13, 1992. He succeeded Dr. Gene Hooks who was the athletic director for 28 years from 1964 until 1992.
Wellman was the dean of athletic directors in the Atlantic Coast Conference and was the nation's longest-tenured athletic director at the NCAA Division I level at the time of his retirement.
During his 27 years, Wake Forest won 22 ACC Championships and five NCAA team championships as well as seven individual national titles. The team titles came in field hockey in three-consecutive seasons from 2002 through 2004, in men's soccer in 2007 and men's tennis in 2018.
Under Wellman's leadership, Wake Forest produced nine national players of the year, four national freshman of the year awards, and 171 first-team All-Americans. In addition, during his 27-year tenure, Wellman oversaw:
Wellman's efforts in leading Wake Forest's rise to prominence did not go unnoticed. In 2007-08, he was honored by two organizations: Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal named him College Athletic Director of the Year and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) selected Wellman as its AstroTurf AD of the Year for the Southeast Region—the second time in his career he received that honor.
Off the playing field, Wellman helped to enhance the overall development of the student-athlete. He asked his coaches to stress academics, and he instituted programs to assist and develop student-athletes in additional ways, apart from competition. He spearheaded Athletics' Deacon Leader program. The program was a comprehensive leadership development system designed to identify, train, and develop student-athlete leaders from their arrival on campus through their senior year and beyond graduation.
Another one of Wellman's great achievements was the transformation of athletics facilities. Wake Forest invested $250 million into athletics construction projects from 2008-19 ranging from McCreary Tower at Allegacy Stadium, to the purchase of David F. Couch Ballpark and the LJVM Coliseum from the City of Winston-Salem.
In 2019, Wake Forest opened the 87,000 square-foot Sutton Sports Performance Center and the 24,400 square-foot Shah Basketball Complex. The Sutton Sports Performance Center will, among other things, includes strength and conditioning space for student-athletes as well as a nutrition area and expanded sports medicine and training resources. The Shah Basketball Complex includes an additional regulation court and dedicated strength and conditioning space for men's and women's basketball. In addition to those projects, the baseball team's consecutive trips to the NCAA Regionals coincided with the opening of its Baseball Player Development Center at David F. Couch Ballpark. "The Couch" project included construction of a new clubhouse with locker rooms, team lounge, training room, equipment room, state-of-the-art pitching lab, renovated dugout and new bullpen. The soccer practice fields also received a total makeover in 2017 and a renovated playing surface at Spry Stadium enhanced the home of Wake Forest's nationally-ranked men's and women's soccer teams.
In 2016, Wake Forest opened McCreary Football Field House, a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility serving all Wake Forest teams with a 120-yard FieldTurf indoor practice field. New practice fields at the Doc Martin Football Practice Complex were installed prior to the start of preseason camp in 2016 and Kentner Stadium received a new Astroturf surface for field hockey and an upgrade in the running surface for the track and field teams. The Wake Forest Tennis Complex also saw enhancements with the addition of the Southern Family Seating at the Leighton Team Courts, a permanent outdoor seating complex for all six collegiate courts in 2016.
During Wellman's tenure, Allegacy Stadium saw many changes including the construction of McCreary Tower, the installation of a new FieldTurf surface and the construction of a state-of-the-art video board on the south side of the stadium.
Wellman also led the efforts in the construction of a new outdoor tennis center, which serves as the home to both of the Wake Forest tennis programs as well as the ATP's Winston-Salem Open and the 2018 NCAA Tennis Championships. The Arnold Palmer Golf Complex allows Wake Forest's golfers to practice at the premier on-campus facility in the nation. The Haddock House, named for Hall of Fame golf coach Jesse Haddock, provides coaches offices and locker room space for Wake Forest's men's and women's golf teams.
He was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
Born in Celina, Ohio, Wellman earned his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team. After receiving a master's from Bowling Green, he joined the faculty and coaching staff at Elmhurst (IL) College in 1971, serving as head baseball coach, assistant basketball and football coach and associate professor of health and physical education. Wellman was the director of athletics his last five years at Elmhurst.
He compiled a 210-136 record in baseball before leaving to become the head baseball coach at Northwestern University. In five seasons with the Wildcats, Wellman's teams posted a 180-97 record and 15 players signed professional contracts. Among those moving to the Major Leagues was Joe Girardi, an Academic All-America catcher who became the manager of the New York Yankees in 2007.
Wellman and his wife Linda have three daughters — Angie, who works with the Executive Partners Mentorship Program in the WFU School of Business and is married to Tim Lynde, a Wake Forest alumnus and former basketball manager who is an associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference; Nicole, a pediatrician, and her husband, Kevin Rice, a Greensboro Fire Department Captain and former captain of WFU's men's soccer team, who live in Winston-Salem; and Melissa, founder and director of GirlCHARGE, and her husband, Ben Norman, an attorney, who live in Greensboro.
The Wellmans have 10 grandchildren including Connor, Riley and McKay (Angie and Tim); Cole, Sam, Anna Kate and Molly (Nicole and Kevin); and Miller, Emme and Hank (Melissa and Ben).
History of Wake Forest Athletic Directors
A Wake Forest All-American and ACC legend, Childress spent his four-year collegiate career with the Demon Deacons from 1991-95. He earned NCAA All-American honors as a junior in 1994 before repeating as a senior in 1995. Additionally, during his senior campaign, Childress was named the 1995 ACC Tournament MVP after leading the Deacs to their first conference title in 33 years.
Childress was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and honored as an ACC Tournament Legend during the 2012 conference tournament in Atlanta.
Following his college days, the Washington, D.C. native played professionally for 16 seasons, including two seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trailblazers and the Detroit Pistons. He was selected as the 19th overall pick by Detroit in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft.
Acknowledged as one the all-time greats in Wake Forest history, one can find Childress' name scattered throughout program records:
Numerous Demon Deacons have been inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame including Arnold Palmer, Jesse Haddock, Curtis Strange, Rodney Rogers, Dave Odom, Muggsy Bogues, Jack Stallings, Peahead Walker and Ben Sutton among others.
"Ron Wellman and Randolph Childress epitomize the excellence that Wake Forest and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame represent," director of athletics John Currie said. "Ron's incredible 27 years of service as Wake Forest director of athletics left an indelible mark on the history of Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, the ACC and the State of North Carolina. Not to outdone, but his immeasurable impact helped thousands of student-athletes in competition, off the field during their time at Wake Forest and how they all went on to serve their communities, families and friends upon graduation. His influence, leadership, and his commitment to winning with integrity continues to be felt each day at Wake Forest. Meanwhile, Randolph Childress' three-day run and 107 points scored to lead Wake Forest to the 1995 ACC basketball championship in Greensboro must rank at the top of the greatest individual performances in North Carolina sports history. That is just one example of how Randolph's fearless leadership and drive for competitive excellence helped elevate Wake Forest into the national spotlight during his career as a Demon Deacon. Additionally since his graduation, he has continued to represent Wake Forest and the ACC in a first class manner and this honor is very fitting of his career."
Ron Wellman
After nearly 27 years leading the Wake Forest University athletic department, Ron Wellman retired as Athletics Director on May 1, 2019.
Wellman has served as Wake Forest University's Athletic Director since 1992. In that time, Wake Forest emerged as a national powerhouse in golf, tennis, men's soccer and field hockey; the football team recently made history with bowl wins in three consecutive years and past members of the Wake Forest men's basketball team populate professional leagues.
Wake Forest's accomplishments under Ron's leadership include five team and seven individual national titles, 22 ACC championships and the renaissance of our athletics facilities. During his tenure, Wake Forest has raised over $400 million in philanthropic support for athletics.
Wellman served as Wake Forest's athletic director since October 13, 1992. He succeeded Dr. Gene Hooks who was the athletic director for 28 years from 1964 until 1992.
Wellman was the dean of athletic directors in the Atlantic Coast Conference and was the nation's longest-tenured athletic director at the NCAA Division I level at the time of his retirement.
During his 27 years, Wake Forest won 22 ACC Championships and five NCAA team championships as well as seven individual national titles. The team titles came in field hockey in three-consecutive seasons from 2002 through 2004, in men's soccer in 2007 and men's tennis in 2018.
Under Wellman's leadership, Wake Forest produced nine national players of the year, four national freshman of the year awards, and 171 first-team All-Americans. In addition, during his 27-year tenure, Wellman oversaw:
- 607 first-team All-ACC selections
- 41 ACC Players of the Year and 36 ACC Coaches of the Year.
- 38 ACC Freshman of the Year awards
- 18 ACC Tournament MVPs
- 27 Academic All-Americans
Wellman's efforts in leading Wake Forest's rise to prominence did not go unnoticed. In 2007-08, he was honored by two organizations: Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal named him College Athletic Director of the Year and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) selected Wellman as its AstroTurf AD of the Year for the Southeast Region—the second time in his career he received that honor.
Off the playing field, Wellman helped to enhance the overall development of the student-athlete. He asked his coaches to stress academics, and he instituted programs to assist and develop student-athletes in additional ways, apart from competition. He spearheaded Athletics' Deacon Leader program. The program was a comprehensive leadership development system designed to identify, train, and develop student-athlete leaders from their arrival on campus through their senior year and beyond graduation.
Another one of Wellman's great achievements was the transformation of athletics facilities. Wake Forest invested $250 million into athletics construction projects from 2008-19 ranging from McCreary Tower at Allegacy Stadium, to the purchase of David F. Couch Ballpark and the LJVM Coliseum from the City of Winston-Salem.
In 2019, Wake Forest opened the 87,000 square-foot Sutton Sports Performance Center and the 24,400 square-foot Shah Basketball Complex. The Sutton Sports Performance Center will, among other things, includes strength and conditioning space for student-athletes as well as a nutrition area and expanded sports medicine and training resources. The Shah Basketball Complex includes an additional regulation court and dedicated strength and conditioning space for men's and women's basketball. In addition to those projects, the baseball team's consecutive trips to the NCAA Regionals coincided with the opening of its Baseball Player Development Center at David F. Couch Ballpark. "The Couch" project included construction of a new clubhouse with locker rooms, team lounge, training room, equipment room, state-of-the-art pitching lab, renovated dugout and new bullpen. The soccer practice fields also received a total makeover in 2017 and a renovated playing surface at Spry Stadium enhanced the home of Wake Forest's nationally-ranked men's and women's soccer teams.
In 2016, Wake Forest opened McCreary Football Field House, a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility serving all Wake Forest teams with a 120-yard FieldTurf indoor practice field. New practice fields at the Doc Martin Football Practice Complex were installed prior to the start of preseason camp in 2016 and Kentner Stadium received a new Astroturf surface for field hockey and an upgrade in the running surface for the track and field teams. The Wake Forest Tennis Complex also saw enhancements with the addition of the Southern Family Seating at the Leighton Team Courts, a permanent outdoor seating complex for all six collegiate courts in 2016.
During Wellman's tenure, Allegacy Stadium saw many changes including the construction of McCreary Tower, the installation of a new FieldTurf surface and the construction of a state-of-the-art video board on the south side of the stadium.
Wellman also led the efforts in the construction of a new outdoor tennis center, which serves as the home to both of the Wake Forest tennis programs as well as the ATP's Winston-Salem Open and the 2018 NCAA Tennis Championships. The Arnold Palmer Golf Complex allows Wake Forest's golfers to practice at the premier on-campus facility in the nation. The Haddock House, named for Hall of Fame golf coach Jesse Haddock, provides coaches offices and locker room space for Wake Forest's men's and women's golf teams.
He was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
Born in Celina, Ohio, Wellman earned his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team. After receiving a master's from Bowling Green, he joined the faculty and coaching staff at Elmhurst (IL) College in 1971, serving as head baseball coach, assistant basketball and football coach and associate professor of health and physical education. Wellman was the director of athletics his last five years at Elmhurst.
He compiled a 210-136 record in baseball before leaving to become the head baseball coach at Northwestern University. In five seasons with the Wildcats, Wellman's teams posted a 180-97 record and 15 players signed professional contracts. Among those moving to the Major Leagues was Joe Girardi, an Academic All-America catcher who became the manager of the New York Yankees in 2007.
Wellman and his wife Linda have three daughters — Angie, who works with the Executive Partners Mentorship Program in the WFU School of Business and is married to Tim Lynde, a Wake Forest alumnus and former basketball manager who is an associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference; Nicole, a pediatrician, and her husband, Kevin Rice, a Greensboro Fire Department Captain and former captain of WFU's men's soccer team, who live in Winston-Salem; and Melissa, founder and director of GirlCHARGE, and her husband, Ben Norman, an attorney, who live in Greensboro.
The Wellmans have 10 grandchildren including Connor, Riley and McKay (Angie and Tim); Cole, Sam, Anna Kate and Molly (Nicole and Kevin); and Miller, Emme and Hank (Melissa and Ben).
History of Wake Forest Athletic Directors
- Jim Weaver (Centenary '24), 1937-54
- Pat Preston (Wake Forest '43), 1954-56
- Bill Gibson (Wake Forest '19), 1956-64
- Dr. Gene Hooks (Wake Forest '50), 1964-92
- Ron Wellman (Bowling Green '70), 1992-2019
- John Currie (Wake Forest '93), 2019-Present
A Wake Forest All-American and ACC legend, Childress spent his four-year collegiate career with the Demon Deacons from 1991-95. He earned NCAA All-American honors as a junior in 1994 before repeating as a senior in 1995. Additionally, during his senior campaign, Childress was named the 1995 ACC Tournament MVP after leading the Deacs to their first conference title in 33 years.
Childress was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and honored as an ACC Tournament Legend during the 2012 conference tournament in Atlanta.
Following his college days, the Washington, D.C. native played professionally for 16 seasons, including two seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trailblazers and the Detroit Pistons. He was selected as the 19th overall pick by Detroit in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft.
Acknowledged as one the all-time greats in Wake Forest history, one can find Childress' name scattered throughout program records:
- Program leader in career three-pointers made (329) and owns four of the top 20 single-seasons in made triples, including 96 in 1992-93 (third-best total in program history).
- Second in career points with 2,208 and averaged 18.4 PPG across 120 games.
- Childress is also tied for fifth all-time in Wake Forest history with seven 30-point games.
- Recorded a 40-point performance against Duke in the 1995 ACC Tournament before following that up with a 37-point game against North Carolina, a game that saw him drain nine three-pointers – good for a second-best, single-game mark throughout program history.
- Scored the 10th-most points in a single season for the Deacs with 644 in the 1994-95 season (20.1 PPG).
- Childress led the team in total points and scoring average for the 1994-95 season, as well as the 1993-94 campaign (567 points, 19.6 PPG).
- Third in Wake Forest history in career free throws made with 583 while shooting 80.4% from the line.
- Finished his four-year career ranked sixth in program history in assists with 472, including 167 in his 1994-95 campaign.
- Led Wake Forest in free-throw percentage, three-pointers made and assists for three-consecutive seasons (1992-1995), including steals for two (1993-1995).
- Owns the record for most points in a single half by a Wake Forest player in Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum history (24).
- ACC Athlete of the Year, 1995
- All-ACC First Team, 1994, 1995
- All-ACC Second Team, 1993
- NCAA Second Team All-American, 1995
- ACC Tournament MVP, 1995
- ACC Player of the Week, 1991, 1993-95
- ACC Rookie of the Week, 1991
- NABC All-District First Team, 1994, 1995
- NABC All-District Second Team, 1993
Numerous Demon Deacons have been inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame including Arnold Palmer, Jesse Haddock, Curtis Strange, Rodney Rogers, Dave Odom, Muggsy Bogues, Jack Stallings, Peahead Walker and Ben Sutton among others.
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