Multi-Sport Alston and Golfer Randall named to FMU Athletic Hall of Fame

Francis Marion University athletic director Gerald Griffin has announced that former two-sport (women's basketball and volleyball) All-American Jeannette Alston and former two-time golf All-American Tommy Randall will be inducted into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Induction ceremonies will take place between games of the Homecoming basketball doubleheader at approximately 2:45 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Smith University Center.  Francis Marion will play Armstrong State College on that day, with the women's game starting at 1 p.m. and the men's contest at 3 p.m.

Alston, a native of Murrells Inlet and a graduate of Winyah High School, was a four-year letterwinner on both the Lady Patriot basketball and volleyball teams from 1982 to 1986.  She also served as a student assistant coach for volleyball in 1986, prior to receiving the B.S. degree in elementary education.  She is currently the women's volleyball and basketball coach at Chowan College in Murfreesboro, N.C.

On the basketball court, she helped lead FMU to the 1986 NAIA National Championship, scoring a game-high 23 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the title game against Wayland Baptist University (a 75-65 Francis Marion win).  For that effort, she was selected to the NAIA National Tournament All-Tournament Team (second team).  Alston was named to the NAIA District Six All-District Team each of her final three years.  In 1985, she earned NAIA All-American honorable mention recognition and as a senior was named to the second-team All-America Team.

During her sophomore year, she helped lead Francis Marion to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament.

The 6' high-flying forward helped the Lady Patriots to a four-year record of 113-18.  She ended her career fourth on the Lady Patriot career scoring list (1,509), fifth in career rebounds (905), and second in both career steal (265) and blocked shots (94).  She and her twin sister, Annette Alston, combined for 2,304 points and 1,440 rebounds during their four years.

On the volleyball court, Alston earned honorable mention NAIA All-America honors as a senior in 1985 and was the Lady Patriot team most valuable player in 1983, 1984, and 1985.  She was selected to the All-District Team twice, chosen to the All-State Volleyball Team as a freshman, and was named to numerous All-Tournament Teams during her career.

In 1985, Alston was named to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.  Prior to taking her career position at Chowan this past fall, Alston played one year of professional basketball in London and served as assistant basketball coach at Coastal Carolina College, College of Charleston, and South Carolina State University.

Randall, a native of Charleston and a graduate of St. Andrews High School, lettered in golf from 1973 to 1977.  He earned the B.S. degree in business administration in 1977 and currently resides in Bishopville, where he is an accounting supervisor with American National Can Corp.

Randall helped lead Francis Marion to three NAIA District Six golf titles (1974, 1976, 1977) and a four-year record of 63-11.  The Patriots finished fourth at the 1976 NAIA National Tournament in Burlington, N.C., seventh at the 1974 national tournament in Aberdeen, S.D., and 10th at the 1977 national tournament in Bay City, Mich.

He earned NAIA All-America recognition following his junior and senior years and had the best stroke average on the Patriot team each of his four years: 77.8 in 1973-74, 76.7 in 1974-75, 75.5 in 1975-76, and 75.3 in 1976-77.  He earned team most valuable player honors three times and NAIA District Six All-District honors twice.  Individually, he placed fourth at the 1976 NAIA National Tournament, fifth at the 1977 national tournament, and second at the 1977 South Carolina Intercollegiate Championship Tournament.

While at Francis Marion, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha.  As a freshman, he served as a senator in the Student Government Association.

Alston and Randall will join eight current members in the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame, which was formed in 1991.