蘑菇短视频

A retired 蘑菇短视频 faculty member has created an endowed scholarship fund to support student-athletes on the Catamount women鈥檚 golf team in memory of her late husband, who coached the program to a pair of conference championships.

The Steve Lott Memorial Endowed Scholarship is being established by gifts and pledges totaling $25,000 from Mickey Randolph, professor emeritus of psychology who retired from the College of Education and Allied Professions in May 2023 after a 37-year career. The scholarship fund is being supported by another $3,500 in memorial contributions from former players, friends and colleagues.

Lott, a three-time Southern Conference Women鈥檚 Golf Coach of the Year and member of the 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame, died in October 2025.

The endowed fund in his honor will provide scholarship support to members of the women鈥檚 golf team, with special consideration to those with demonstrated financial need. It will enable the program to continue to recruit and retain the type of high-quality student-athletes that were a hallmark of Lott鈥檚 coaching tenure, said Kyle Pifer, 蘑菇短视频director of athletics.

鈥淲hile I was not fortunate enough to work with Steve during his time at WCU, I am well aware of his significant impact on the university and the women鈥檚 golf program here,鈥� Pifer said. 鈥淭his gift from his spouse, Mickey Randolph, in honor of Steve will solidify his legacy. 蘑菇短视频 is greatly appreciative of the gift.鈥�

Randolph said that she decided to create an endowed scholarship fund in memory of her late husband to commemorate his love for 蘑菇短视频and his passion for the sport of women鈥檚 golf.

Steve Lott makes remarks at his 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

鈥淭he decision was made for Steve. I wanted to leave a lasting legacy for him in a way he would have appreciated so much,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring our years here, you would have had a difficult time finding someone who loved 蘑菇短视频more than he did. When he became the women鈥檚 golf coach, that feeling just deepened. He would be proud to know he will forever be a part of WCU.鈥�

Lott was named head women鈥檚 golf coach at 蘑菇短视频in 1998. He guided the Catamounts to Southern Conference championships in 2003 and 2007 and to post-season appearances in the NCAA Tournament Regionals. Three of his golfers received honors as Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. He was named WCU鈥檚 director of golf in 2004 and was inducted into WCU鈥檚 Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.

鈥淪teve was so proud to be named the women鈥檚 golf coach at 蘑菇短视频and proud of all the young women on his teams 鈥� each and every one of them,鈥� Randolph said. 鈥淗e watched them grow and develop over the years they were with him and beyond, as most of them stayed in touch. Many became good friends to both of us.鈥�

Lott recruited several award-winning Catamount golfers from Sweden, a nation he visited with his wife and the source of a memory that Randolph remembers fondly.

鈥淥n that trip, not a day went by that one of his former golfers and their families did not visit us and take us to different parts of Sweden. Their feelings for Steve were so touching, and they cared so much for him,鈥� she said.

鈥淪peaking of the Swedish players, they told me great stories about talking with him for the first time and hearing his accent, which was very Southern, and he had the best laugh about that story,鈥� she said. Lott was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and grew up in the Palmetto State community of Blackville.

Randolph said she and her husband shared a strong belief that education has the power to change people鈥檚 lives.

鈥淚 wanted to create this scholarship to support young women in reaching their education and career goals, something that would have made Steve so proud,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 asked that the scholarship prioritize young women with financial need. There are still many individuals who struggle financially to attend college. I hope this fund helps those individuals so perhaps they can focus on their education without having to get outside jobs to make ends meet.鈥�

While Randolph said Lott was delighted with the Catamount women鈥檚 accomplishments on the golf course, she said he was especially proud of his team鈥檚 performance in the classroom, as his student-athletes regularly maintained among the highest GPAs across the Southern Conference.

鈥淗e used to tell me how he would ask his team when they were on the road if they wanted or needed to go anywhere, and they would respond that they needed to study. He was so proud of their academic accomplishments 鈥� here at 蘑菇短视频and beyond,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 remember meeting parents over the years who told me once they met Steve, they knew their daughters would be OK at WCU.鈥�

Among Lott鈥檚 former golfers making contributions to the scholarship fund is Haywood County resident Ashley Hovda Kress, a member of the team from 2002 until 2026 and a 2025 inductee into the 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame.

鈥淢y time at 蘑菇短视频was memorable, and that would not have been possible without the support, mentorship, coaching and friendship I found in Coach Lott. I want to continue Coach鈥檚 legacy in supporting other golfers who are seeking to obtain an education and compete at WCU,鈥� said Kress, who also was inducted into WCU鈥檚 Hall of Fame as a member of the 2002-03 team.

鈥淐oach Lott cared a lot about women鈥檚 golf and was a champion for Western Carolina University. He worked tirelessly to promote our program and emphasized the educational opportunities afforded us as student-athletes at WCU,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter he retired from coaching, he continued to support women鈥檚 golf through facilitating tournaments with other schools and the Southern Conference. This scholarship is an excellent way to honor Steve and his legacy within the women鈥檚 golf community.鈥�

Kress said that Lott鈥檚 impact on her life goes far beyond just his role as her collegiate golf coach.

鈥淗e taught me to be curious and actively engage in the communities I am a part of, to know what I stand for and how to actively and respectfully engage in conversation about it, and that 蘑菇短视频is a place that will carry with me for a lifetime,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope everyone has an opportunity to know someone like him in their lifetime.鈥�

Lott received SoCon Coach of the Year honors in 2002, 2003 and 2006. In addition to his individual induction into the 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame, he was also inducted as coach of the 2002-03 women鈥檚 golf team, the program鈥檚 first to advance to an NCAA post-season tournament.

鈥淪teve was never so proud as when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame,鈥� Randolph said. 鈥淗e continued to be lifelong friends with many of the Southern Conference coaches after leaving his position and ran SoCon tournaments up until last year.鈥�

Throughout her time on the psychology faculty at WCU, Randolph served in several leadership positions, including director of the graduate program in school psychology, assistant department head and department head. She received the university鈥檚 Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award for faculty in 2008.

Prior to joining the Catamount athletics program, Lott worked in real estate and early American antiques. The couple resided in Cullowhee.

Creation of the Steve Lott Memorial Endowed Scholarship comes as 蘑菇短视频is nearing the conclusion of the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, a multiyear effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for WCU鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs. The third comprehensive fundraising campaign in university history, the initiative is the first to have a significant focus on garnering philanthropic support for improvements to facilities used by Catamount student-athletes.

For more information or to make a contribution to the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.