Dot Richardson facts for kids
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| Current position | |||||||||||||||||
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| Title | Head Coach | ||||||||||||||||
| Team | Liberty | ||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Conference USA | ||||||||||||||||
| Record | 434–269 (.617) | ||||||||||||||||
| Biographical details | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 22, 1961 Orlando, Florida |
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| Alma mater | UCLA Adelphi University University of Louisville USC |
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| Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | Western Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1983 | UCLA | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Shortstop | ||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–present | Liberty | ||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 434–269 (.617) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Dot Richardson, born on September 22, 1961, is an amazing American athlete and doctor. She is famous for winning two gold medals in softball at the Olympic Games. Dot played as a shortstop, a key position in softball.
She played college softball for the UCLA Bruins. In 1982, her team won the very first NCAA Division I softball tournament. Today, Dot Richardson is the head coach for the Liberty softball team. She is also honored in the USA Softball Hall of Fame.
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Dot Richardson's Education Journey
Dot Richardson went to several universities to get her education. She spent one year at Western Illinois University. After that, she studied for four years at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
She earned a master's degree in exercise physiology and health from Adelphi University. This degree is about how exercise affects the body and how to stay healthy.
In 1993, Dot became a medical doctor. She got her M.D. degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Then, she started a five-year program to become an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Southern California. Orthopedic surgeons are doctors who fix bones and muscles.
She took a break from her medical training in 1996. This was so she could play in the Olympic Games. Her team won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in softball that year! After her residency, she completed a special fellowship in sports medicine. This was at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Sports Medicine Clinic in Los Angeles.
Dot Richardson's Softball Career
Dot Richardson started playing softball very young. In 1972, she played for the Union Park Jets in Orlando. By 1975, when she was just 13, she joined the Orlando Rebels. She became the youngest player ever in the ASA Women's Major Fast-Pitch National Championships.
After finishing Colonial High School, Dot played college softball. She started at Western Illinois before moving to UCLA. She played for the UCLA Bruins from 1980 to 1984. During her time there, she helped the Bruins win their first NCAA championship in 1982.
After college, Dot played professionally. She began with the Florida Rebels in Orlando. Then, from 1984 to 1994, she played for the Raybestos Brakettes in Connecticut. She finished her professional playing career with the California Commotion.
Dot was a very important player for the United States national team. She helped them win the gold medal when softball first became an Olympic sport in 1996. She even hit the home run that won the game! She also helped the team win another gold medal in 2000 in Sydney.
After her Olympic wins, she continued her career as an orthopedic surgeon. She was also the Executive Director and Medical Director of the National Training Center until 2012. Today, Dot Richardson is the head softball coach at Liberty University. She also serves as a board chair for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Softball Ministry.
Dot Richardson's Coaching Career
Dot Richardson became the head softball coach at Liberty University on July 17, 2013. Her team, the Liberty Flames, has gotten better each year under her coaching. In her first season in 2014, the team had 11 wins and 46 losses.
By 2015, they won 29 games. In 2016, she led the team to their first winning record. Then, in 2017 and 2018, they won two Big South regular season titles in a row. They had over 45 wins in both of those seasons!
In 2018, Liberty won the Big South conference tournament. This earned them a spot in the NCAA regional tournament. Dot also coached the Flames to win the NISC postseason tournament title in 2017. As of July 2025, she continues to lead the Liberty Lady Flames.
Dot Richardson's Awards and Honors
Dot Richardson has received many awards for her amazing softball career.
- In 1998, she received the Sports Legends Award.
- She won the Babe Zaharias Award for Female Athlete of the Year in 1997.
- In 1996, she was named the Amateur Athletic Foundation Athlete of the Year.
- She was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 1996.
- In 1990, she received the Nuprin Comeback of the Year Award.
- She was nominated four times for the Sullivan Award, which honors top amateur athletes.
- In 1999, she was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame.
Her college achievements are also impressive:
- She was named NCAA Player of the Decade for the 1980s.
- She was a three-time NCAA All-American.
- She was a two-time AIAW All-American.
- She was named UCLA MVP three times.
- In 1983, she received the All University Award at UCLA.
- She was named MVP four times in the Women's Major Fast Pitch National Championship.
- She is also a member of the National Softball Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Dot Richardson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in softball.
