Jersey Retired
- Lawrence Lore
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
In January 1996, Red Hill High School Jersey –No 23—was retired in a ceremony during the Red Hill basketball game against Salem High School. The jersey belonged to Mandy Cunningham.
Cunningham was the first Red Hill athlete to have a jersey retired. What made the moment even more special was that her father and high school coach, Steve Cunningham was the only player to ever have a number –No 51—retired from Bridgeport High School in 1986. He was a key player in Bridgeport’s state runner- up team in 1960.
After setting records in high school from 1987-1990, Mandy went on to star at University of Illinois. Her father Steve was then in his 12th season as Red Hill girls’ coach.
Mandy scored 3,165 points at Red Hill, the most in history for a Class A player. Her total was the fifth highest in history and the fourth highest for girls’ players.
She was the state’s top scorer in 1988 and 1989. State statistics were not kept in her senior season of 1990. She formerly held state records for most points in a single game (73), most 3-pointers in a game (10) and consecutive free throws made (33) and was listed among the all-time state leaders in virtually every offensive category.
She started every game in her four-year high school and college careers.
She was four-time Sun Commercial All- Area first team member and Sun Commercial Player of the Year three times, a four- time All North Egypt conference choice, the Evansville Courier Player of the Year and a three-time all-state selection by the Chicago Sun Times and Champaign News Gazette.
At Illinois she was the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year in 1991 and was the team’s MVP in 1992 and 1994.
She was the winner of the Prestigious George Huff award in 1994.
(The article was originally written by Bill Richardson.)
