Basketball scorekeeper’s legacy is one for the books at Liberty

Liberty University Men’s Basketball concluded the 2023-24 regular season on March 9 with a narrow victory over Western Kentucky at home, but the moment held even more significance for 74-year-old Randy Tschetter, who had just finished his last game keeping score for the Flames.

Tschetter has spent 43 years as a scorekeeper for the Flames and Lady Flames. He moved his family to Lynchburg in 1980 to pursue a master’s in education. While obtaining his degree, he began working as a teacher at Liberty Christian Academy (at one point even teaching Liberty Chancellor Jonathan Falwell in the ninth grade), as well as serving as both an assistant and head coach for several LCA teams. One day, he was approached to keep the clock for LCA’s sporting events and happily obliged. He was eventually asked to do the same for the university. He spent two years running the clock before making the switch to scorebook duties (tallying all official statistics from the games), a role he has kept ever since.

Over his time as a scorekeeper, Tschetter estimated that he has worked at more than 900 basketball games between the Flames, Lady Flames, various Virginia high school teams, and two exhibition NBA games. He said he approached each game with a desire for complete accuracy in his reporting with the goal of ultimately reflecting Christ in his actions.

And he did the same through his career in education, serving as an administrator, teacher, and tutor at both private and public high schools for 37 years before retiring in 2016.

Tschetter’s family has kept close ties with LU; one daughter, a son-in-law, four grandchildren, and two grandchild-in-laws (spouses of his grandchildren) have graduated from the university. He said part of the reason why he has remained so close to the Liberty community is its focus on remaining true to the late founder Dr. Jerry Falwell’s mission of Training Champions for Christ.

“Sitting there at basketball and being there at the table, I have seen the rapport that (Liberty Men’s Basketball Head) Coach Ritchie McKay has with his basketball players,” he said. “Those kids love him and respect him. When the game is over, they approach the opposing team and have prayer together at center court. Christ is the center. I have a motto for myself in that I want others to see Jesus in me, and I feel that with Liberty Athletics, regardless of the opponent, the players want that same thing. They want the opponents to see Christ in each one of them. I’m very blessed to have been a part of that.”

Through his work for both LCA and Liberty, Tschetter built relationships with multiple members of leadership, including Dr. Falwell himself.

“Dr. Falwell was a jokester,” he said. “I could be in the gymnasium at LCA or maybe on the field at City Stadium, and all of a sudden, I’d get hit in the back, and when I turned around there would be Dr. Falwell. He had hit me in the back with his Bible. And he’d just laugh and say, ‘Brother Tschetter.’”

 During his last game, Tschetter was honored for his constant support of Liberty Athletics.

“Randy has played an integral part in Liberty’s home basketball operations for the last four decades,” said Todd Wetmore, associate athletic director for strategic communications. “We are truly thankful for Randy’s many years of service as our official scorebook keeper. His servant’s heart will be missed, and we hope he knows he will always be a part of the Liberty Athletics family.”

Several former members of Liberty Basketball, including Elijah Cuffee (’20), Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (’20), and current-Indiana Mad Ants (the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers) guard Darius McGhee (’23), commented on the team’s Instagram post about Tschetter, sharing their own gratitude for his service to the team.

“When you mention those guys, it brings back great memories,” Tschetter said. “When I’m sitting there at the table and the basketball player comes over to check in, I have just a small rapport with them. I’ll ask the guys who they are coming in for. When I would take my grandkids to the games, those players always had time to talk to them. I’ve got pictures, for instance, with Georgie and my grandson Matthew, who graduated from Liberty and now works finances up in Connecticut. A couple of times I’ve had grandkids sit at the table and help me by acting as spotters. I can’t imagine having better role models for my grandchildren than these athletes.”