On the gridiron, Randall Cunningham was a force to be reckoned with. After leading Santa Barbara High School to a championship in his senior year and being named an All-American in consecutive seasons at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), he would go on to enjoy a 16-year NFL career in which he would became a four-time Pro-Bowler (1988, 1989, 1990, 1998), a Pro Bowl MVP (1988), and a two-time First-Team All-Pro (1990, 1998).
His legacy is carried on by his children; however, both his son and daughter, Randall II and Vashti, are carving their own paths at the same time. While he was also a standout football player in high school (winning a state title at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas), Randall II is a successful high jumper at the University of Southern California (USC), where he is an NCAA Outdoor Track All-American, U.S. Junior National Champion, and Pan American Junior Athletics Championships Champion.
Vashti is making her name known as the rising star of the Cunningham family in her own right. Two years the junior of Randall II, she is currently a senior at Bishop Gorman, and like her brother, she excels at the high jump. And at her most recent competition, the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Portland, Oregon, from March 11-12, not only did she add another award to her mantle; she added her name to the record books.
At only 18 years and 62 days of age, Vashti now holds the record as the youngest woman to ever win any world indoor track and field gold medal. This performance just adds to her resume, as she took home a gold medal in the Pan-American Junior Games in Edmonton last year. Her winning jump in Portland of 6’6 ¼” also set a World Junior (under age 20) record.
Although she has a bright future as a collegiate athlete, she has decided to forego the experience in order to turn professional. Her father has left the decision completely up to her; she has offers from USC, Oregon, and Georgia, but also feels fully confident that she could make an impact professionally.
The Cunningham name has been synonymous with success for decades. And with the way things are going, Vashti will ensure that doesn’t change anytime soon.
In the Game/Web Content/March 2016
Vashti Cunningham
Bishop Gorman High School
Las Vegas, Nevada
Daughter of NFL Alum Makes History
