A standout chapter in the softball career of Salem graduate Jodi (Mitchell) Childress was celebrated Sunday when she was inducted into the Millikin University Hall of Fame.
Childress was inducted alongside her teammates from Millikin’s 1990 softball team, a group that put together a remarkable season and established itself among the nation’s best Division III programs.
The 1990 Big Blue captured the CCIW Conference championship and earned a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Millikin finished the season with an impressive 32-6 record and was ranked among the top 15 teams in the country.
For Childress, the Hall of Fame honor adds another achievement to a career that has remained closely connected to the Salem community.
A 1986 Salem High School graduate, Childress went on to play at Millikin before eventually returning home, where she became a familiar face on the Salem softball scene as a coach.
She also spent years serving Salem students as a teacher before recently retiring from education.
Now, more than three decades after helping lead Millikin to one of the best seasons in program history, Childress has another honor to add to her résumé — a place in the Millikin University Hall of Fame.
