FRANKLIN, Indiana – The Franklin College athletic department is proud to announce the 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame class, honoring three outstanding Grizzlies whose impact on their teams and the college community is still felt today. Amy (Shidler) Long '01, Chad Rupp '09 and Robyn (Burns) Witty '06 will be formally inducted at the annual Franklin College Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday, Oct. 8, in advance of Homecoming Saturday on Oct. 10.
Amy (Shidler) Long '01 enters the Hall of Fame after putting together one of the most impressive playing careers in the history of the Franklin women's golf program.
The Grizzlies won the inaugural HCAC championship in 1998, Long's freshman season, and followed by claiming the title in each of her four seasons. Long was named the conference's Most Valuable Player in both 1999 and 2001, and she still shares the HCAC Championships 36-hole scoring record with fellow Franklin Hall of Famer Katie (Tewell) Brinker '08, carding a two-round total of 78-74—152 as a junior in 2000.
While at Franklin, Long was also an active member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority for three years.
After graduation, Long punctuated her playing career by qualifying for the LPGA Futures Tour (now Epson Tour) in 2002. She later coached high school and middle school golf.
Now a special education and essential skills teacher at Delphi Elementary School, Long lives in Monticello, Indiana, with her husband Josh. She has three children: Cooper, Layla and Sydney.
Chad Rupp '09 quarterbacked the Franklin College football team through some of its most successful seasons. He became the starter during his sophomore campaign and held the job through the rest of his career, leading the Grizzlies to a pair of HCAC championships and two NCAA playoff appearances, including a run to the national quarterfinals in 2008.
Over the course of his career, Rupp passed for 9,806 yards and 102 touchdowns. He set single-season school records in 2008 with 4,181 passing yards and 45 TDs, and he owns the record for total offense in a single game with 576 yards.
Twice voted a team captain, Rupp was a three-time All-HCAC performer and was twice named the conference's Offensive Most Valuable Player.
Upon graduating, Rupp played professionally in Germany and has since worked as an assistant coach at the collegiate and high school levels.
Rupp currently works in commercial real estate as a broker and investor while also helping with various family businesses. He lives in his home city of Evansville, Indiana with his wife Sara and their children, Ryleigh and Eli.
Robyn (Burns) Witty '06 enjoyed one of the most prolific distance running careers in Franklin history, setting 11 school records in indoor and outdoor track and cross country.
She was the Grizzlies' team Most Valuable Runner and an All-HCAC performer through all four years of both cross country and track, qualifying for the NCAA Championships on six occasions and earning Division III All-America honors twice.
Witty still owns indoor and outdoor school records in the 1,500-meter run and the mile, along with indoor marks in the 3,000 and 5,000 and the outdoor standard in the distance medley relay.
In addition to her competitive accolades, Witty was also a co-president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and attended the NCAA Leadership Convention in 2004.
Still an active runner, Witty now resides in Martinsville, Indiana with her husband Keith ('04) and their three children: Jamison, Eliott, and Hazel. She serves as the assistant principal at Greenwood Community High School, where Keith is the boys basketball coach.
