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The Murray State Racers are the athletic teams that represent
Murray State University Murray State University (MSU) is a public university in Murray, Kentucky. In addition to the main campus in Calloway County in southwestern Kentucky, Murray State operates extended campuses offering upper level and graduate courses in Paducah, H ...
(MSU), located in
Murray, Kentucky Murray is a home rule-class city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of Calloway County and the 19th-largest city in Kentucky. The city's population was 17,741 during the 2010 U.S. census, and its micropolitan area's po ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
ranks (for football, the
Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
), primarily competing in the
Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...
(MVC) since the 2022–23 academic year. The Racers previously competed in the
Ohio Valley Conference The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It participates in NCAA Divisi ...
(OVC) from 1948–49 to 2021–22; and in the
Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The River States Conference (RSC), formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC), is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Although it was historical ...
(KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...
(NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1947–48.


Mascot and colors

The costumed racehorse mascot is named Dunker, the live racehorse football mascot is Racer-One, and the school colors are navy blue and gold.


Varsity teams

Murray State competes in 15 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include rifle. r Murray State men's athletics began in 1925–26, the school's third year, with the first women's team following in 1928–29. Originally, the teams were known as the Thoroughbreds, but over time, sports writers and editors found the name Thoroughbreds to be too cumbersome, so they often shortened it "T-Breds", "Breds", "Race Horses", and "Racers". "Racers" began to grow in popularity through the late 1950s, and it was adopted as the official nickname in 1961 except by the baseball team which continued to be known as the Thoroughbreds or "Breds" until 2014. The women's teams were known as Lady Racers until "Lady" was officially dropped in 2007. A charter member of the
Ohio Valley Conference The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It participates in NCAA Divisi ...
, Murray State University sponsors five men's, nine women's and one co-ed teams in
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
sanctioned sports. On January 7, 2022, it was announced that Murray State would join the
Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...
on July 1, 2022.


Men's basketball

Murray State is known for its men's basketball program, which has won 26 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, 17 OVC tournament championship, and made 17 appearances in the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
tournament, most recently in
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
. The tournament appearances included one win in 1988 the Racers defeated
North Carolina State North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
in the first round but lost to
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
in the second round. In 2010, 22 years to the date of the 1988 win, the Racers beat the
Vanderbilt Commodores The Vanderbilt Commodores are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams (6 men's teams and 10 women's team ...
and lost to the
Butler Bulldogs The Butler Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent Butler University, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Bulldogs participate in 20 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. After leaving the Horizon League following the 2011–12 season, ...
in the second round. In the 2006 tournament, junior guard Trey Pearson missed a critical 3-point shot in the final seconds of the first-round game against No. 3 seeded defending champion
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. UNC was fouled on the rebound and went to the line to sink the game clinching shots to defeat the No. 14 seeded Racers 69–65. The Racers won their first-round game in the
2010 NCAA tournament The 2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2009–10 basketball seas ...
in dramatic fashion, defeating fourth-seeded Vanderbilt 66–65 on a buzzer beating jump shot by senior Danero Thomas. This was the first time that any Ohio Valley Conference team had advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament since
Middle Tennessee State Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight Undergraduate education, undergraduate colleges as well as a college of Postgr ...
advanced in 1989. One of the more famous tournament games in the program's history was their first-round matchup against #1 seeded
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
in 1990, in which they took to overtime before finally succumbing to the Spartans 75–71, making them one of the closest #16 teams to defeating a #1 seed since the 64-team format came to be in 1985 until it was finally done by
UMBC The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public research university in Baltimore County, Maryland. It has a fall 2022 enrollment of 13,991 students, 61 undergraduate majors, over 92 graduate programs (38 master, 25 doctoral, ...
in
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
. The Murray State basketball program first competed in the 1925–1926 season under head coach
Carlisle Cutchin Carlisle Cutchin (February 11, 1885 – August 20, 1953) was an American football, baseball, and basketball coach and college athletics administrator at Murray State University—then known as Murray State Normal School, Murray State Normal School ...
. Murray State finished 9–5 in their inaugural season, with the first game being a 31–14 loss to
Will Mayfield College Will Mayfield College was a Baptist school located in Marble Hill, Missouri. From 1878 to 1934, the college offered four years of preparatory school and two years of junior college work. Will Mayfield was founded by William Henderson Mayfield ...
. From 1925 to 1941 Cutchin went on to lead the basketball team to a 296–96 record and three appearances in the NAIA men's basketball tournament, where the Thoroughbreds finished third in 1938 and second in 1941. Current North Carolina State head basketball coach
Mark Gottfried Mark Frederick Gottfried (born January 20, 1964) is an American men's college basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors Gottfried played one season at Oral Roberts and three se ...
coached the Racers to three Ohio Valley Conference Championships, all three years he coached there, the only OVC coach to accomplish such a mark. The Murray State basketball program has been recognized as one of the top 30 basketball programs in modern history by ESPN. The Racers are the highest true mid-major team in ESPN's rankings. The most well-known players in Racer history are
Joe Fulks Joseph Franklin "Jumping Joe" Fulks (October 26, 1921 – March 21, 1976) was an American professional basketball player, sometimes called "the first of the high-scoring forwards". He was posthumously enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball ...
,
Popeye Jones Ronald Jerome "Popeye" Jones (born June 17, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). College career Born in Dresden, ...
,
Isaiah Canaan Isaiah Canaan (pronounced Cannon; born May 21, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He was an All-American college player at Murray State University. College career C ...
,
Cameron Payne Cameron Payne (born August 8, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Murray State, and was selected 14th overall by the Oklahoma Cit ...
, and
Ja Morant Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant (born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "G12", he played college basketball for the Murray State Racers m ...
. Fulks starred for two seasons at Murray State (1941–42 and 1942–43), twice earning All-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors, before leaving school to join the Marines during World War II. Fulks scored 621 points in 47 games during his Murray State career, a 13.2 average in an era when teams averaged less than 50 points a game. His fame grew to greater heights as a professional, becoming one of the NBA's early stars as a scoring champ with the
Philadelphia Warriors The history of the Golden State Warriors began in Philadelphia in 1946. In 1962, the franchise was relocated to San Francisco, California and became known as the San Francisco Warriors until 1971, when its name was changed to the current Golden St ...
. He was named to the
NBA 25th Anniversary Team The NBA 25th Anniversary Team was chosen on December 11, 1971, to honor the 25th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946. It was the first anniversary team i ...
in 1971 and was inducted into the
Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
in 1978. While at Murray State, Jones scored 2,057 points which still ranks fourth all time for the Racers. He is also Murray State's all-time leader in rebounds with 1,374, and led the nation in that category in the 1990–91 season. Jones is the only player in MSU history to record more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Jones helped lead the Racers to OVC championships in 1991 and 1992. He went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA after being drafted in the second round by the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
in the
1992 NBA Draft The 1992 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1992, at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. The draft is considered to be one of the deepest in NBA history. The top three picks (Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Christian Laettner) were considere ...
. He's also served as an NBA assistant coach, most recently with the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
. Canaan, Morant, and Payne are current NBA players, with Payne Murray State's first NBA first round draft selection, picked 14th overall by the
Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
in the 2016 NBA Draft. Morant was the Racers' highest-ever draft selection, picked second overall by the
Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
in
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, and went on to be named the league's rookie of the year in 2020 and most improved player in 2022. Murray State's historic basketball rivalry is with nearby
Western Kentucky Western Kentucky is the western portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It generally includes part or all of several more widely recognized regions of the state. ;Always included * The Jackson Purchase, the state's westernmost generally recogniz ...
. The two teams became archrivals during their time together in the Ohio Valley Conference. Although the schools no longer share their conference affiliation, the rivalry game remains an annual event on each team's schedule. The two teams have met in basketball 148 times. For the remainder of the Racers' tenure in the OVC, their primary conference rival was
Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University () is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitt ...
. Murray State has three built-in regional rivals in its current home of the
Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...
.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Illinois University (SIU or SIUC) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. The university enrolls students from all 50 s ...
(SIU), already an MVC member, and
Belmont University Belmont University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee. Descended from Belmont Women's College, founded in 1890 by schoolteachers Ida Hood and Susan Heron, the institution was incorporated in 1951 as Belmont College. It be ...
, which moved alongside Murray State from the OVC to the MVC in 2022, are both about two hours' drive away. The
University of Evansville The University of Evansville (UE) is a private university in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College. The university operates a satellite center, Harlaxton College, in Grantham, England. UE offers more than 80 differ ...
, also an established MVC member, is not much farther away than Belmont or SIU. The Murray State basketball program has become a stepping stone to major-college coaching success in recent years. Four of the last five Murray State coaches have gone on to head coaching positions at major conference schools. *
Mark Gottfried Mark Frederick Gottfried (born January 20, 1964) is an American men's college basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors Gottfried played one season at Oral Roberts and three se ...
served as head coach of the Racers from 1995 to 1998. Gottfried became the first head coach to win three OVC titles in only three seasons. In his last season, the Racers finished 25th in the final AP Poll. Gottfried went on to be head coach of the
Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a mem ...
of the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...
from 1998 to 2009, and the
NC State Wolfpack The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college footb ...
of the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
from 2011 to 2017. * Mick Cronin served as head coach of the Racers from 2003 to 2006. Cronin coached the Racers to two OVC championship and two NCAA tournament appearances in his three seasons as head coach at Murray State. He served as head coach of the
Cincinnati Bearcats The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. Though they will move to the Big 12 Conference (XII) the teams are currently a part of the American Athletic Conference (The American), which from 1979 ...
of the
Big East Conference The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and M ...
from 2006 to 2019 and is currently the head coach of the
UCLA Bruins The UCLA Bruins are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Los Angeles. The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pac-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). ...
of the
Pac-12 Conference The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its College football, football teams compete in the NCAA D ...
. *
Billy Kennedy Billy Kennedy may refer to: *Billy Kennedy (basketball) (born 1964), former head men's basketball coach at Texas A&M University * Billy Kennedy (''Neighbours''), a character in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' * Billy Kennedy (loyalist), se ...
served as head coach of the Racers from 2006 to 2011. Kennedy set a Murray State record for most wins in a season, with 31 victories in the 2009–2010 season. Kennedy took the Racers into the second round of the NCAA tournament for only the second time in school history. He served as the head coach of the
Texas A&M Aggies Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" was once common at land-grant or "ag" (agriculture) schools in many states. The teams are also referred to as "A&M" or "Texas Aggi ...
of the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
from 2011 to 2019 and is now an assistant coach with the
Wichita State Shockers The Wichita State Shockers are the athletic teams that represent Wichita State University, located in Wichita, Kansas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the American Athletic Conference ( ...
of the
American Athletic Conference The American Athletic Conference (The American or AAC) is an American collegiate athletic conference, featuring 11 member universities and five affiliate member universities that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) ...
. *
Steve Prohm Steven Marshall Prohm (born July 12, 1974) is an American basketball coach who is in his second tenure as the head coach for Murray State men's basketball. Previously, he was the head coach at Iowa State University, a position he had held from ...
, Billy Kennedy's top assistant at Murray State, served as head coach of the Racers from 2012 to 2015, and returned to the Racers as head coach in 2022 after his successor Matt McMahon left for the head coaching vacancy at
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
. Prohm led the Racers to 31 victories and the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament in 2012. His 2015 team won 25 straight games during the season and finished with two wins in the
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York City ...
. Between his stints with the Racers, he was head coach of the
Iowa State Cyclones The Iowa State Cyclones are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Iowa State University, located in Ames. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams (6 men's and 1 ...
of the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
from 2015 to 2021. ;Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships 1951, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 ;Ohio Valley Conference tournament championships 1951, 1964, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2022


Football

The Murray State
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
program first competed on the gridiron in 1924. The first game was a 0–0 tie against
Union University Union University is a private Baptist Christian university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is ...
. The Racers have had 45 winning seasons. Murray State has produced 33 All-American selections with 14 of them earning First Team All-American honors. Murray State's largest margin of victory over another Division I program came in 1932 when the Racers defeated the
Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...
by a score of 105–0. The Racers modern-day scoring record was set on October 9, 2010, with a 72-59
homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
victory over the
Missouri State Bears The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears are the athletic teams representing Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University). Missouri State's athletics programs date back to 1908. Missouri State competes in the NCAA Div ...
. Murray State's football rivalries have historically been with the
Eastern Kentucky Colonels The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), located in Richmond, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the ASUN Confere ...
and the
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers are the athletic teams that represent Western Kentucky University (WKU), located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, competing in the Co ...
. The rivalry with the Hilltoppers began in 1931, and it later became an annual trophy game known as the Battle for the Red Belt. The Murray State football program has become a steppingstone to major-college coaching success. Five former Murray State coaches have gone on to head coaching positions at BCS schools. *
Mike Gottfried Mike Gottfried (born December 17, 1944) is a sportscaster and former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Murray State University (1978–1980), the University of Cincinnati (1981–1982), the University of ...
served as head coach of the Racers from 1978 to 1980. He was recognized as OVC Coach of the Year in 1979. Gottfried went on to coach the
Cincinnati Bearcats The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. Though they will move to the Big 12 Conference (XII) the teams are currently a part of the American Athletic Conference (The American), which from 1979 ...
,
Kansas Jayhawks The Kansas Jayhawks, commonly referred to as simply KU or Kansas, are the athletic teams that represent the University of Kansas. KU is one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a mem ...
, and
Pittsburgh Panthers The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...
. *
Ron Zook Ronald Andrew Zook (; born April 28, 1954) is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the Defensive Coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from ...
served as a secondary coach at Murray State under Gottfried from 1978 to 1980. Zook went on to become the head coach of the
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...
from 2002 to 2004 and the
Illinois Fighting Illini The Illinois Fighting Illini () are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports. The University operates a number of athletic faci ...
from 2005 to 2011, and is now a college football studio analyst with
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
. *
Frank Beamer Franklin Mitchell Beamer (born October 18, 1946) is a retired American college football coach, most notably for the Virginia Tech Hokies, and former college football player. He is the father of current South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane ...
served as head coach of the Racers from 1981 to 1986. After leaving Murray State, Beamer went on to build the
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
program into a national power through the 1990s and early 2010s. *
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the Uni ...
was an assistant coach at Murray State under Frank Beamer in 1981. Friedgen was head coach at
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
from 2001 to 2010. *
Houston Nutt Houston Dale Nutt Jr. (born October 14, 1957) is a former American football player and coach. He currently works for CBS Sports as a college football studio analyst. Previously, he served as the head football coach at Murray State University ( ...
was head coach of the Racers from 1993 to 1996. He was recognized as the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year in 1996 and the OVC Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996 while coaching the Racers. Nutt went on to coach the
Arkansas Razorbacks The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville. The University of Arkansas student body voted to change the name of the school mascot (ori ...
to three SEC division titles, and he also served as the head coach of Ole Miss from 2008 to 2011. In his first two years at Ole Miss, Nutt coached the Rebels to back-to-back
Cotton Bowl Classic The Cotton Bowl Classic (also known as the Cotton Bowl) is an American college football bowl game that has been held annually in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex since January 1, 1937. The game was originally played at its namesake stadium i ...
victories. Nutt is now a studio analyst for CBS. In addition to the success of former Racer football coaches, former players have also gone on to achieve major successes. Former Racer quarterback
Justin Fuente Justin James Fuente (born July 30, 1976) is a former American football coach and player. He was the head football coach at Virginia Tech from 2016 to 2021. He was the 2016 ACC Coach of the Year. Fuente was the head football coach at the Universit ...
was named head football coach of the
Memphis Tigers The Memphis Tigers are the Sport, athletic teams that represent the University of Memphis, located in Memphis, Tennessee. The teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level as a member of ...
in 2011. As a player, Fuente was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1999. As a senior in 1999, Fuente set school season records for passing yards (3,498), attempts (400), completions (240) and touchdowns (27). Fuente still holds the MSU record for most 300-yard passing games with 10. He was named head coach at Virginia Tech in 2016, succeeding former Racer head coach Frank Beamer. The Racers have appeared in only one bowl game, when they were invited to the 1949 Tangerine Bowl. This was only the third installment of the Tangerine bowl, which is now known as the
Citrus Bowl The Citrus Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group that also organizes the Cheez-It Bowl and Florida Classic. The gam ...
. The Racers played to a 21–21 tie against
Sul Ross State University Sul Ross State University (SRSU) is a public university in Alpine, Texas. The main campus is the primary institution of higher education serving the nineteen-county Big Bend region of far West Texas. Branch campuses, branded as Rio Grande Colleg ...
. The Racers were coached by Fred Faurot, who was the younger brother of legendary
Missouri Tigers The Missouri Tigers intercollegiate athletics programs represent the University of Missouri, located in Columbia. The name comes from a band of armed Union Home Guards called the Fighting Tigers of Columbia who, in 1864, protected Columbia fro ...
coach
Don Faurot Donald Burrows Faurot (June 23, 1902 – October 19, 1995) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and college athletics administrator best known for his eight-decade association with the University of Missouri. He served as the ...
. ;Ohio Valley Conference championships 1948, 1950, 1951, 1979, 1986, 1995, 1996, 2002 ;Bowl game appearances 1949 Tangerine Bowl


Baseball

Murray State baseball reached national prominence in the 1970s under coach Johnny Reagan. The Thoroughbreds won or shared 11 conference titles during his 36-year tenure (1958–1993). He also led Murray State to 27-straight winning seasons and its first two
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebr ...
appearances, in 1975 and 1979. Murray State also reached the NCAA Regionals in 2003. Murray State's 1975 team finished the season with a 40–9 record, was ranked No. 23 in Division I and led the nation in batting average (.332). The 1979 team (27–10–2), ranked 17th in Division I, came one win from advancing to the
College World Series The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
. Murray State's 1973 (19th) and 1974 (28th) teams also finished the season ranked in the NCAA poll. Notable Murray State baseball alumni include Pat Jarvis,
Jack Perconte John Patrick "Jack" Perconte (born August 31, 1954) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. Perconte played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1980 to 1986. Career At the age of 26, on September 13, 1980, he made his MLB d ...
, and
Kirk Rueter Kirk Wesley Rueter ( ; born December 1, 1970), nicknamed "Woody", is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos and the San Francisco Giants. Early life Rueter was born in Centralia, Illi ...
. At the time the new athletics nickname was adopted in 1961, the Murray State baseball team had just purchased new uniforms and equipment bags with the Thoroughbreds logo on it, so the team requested and received a one-year extension before adopting the new nickname. Alumni and fans admired the team for keeping the original nickname, so the baseball team remained known as the Thoroughbreds until 2014. In May 2014, athletic director Allen Ward announced that the baseball team would join the rest of the Murray State athletic teams and be identified as the Racers. Ward cited the need for the baseball program to enjoy the same brand identity and benefits that are afforded to the rest of the teams that identify as Racers.


Rifle

The Murray State Rifle program has enjoyed a long history of success since it was established in the 1956–57 season. The program has produced three team national championships in 1978 (
NRA The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while conti ...
), 1985 (
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
), and 1987 (NCAA). The team was runner up to the NCAA national championship in 1986 and 1988. In addition to national championship, Murray State rifle won 15 OVC team championships, seven individual NCAA champions, and produced six USA Olympic Team members. The current head coach is Alan Lollar. The Racers compete at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range at Roy Stewart Stadium. The rifle range is one of the finest shooting venues in the sport, and it has hosted the NCAA championships seven times. ;NCAA team national championships 1978, 1985, 1987 ;NCAA individual national champions *
Pat Spurgin Karen Patricia "Pat" Pitney ( Spurgin, born August 10, 1965) is an American university administrator, former Alaska state government official, and Olympic gold medalist. She is the president of the University of Alaska system. Early life and edu ...
– 1984 (Air rifle) / 1985 (Smallbore) * Marianne Wallace – 1986 (Air rifle) * Deena Wigger – 1988 (Air rifle) * Benjamin Belden – 1995 (Air rifle) * Marra Hastings – 1997 (Air rifle) * Morgan Hicks – 2004 (Air rifle) ;Ohio Valley Conference Team Championships 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 ;US Olympic Team members *
Pat Spurgin Karen Patricia "Pat" Pitney ( Spurgin, born August 10, 1965) is an American university administrator, former Alaska state government official, and Olympic gold medalist. She is the president of the University of Alaska system. Early life and edu ...
– 1984 (Gold Medal winner) * William Beard – 1984 * May Ann Schweitzer – 1984 * Roger Withrow – 1984 * Deena Wigger – 1988 * Morgan Hicks – 2004


Softball

In May 2008, Murray State announced that it would add women's softball to its lineup of sponsored NCAA Division I teams. Softball would replace rowing, which would be immediately discontinued as a university sponsored sport. At the time of the announcement, the active roster for the rowing team had less than 10 members. Adding softball would aid the University's Title IX compliance goals by adding additional opportunities for female athletes. Additionally, the sport of softball was seen as more identifiable than rowing in the university's service region. Prior to the announcement, Murray State was the only school in the Ohio Valley Conference that had not sponsored softball at the NCAA level. Murray State formed a partnership with the city of Murray in which the softball program would have use of a field at the city park in exchange for significant upgrades to the facility that would remain the property of the city parks. The Racer softball team played its first intercollegiate game on February 26, 2010 against
SIU Edwardsville Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is a public university in Edwardsville, Illinois. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.Butler 1976, p. 18 It is the younger of the two major inst ...
at the Ole Miss Classic in
Oxford, Mississippi Oxford is a city and college town in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Oxford lies 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and is the county seat of Lafayette County. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British city of Oxf ...
. Murray State Softball is led by head coach Kara Amundson, assistant Ashley Gilland, and graduate assistant Zach Parsons. Coach Amundson is entering her 10th season as head coach in the 2022 season and served as an assistant at Northern Illinois for two seasons, while coaching two all-MAC and academic all-conference selections. Coach Gilland is also entering her 10th season in 2022 and spent two years at Northern Iowa before Murray State. Coach Gilland serves as the hitting and outfield coach.


Track and field

Murray State competes only in women's track and field. Historically, the track and field program included both men and women; however, in 2004 the men's program was reduced to a non-scholarship program. In October 2006, athletic director Allen Ward announced that the non-scholarship men's track and field program was being eliminated, effective immediately. Murray State cited budgetary and Title IX concerns as reasons for eliminating the men's track and field program. The men's team had been exceptionally successful in competition, producing ten Olympic athletes, eleven instances of OVC Men's Athlete of the Year honors, and 40 instances of NCAA Men's All-America honors. One of the team's final members was
Wesley Korir Wesley Kipchumba Korir (15 November 1982) is a Kenyan athlete who specializes in long distance running competitions, as well as a politician who served as an elected member of Parliament for Cherangany Constituency. On 16 April 2012, he won th ...
, who transferred to
Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...
to finish his college career and went on to win the
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by several cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was i ...
. The program has produced successful athletes. In 2012, Alexis Love, was named the Female Track Athlete of the Year in the OVC and Athlete of the OVC Outdoor Championship. Love competed at the competed at the United States Track and Field Olympic Trials. She set a school record in the 60m and 200m during her indoor season. In 2019, Love was inducted into Murray State's Hall of Fame. Murray State's women track team won the 2019 OVC Outdoor Championship. Where athlete Tamdra Lawrence became the first in OVC history to win the 100m event in four consecutive seasons. The track team is coached by Adam Kiesler. Kiesler has been the head coach since 2016. ;Men's team Olympians * Tommy Turner – 1972 (1600 Relay) * Everton Cornelius – 1976 (Long Jump) * Cuthbert Jacobs – 1976 (400 Meters & 1600 Relay) * Fred Sowerby – 1976 (400 Meters & 1600 Relay) * David Warren – 1980 (800 Meters) * Alfred Brown – 1984 (400 Meters) *
Elvis Forde Elvis Forde (born 18 November 1959) is a retired Barbadian sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He was the flag bearer for his native country at the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics. He won the bronze medals at the 1985 Cent ...
– 1984 (400 Meters & 1600 Relay) * Patterson Johnson – 1988 (Sprints) * Stevon Roberts – 1992 (800 Meters & 1600 Meters) *
Seibert Straughn Seibert Straughn (born 31 October 1967, in Saint Philip) is a retired Barbadian sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won the bronze medal at the 1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships. He also competed at the Olympic ...
– 1992 (400 Meters & 1600 Meters) ;Women's team Olympians *
Heather Samuel Heather Barbara Samuel (born 6 July 1970) is a retired sprinter from Antigua and Barbuda who specialized in the 100 and 200 metres. In 1990 she won two medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games with a silver medal in the 100 m ...
– 1992 (100 Meters & 200 Meters)


Tennis

The Men's Tennis program began play 1954 and won 19 Ohio Valley Conference championships during its existence. The team captured 10 OVC titles in a row during the 1980s under coach
Bennie Purcell Bennie Allen Purcell (December 10, 1929 – February 12, 2016) was a basketball player who became a tennis coach at Murray State University, coaching the Racers for 28 years. His teams won 11 Ohio Valley Conference men's tennis championships, an ...
. Men's Tennis was eliminated as a university sponsored NCAA level sport in May 2016 in response to state budget cuts. Elimination of the men's tennis program was expected to save the athletic program roughly $165,000.


Soccer

The Murray State Women's soccer team joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 2000. Since then the team has captured four regular season championships and three tournament champions. In 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 the Racers were back to back to back to back champions. They consecutively received freshman of the year for two years in a row as well. In 2015 the Racers went 10–0 in conference play and also won the tournament beating Southeast Missouri 1–0 in the OVC Tournament championship. In 2017 the Racers won the regular season title and the OVC Tournament title as well. In the 2019 season they scored the most goals ever scored in a season (27) and the single season assist, single season goals, and single season points record was broken. In 2018 Harriet Withers got the honor to get her jersey retired. Withers sets the record for most career goals ever scored by a racer soccer player. She also ended her career with 38 career goals and 15 career assists. She also was the OVC offensive player for 3 years in a row. Withers an Australian native came to Murray state in 2014 where she started 12 games out 20 in her freshman year. After her freshman year she started every single game during the rest of her time for Murray State soccer. She helped lead Murray State to three conference championships and two conference tournament championships. Withers had a degree in Physical Education in hopes of becoming a college coach. Shortly after Withers graduated from Murray State she became an assistant coach for Bard college in Annandale, New York. She was assistant coach at a Division 3 program for only one year in 2018. She helped coach the team to the record of 4-11-1 in her time of working there. Miyah Watford was the first American from Murray State to go overseas and play professional soccer. She played in Vestmanneyjar, Iceland in her first professional contract. Watford finished her senior campaign with 15 goals and 5 assists. She broke the single season goal record in her senior campaign and the single season points record. Which ended her career with 31 goals and 76 points in just three years. Finished her career with three regular season titles and 2 tournament titles.


National championships


Team


Rivalries

Historically, Murray State's biggest rival was
Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtow ...
, now of
Conference USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are l ...
. The Racers also have a well-known rivalry with
Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University () is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitt ...
, which was an in-conference matchup from Peay's arrival in the OVC in 1962 until both schools' 2022 departure from the OVC.


Western Kentucky

In 1922, the Murray State Normal School was chartered as a state-supported teacher training institution, because the Western Kentucky State Normal School and Eastern Kentucky State Normal School could no longer produce a sufficient number of teachers to support the growing demand in the state. Located only 120 miles away from one another, and both in the western portion of the state, Murray State and Western Kentucky quickly became known as sister institutions as well as fierce competitors. In 1941, prior to a SIAA championship game between the Racers and Hilltoppers, Murray State President James H. Richmond remarked, "We are always happy when we can defeat our chief rival and greatest friend."


Football rivalry

The football rivalry with Western Kentucky began with a Hilltopper victory on October 24, 1931. In 1939, both institutions strengthened the rivalry by scheduling the match up as the final game of their regular seasons. This tradition continued, with only four interruptions, for the next 46 years. In 1948 both schools joined together to form the Ohio Valley Conference, where Murray won the first championship in football. The football rivalry was cemented as an annual trophy game in 1978 known as the Battle for the Red Belt. The annual meetings between the two teams ended in 2000, but the Battle for the Red Belt is still played on in intermittent basis. The last game was played in 2008 when a record crowd of 22,297 in Bowling Green watched the Hilltoppers beat the Racers 50-9 and maintain possession of the Red Belt. The Racers and Hilltoppers have met 67 times in football, with Western Kentucky leading the series 36-24-7.


Basketball rivalry

Murray State and Western Kentucky have met 148 times in basketball since 1932. The basketball rivalry is the oldest in the state of Kentucky. Murray State won the first meeting in 1932 by a score of 26–24 in a game played on the stage at Lovett Auditorium. Western Kentucky leads the overall series 95–53, but Murray State has won 10 of the last 19 games since Western Kentucky left the Ohio Valley Conference in 1982. The Murray State-Western Kentucky basketball rivalry has been every bit as bitter as the football rivalry. During the 1954–55 season, the teams met four times in a series of contests that also included severe fouls on the court, ejected players, punches thrown by fans in the stands, and even a fainting cheerleader. During the next season, Racers coach Rex Alexander publicly accused the Hilltopper coaching staff of poor sportsmanship and accused Western Kentucky of enjoying an unfair home-court advantage because of "loose officiating". Following a February 1956 victory by the Racers, the winning score of 74-70 was found painted on the sidewalk in front of Henry Hardin Cherry Hall and paint was thrown on the statue of Henry Hardin Cherry on WKU's campus.


Austin Peay

Murray State's primary basketball rivalry inside the Ohio Valley Conference was with
Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University () is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitt ...
in nearby
Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States ce ...
. The fans and students from the two towns, located only 60 miles apart, have developed a love-hate relationship with one another that has contributed to the growing intensity of the rivalry. In 2009, ''
ESPN the Magazine ''ESPN The Magazine'' was an American monthly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998. Initially published every other week, it scaled back to 24 issues a year i ...
'' featured the Murray State-Austin Peay rivalry as the best rivalry in the OVC and one of the best in the nation. Murray State holds the overall lead in the series 71–40, with Austin Peay winning only nine times in Murray since the series began in 1941. Both schools left the OVC in July 2022, with Murray State moving to the Missouri Valley Conference and Peay to the
ASUN Conference The ASUN Conference, formerly the Atlantic Sun Conference, is a collegiate athletic conference operating mostly in the Southeastern United States. The league participates at the NCAA Division I level, and began sponsoring football at the Divisio ...
.


Club sports


Bass Fishing

The Murray State Bass Anglers fishing team was formed in 2004. Since that time, the club has grown to more than 60 members. The NCAA is not involved in college bass fishing, allowing teams to use sponsorships to their advantage and keep their winnings. The club participates in about 20 tournaments each year against other college and university teams from around the United States. Murray State's close proximity to world class finishing opportunities at
Kentucky Lake Kentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River via Kentucky Dam for flood control and hydroelectric p ...
has made the school an attractive choice for students involved with competitive fishing. The team frequently finishes in the top 10 out of more than 200 schools in the School of the Year Rankings of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Fishing Series:


Equestrian

Murray State has enjoyed a long tradition of equestrian teams at the club level. The current equestrian club team is operated through the College of Agriculture and has more than 50 participants. The equestrian club team competes in Zone 5, Region I of the
Intercollegiate Horse Show Association The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) is a nonprofit organization composed of men and women of all riding levels and offers individual and team competition in hunter seat equitation, Western horsemanship and reining at more than 400 m ...
(IHSA). In May 2008, Murray State University President Dr. Randy Dunn charged Director of Athletics Allen Ward with the responsibility of moving the sport of equestrian from club status to NCAA varsity status. Equestrian offers high female participation rates, which will help the university meet its Title IX obligations. When Murray State begins competition at the NCAA Division I level, the Racers will join the
University of Tennessee at Martin The University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin or UTM) is a public university in Martin, Tennessee. It is one of the five campuses of the University of Tennessee system. UTM is the only public university in West Tennessee outside of Memphis ...
as the only schools in the Ohio Valley Conference to sponsor equestrian teams at the NCAA level.


Rodeo

Murray State has fielded a Rodeo team since 1976. The co-ed team competes in the Ozarks Region of the
National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA), based in Walla Walla, Washington, was established in 1949. The NIRA sanctions more than 100 college rodeos every year in the United States, and represents over 3,500 student athletes attending ...
. In 2014, head coach J.D. Van Hooser was voted NIRA Ozark Region "Coach of the Year" by the other coaches in the region.


Rowing

Murray State President Kern Alexander floated the idea of establishing a rowing team soon after he assumed his role as president of the university. In Spring 1996 the plan to establish the rowing team was officially announced. The thought of a primarily ivy league sport at Murray State was met with skepticism among some groups. In fact the Murray State student newspaper printed a column mocking the plan, calling it "Alexander's Navy." The plan called for Murray State to practice as well as host home regattas on
Kentucky Lake Kentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River via Kentucky Dam for flood control and hydroelectric p ...
. Murray State was the first school in the State of Kentucky with a rowing program, established two years ahead of the
University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of ...
. In Fall 1996, Stephen Marchino was hired as head coach assisted by Dan Lavit. 172 students attended the first series of tryouts for the new rowing team, held at Roy Stewart Stadium. By Spring 1997 the team had been narrowed to a final group of 31 students. The first competition for the new rowing team was a duel race with
Northwestern State University Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
at the Natchitoches River. In 1998 the women's program was elevated to NCAA status, while the men's team remained at the club level. The move to NCAA status for the women's team was done out of Title IX considerations; however, it brought increased funding, scholarships, and recognition to the Murray State rowing program. The program began hosting the annual Racer Regatta on Kentucky Lake beginning in 1999. Bill McLean was hired as head coach in 2003 after serving as the head coach at the
University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...
for eight seasons. In the following years, McClean made great strides in turning the women's program into an award-winning NCAA rowing program. McClean hired the program's first full-time assistant coach in 2007. Robert Montague joined the program as a full-time assistant coach after serving three years as the head coach of the rowing club at the
College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III a ...
. In May 2008 Murray State announced that the rowing program would no longer be sponsored at the NCAA level. Athletic Director Allen Ward indicated that the move was necessary to increase female participation while managing costs. As a result, rowing was cut and replaced with women's softball and future plans to add equestrian as an NCAA sponsored sport. Ward noted, "It was important that we address the annual budget in a manner that does not jeopardize the opportunity for competitive success across the board. Our evaluation concluded that the sport of rowing does not ideally fit programmatically at the university, so we are choosing to replace it with sports that are more identifiable with the Murray State service region." Following the loss of university funding and sponsorship at the NCAA level in 2008, the men's and women's programs have continued on in competition as a club program.


Rugby

The Murray State Rugby Club was founded in 1996. The club competes as part of the
MidSouth Rugby Football Union The MidSouth Rugby Football Union is the Local Area Union (LAU) for rugby union teams in Tennessee and portions of Arkansas under the True South Geographical Union of USA Rugby. The LAU also currently includes two teams located outside the core are ...
. In addition to intercollegiate matches, the club also sponsors an alumni match each year in which Murray State alumni face off against the student team in a best of three series.


References


External links

* {{Kentucky Sports