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125-681: The Murray State Racers are the athletic teams that represent Murray State University (MSU), located in Murray, Kentucky , United States , in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks (for football, the Football Championship Subdivision ), primarily competing in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) since the 2022–23 academic year. The Racers previously competed in

250-511: 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 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

375-626: A Second Language (ESL) program to assist international students who are not fluent in English to come to Kentucky to study. This program provides English-speaking, listening, reading, and writing instruction while teaching students about American culture. The ESL program also offers conversation partner practice, where international students are paired with students from the United States to practice speaking English. As of fall 2012, Murray State had 2,831 students living on campus. Murray State

500-512: A massive renovation and expansion of what is now known as Alexander Hall on the west side of 16th Street near Calloway Avenue. The project was the first to unveil a new architectural style that would become consistent through all renovation and new construction projects on campus. Alexander Hall houses classrooms and offices for the College of Education. Construction continued with the new state-of-the-art science complex for biology and chemistry that

625-523: A member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1936. For 29 years, Murray State University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report 's Best Colleges as one of the top regional universities in the United States. The 2019 rankings listed Murray State at 11th place among the public regional universities in the South and 24th overall among all regional universities in

750-419: A range of nationally recognized authors and received acclaim from sources as diverse as La Bloga , a leading Hispanic journal, and New Pages , a leading national review of literary magazines. A lack of funding led to the suspension of publication in 2018. WKMS-FM (91.3 FM) is a non-commercial, educational National Public Radio -affiliated station licensed and operated by Murray State University. It features

875-518: 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

1000-820: A similar concept and design as Clark College. In the fall of 2009, the old Clark Hall building was torn down. Following the completion of the spring 2011 semester, the university began renovation to Elizabeth Hall, which houses the Elizabeth Residential College. The $ 7.2 million renovation project closed the building for the entire 2011–12 academic year as the highrise was upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The renovation also included new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver status. The renovated Elizabeth Hall reopened on August 18, 2012. Hester Hall

1125-589: A single game with eight in a 1987 game against Vanderbilt , and for career 3-point field goal percentage (.485, 81–167). Gottfried graduated with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences in Communications from the University of Alabama in 1987, after winning both the school's Hayden Riley Top Scholar Award and the Bryant Award as the school's top scholar-athlete during his senior year. He was selected by

1250-546: A steppingstone to major-college coaching success. Five former Murray State coaches have gone on to head coaching positions at BCS schools. 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 was named head football coach of the Memphis Tigers in 2011. As a player, Fuente was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of

1375-540: 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." The football rivalry with Western Kentucky began with

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1500-400: A variety of NPR programming and local music shows ranging from classical music, bluegrass, alternative rock, jazz, electronica, and world music. Presidents of the university include: Mark Gottfried Mark Frederick Gottfried (born January 20, 1964) is an American men's college basketball coach , basketball podcaster, and former player who most recently served as head coach of

1625-446: Is Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the oldest professional fraternity is Sigma Alpha Iota (both relating to music) with the oldest social sorority being Sigma Sigma Sigma . As of the spring 2016 semester, 1,438 students were officially reported to be involved with Greek life, representing 19% of the undergraduate student population. As of Fall 2019, 16% of undergraduate students make up Murray State Greek Life. The average chapter size for

1750-504: Is also recognized as a National Historic Chemical Landmark (NHCL) for William Kelly's Iron and Steel Making Process [NHCL, American Chemical Society, 2015]. The football program has become a stepping-stone to major college-coaching success. Frank Beamer , the former Virginia Tech head coach who built that program into a national power in the 1990s and early 2000s, and former Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt are both former Racers head coaches. Former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen

1875-598: Is an annual event, first held in 1958, that takes place each April in which residential colleges, fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations compete in a choreographed song and dance competition. The event is hosted by the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota (the original organizer of the event), with financial assistance from the MSU Alumni Association and the Office of Student Affairs. It

2000-416: Is an event that takes place before every homecoming football game. At Tent City, more than 50 tents are set up on the track at Roy Stewart Stadium , representing fraternities, sororities, student organizations, and residential colleges. An average of 100 organizations participate each year. Students use this event as a chance to talk to and meet with alumni to help raise money for their activities throughout

2125-489: Is held on the steps of historic Lovett Auditorium. Campus Lights is the longest-running student-produced and performed musical in the South. The show was started in 1938 by the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha as a fundraiser to pay the chapter's chartering fees. Campus Lights is now produced by a joint effort of the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha and the Iota Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. All proceeds from

2250-443: 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

2375-589: Is located just to the southwest of Alexander Hall. The massive new science complex was constructed in phases, with the Biology Building opening in 2004, and the rest of the complex and centerpiece clock tower reaching completion in March 2008. The new clock tower was dedicated in 2007 as the Jesse L. Jones Family Clock Tower. A physics and engineering building was completed in the summer of 2017. The majority of

2500-507: Is the main branch of SGA, and it is the governing body with the power to pass resolutions, bills, rules, and regulations necessary for the general welfare of the university, and to implement and maintain any programs consistent with SGA purposes. The president of SGA holds the student seat on the Board of Regents. Murray State is home to twenty-six chapters of both social and professional Greek organizations. The oldest social fraternity on campus

2625-414: Is the next highrise residence hall scheduled for renovation; however, the timeline for that project has not been announced. Murray State University offers eleven associate programs, 64 bachelor programs, 42 master and specialist programs, and three doctoral programs which are administered through four academic colleges, two schools, 30 departments, and one joint program shared by the College of Business and

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2750-441: Is the only mascot to be interred inside the walls of the stadium. Since 1985, each horse that has circled the football field after touchdowns has been known as Racer One. Several horses have filled the role of Racer One since 1985, and the position is currently held by a horse named Vegas. Each fall, sophomores and juniors with riding experience can try out to serve as jockeys of Racer One for the following football season. The position

2875-508: Is to promote the welfare, growth, and development of student life in an environment of academic excellence, to represent the students in all phases of administrative effort, and to provide a means of promoting cooperative efforts for the general welfare of the university community. The SGA is made up of four branches: Senate, Campus Activities Board, Judicial Board, and the Residential College Association. The Senate

3000-525: Is typically held by a student in his or her senior year. Located in front of Pogue Library, Murray State tradition dictates if a couple gets married after meeting at Murray State, they return to the Quad and each one nails one of their shoes to the "Shoe Tree." Many of the shoes include names and dates written on them. If the couple has a baby, the baby's shoes are sometimes also nailed to the tree. The shoe tree tradition originated around 1965. This tree (due to

3125-452: Is underway to replace many of the older residence halls. A replacement building for Clark College was completed and ready for residents at the beginning of the 2007 fall semester. Clark Hall was the newest building, and the first residence hall specifically designed around the residential college concept and model. A new four-story, 270-bed, 79,900-square foot Richmond Hall was opened for James H. Richmond Residential College in fall 2009. It has

3250-580: The 1992 NBA draft . He's also served as an NBA assistant coach, most recently with the Indiana Pacers . James Singleton joined Coach Tevester Anderson's team and instantly became one of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference from 2001 to 2003. Singleton was a dominant force for the Racers, earning two-time All-OVC selection with 811 points (13.5ppg) and 632 rebounds (10.5) in 60 games. As of 2023, his 632 rebounds rank first all-time at MSU among two-year players, and his 811 points rank 12th. He led

3375-406: The 1995 NCAA champions with Gottfried as an assistant coach and recruiter. The Bruins were ranked 1st nationally for their recruiting class in 1994 and produced future NBA players Ed O'Bannon , George Zidek , Tyus Edney , Don MacLean , Tracy Murray , Trevor Wilson , Darrick Martin and Mitchell Butler . Gottfried faced his former school twice as head coach at Alabama, losing 79–57 in

3500-653: The Cal State Northridge Matadors . Gottfried played one season at Oral Roberts and three seasons at Alabama , advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in each of his seasons with the Crimson Tide . He spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at UCLA , including the team's 1995 NCAA championship season , three years as head coach at Murray State , eleven years as head coach at Alabama , and six seasons at North Carolina State . Gottfried

3625-647: The Collegiate Gothic style the Administrative Building, later known as Wrather Hall, housed classrooms, a dining hall, offices, and a chapel. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and renovated soon after, finally being renamed to Wrather West Kentucky Museum, named for Murray State executive vice-president Marvin O. Wrather. All students lived at home or boarded with local families until

3750-592: The Detroit Pistons in the seventh round of the 1987 NBA draft , though he never played professionally. Instead, he spent three years touring with Athletes in Action, then attended UCLA graduate school for two years. Gottfried served as an assistant coach for eight seasons (1988–95) at UCLA under Jim Harrick . Other members of the staff were former St. John's and UCLA head coach Steve Lavin and former Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar . The Bruins were

3875-650: The Louisville Cardinals was only the third time since the turn of the century that the Wolfpack had picked up a road win vs. an AP Top 10 squad, snapping a 22-game drought in such games. NC State would qualify for the NCAA Tournament as an 8 seed eliminating the top seeded Villanova Wildcats before falling to number 4 seed Louisville Cardinals in the Sweet 16 Gottfried's second in 4 years with

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4000-472: The Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. Murray State is known for its men's basketball program, which has won 28 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, 18 OVC tournament championship, and made 18 appearances in the NCAA tournament, most recently in 2022 . The tournament appearances included one win in 1988 the Racers defeated North Carolina State in the first round but lost to Kansas in

4125-476: The NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2022 . In 2010 , as a 13-seed, Murray State won their second-ever NCAA tournament game on a buzzer-beater against 4th-seeded Vanderbilt. Former Alabama head basketball coach Mark Gottfried 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 Racer men's basketball team

4250-451: The NCAA tournament . Because his team was selected into the tournament, Gottfried received a two-year extension on his contract through April 4, 2018. On March 18, 2012, Gottfried's 11th-seeded Wolfpack team defeated the 3rd-seeded Georgetown Hoyas in the 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament, earning a Sweet 16 berth. Five days later, the Wolfpack lost to 2nd-seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16. On January 12, 2013, Gottfried became just

4375-969: The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2021–22; and in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1947–48. 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. Murray State men's athletics began in 1925–26,

4500-466: The 14th coach in history to beat the #1 ranked team in the country with two separate schools after beating Duke 84–76 (having previously done so at Alabama). During the 2014–2015 season, NC State picked up wins against two Top 10 conference opponents (Jan 11 vs Duke and Feb 14 vs Louisville). Both Top 10 victories came immediately after losses to the ACC leading Virginia Cavaliers . The road victory against

4625-580: The 1925–1926 season under head coach Carlisle Cutchin . Murray State finished 9–5 in their inaugural season, with the first game being a 31–14 loss to Will Mayfield College . 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 coached

4750-557: The 1949 Tangerine Bowl. This was only the third installment of the Tangerine bowl, which is now known as the Citrus Bowl . The Racers played to a 21–21 tie against Sul Ross State University . The Racers were coached by Fred Faurot, who was the younger brother of legendary Missouri Tigers coach Don Faurot . 1948, 1950, 1951, 1979, 1986, 1995, 1996, 2002 1949 Tangerine Bowl Murray State baseball reached national prominence in

4875-554: 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 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

5000-495: The 2001 John Wooden Classic and losing 62–59 in the second round of the 2006 NCAA tournament . Gottfried was head coach from 1995 to 1998 at Murray State University and compiled a 68–24 overall record. Murray State advanced to the NCAA tournament in 1997 and again in 1998 and made the NIT in his first season there in 1996. He coached the Racers to Ohio Valley Conference championships in each of his seasons as head coach, becoming

5125-708: The 2022–23 academic year. The Racers previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2021–22; and in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1947–48. 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. In July 2022, Murray State and Belmont will both leave

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5250-580: The AP poll. The team held the ranking for two weeks before losing 51–49 to Utah shortly before conference play. During the end of the following season, his team upset top-ranked and top-seeded Stanford in the second round of the NCAA tournament . The squad then defeated reigning national champion Syracuse to advance to the Elite Eight , achieving another program first. The Tide ultimately lost to eventual national champion UConn . For his efforts, Gottfried

5375-645: 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

5500-495: The College of Science, Engineering, and Technology. The College of Business is the largest at Murray State, enrolling 23% of the undergraduate students. Murray State has been institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, continuously since 1928. It is one of eight schools in the state of Kentucky to achieve AACSB accreditation of business programs; however,

5625-611: 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. Murray State University Murray State University

5750-810: 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 . He was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978. While at Murray State, Jones scored 2,057 points which still ranks fourth all time for

5875-461: 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

6000-468: The Murray family from whom the city and the university take their names. The shield is blue with a double gold border—its three stars represent hope, endeavor, and achievement. The oldest and most easily recognizable buildings on the Murray State campus are situated around a large, grassy, tree-lined area on the south side of the campus. This part of the campus, known as the Quad, is bounded by 16th Street to

6125-525: The NBA's Los Angeles Clippers (2005–07), Dallas Mavericks (2008–10), and Washington Wizards (2012). He also had successful basketball stints in China, South Korea, and Italy among other places. 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 in the 2016 NBA draft . Morant

6250-456: The NCAA championships seven times. 1978, 1985, 1987 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 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,

6375-556: 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 at the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Mississippi . Murray State Softball

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6500-654: The Normal School Commission to choose his city. On September 2, 1922, Murray was chosen as the site of the western normal school, while Morehead was chosen for the eastern normal school . On November 26, 1922, John Wesley Carr was elected the first president of the Murray State Normal School by the State Board of Education. Believing it had the authority to elect the president, the Normal School Commission picked Rainey Wells as

6625-458: The OVC in back-to-back seasons in rebound average, a feat no other Racer has achieved since. Singleton also set the program record for the best 3-point percentage in a single game by making 8-of-8 from beyond the arch, breaking the Ohio Valley Conference record previously held by UT Martin's Okechi Egbe of 7-of-7. His professional basketball career spanned 14 years from 2003 to 2017, including stints with

6750-625: The OVC to join the MVC. Because the MVC does not sponsor football, Murray State plans to remain in OVC football for the 2022 season before leaving for the Missouri Valley Football Conference (a separate entity from the MVC) in 2023. MSU will also maintain OVC membership in rifle , another sport not sponsored by the MVC. Murray State is particularly renowned for its men's basketball program , which has made 18 appearances in

6875-738: The OVC to the MVC in 2022, are both about two hours' drive away. The University of Evansville , 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. 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 1951, 1964, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2022 The Murray State football program first competed on

7000-422: 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

7125-609: The Panhellenic Council is 93; Interfraternity Council is 50; and National Pan-Hellenic Council is 5. The average Greek GPA is 3.20. (All statistics come from the Murray State University Office of Greek Life website.) Greek life has been banned on campus several times in past decades, namely 2012 and 2018. The 2012 incidents involved Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity houses. The 2018 ban on Greek life and social events followed

7250-753: 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 , Popeye Jones , James Singleton , Isaiah Canaan , Cameron Payne , and Ja Morant . 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

7375-519: 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 in

7500-620: The Robert E. Johnson Theatre, Clara Eagle Art Gallery, WKMS-FM , and television studios used for student work. Directly south of the Quad is Sparks Hall. The five-story, 39,000-square-foot (3,600 m2), Sparks Hall was completed in 1967 for $ 1,308,514, and functions as the main administrative building, housing the offices of student financial aid, admissions and registration, accounting and financial services, vice president for administrative services, Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach, human resources and university communications. To

7625-688: The South. Murray State has consistently been one of the top-ranked public regional universities in Kentucky in the Regional Universities-South category, which consists of both private and public schools. Murray State has also been ranked by Forbes among America's Top Colleges since 2008. Presumably, due to its location near multiple state borders, Murray State offers discounts from its normal out-of-state tuition rates to residents of several regional states. These discounts apply only to residential students; all online students pay

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7750-535: The Wolfpack. However it would be Gottfried's last winning season in Raleigh. On January 23, 2017, Gottfried earned his 400th career win as a head coach by defeating #17 Duke in an 84–82 thriller at Cameron Indoor Stadium . It was the first time since January 1995 that NC State had won at Duke. After two losing consecutive seasons, including going 9–27 in the ACC during those seasons and several transfers out, Gottfried

7875-454: 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

8000-427: 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

8125-403: 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 , Murray State University sponsors five men's, nine women's and one co-ed teams in NCAA sanctioned sports. On January 7, 2022, it was announced that Murray State would join

8250-500: 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. 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 ), 1985 ( NCAA ), and 1987 (NCAA). The team

8375-478: The basic residential college concept was successfully implemented. All faculty, staff, and students, even those who live off-campus, are assigned to one of the eight residential colleges. Once assigned to a residential college, a person remains a member of that college throughout their time at the university. The Student Government Association (SGA) is the officially organized body governing all students and student organizations at Murray State University. Its purpose

8500-451: The central portion of campus. It was completed in 1931. Originally used as a men's dormitory, 38,600-square-foot Ordway Hall later housed event space and several offices. Because of costly renovation needs, Ordway was razed in 2013. The front facade was retained as a monument to its significance. An aggressive building campaign on campus has resulted in a westward expansion of the main academic campus of Murray State. The expansion began with

8625-471: The classical residential college model, such as dining halls and libraries at each college. In the Murray State model students do share central dining areas and recreation areas. However, as the older structures are being phased out, the university is taking steps with the new residential colleges to address many of those needs. Although the physical structures of all of Murray State's residential colleges do not match those of institutions such as Oxford or Yale,

8750-523: The death of 19-year-old Zach Wardrip. In both cases, several persons were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning and ensuing violence. In 1998, a fatal dormitory fire on campus was attributed to GLOs. The alma mater of Murray State University is sung to the tune of " Annie Lisle " and has two verses. A.B. Austin, one-time Dean of Men, wrote the words in 1935. It is traditionally sung at student orientation, convocation and commencement ceremonies, athletic events, and other special events on campus. All-Campus Sing

8875-524: The east of the pedestrian pathway lies the Curris Center, Carr Health Building and Cutchin Fieldhouse, Waterfield Library , Mason Hall, and the front facade of the now-demolished Ordway Hall. Woods Hall, a former dormitory located behind Waterfield Library, was razed in the summer of 2019, and the space it occupied will soon be replaced with a park. Ordway Hall was the most historic building in

9000-475: The end of Gottfried's first season, leading Yahoo! Sports ' Pat Forde to recall that CSU Northridge's decision to hire him had been much criticized. In April 2021, CSU Northridge placed Gottfried and his staff on leave amid an internal investigation into potential rules violations in the basketball program. He never returned; he and CSU Northridge mutually agreed to part ways in December 2021, shortly after he

9125-470: The first dormitory, Wells Hall, was constructed in 1925. Wilson Hall was also completed under Carr's presidency, with other structures in progress. In 1926, Rainey T. Wells, recognized as the founder of Murray State, became its second president. Wells served from 1926 to 1932, and during this time Lovett Auditorium, Carr Health Building, and Pogue Library were all completed. In 1926, the Normal School

9250-586: 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 was hired by the University of Alabama on March 25, 1998. He led the Tide to the SEC regular season championship in the 2001–02 season, their first regular-season title in 15 years. The following year, his team became the first in Crimson Tide history to be ranked No. 1 in

9375-544: 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. 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 . Men's Tennis was eliminated as a university sponsored NCAA level sport in May 2016 in response to state budget cuts. Elimination of

9500-588: The first president. On May 15, 1923, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled for the State Board of Education, and Carr became Murray's first president. Murray State Normal School opened on September 24, 1923. In 1924, the first building on Murray State's campus, the Administrative Building, was constructed. Before this, all MSU classes had been held on the first floor of what is now Murray Middle School, located on Main Street. Designed by Joseph & Joseph in

9625-475: 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 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 advanced in 1989. One of

9750-423: The gridiron in 1924. The first game was a 0–0 tie against Union University . 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 by a score of 105–0. The Racers modern-day scoring record

9875-522: The high zinc content from the nails) is a common target of lightning and has caught fire in the past. Previous incarnations of the Shoe Tree were removed in 1999 and 2015 due to safety reasons; the tradition continues through the third tree. The Shoe Tree was featured in Danish pop band Lukas Graham's September 2018 music video for their song "Love Someone." An annual tradition since 1989, Tent City

10000-470: The hitting and outfield coach. 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

10125-525: The house. The central portion of the Murray State campus lines 15th Street between Chestnut Street and Olive Boulevard. This portion of 15th Street was originally open to automobile traffic but has since been closed and converted into a pedestrian thoroughfare. Along the west side of the pedestrian pathway are the Martha Layne Collins Center for Industry and Technology, Blackburn Science Building, and Oakley Applied Science Building. To

10250-469: The job as head coach of the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team. To celebrate the upcoming basketball season, Gottfried planned to perform a tandem skydive into Carter Finley Stadium during halftime of a football game. The jump, scheduled for September 17, 2011, was canceled due to weather concerns. On March 11, 2012, the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team received an 11th seed in

10375-417: The men's tennis program was expected to save the athletic program roughly $ 165,000. 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

10500-472: 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 , who transferred to Louisville to finish his college career and went on to win the 2012 Boston Marathon . The program has produced successful athletes. In 2012, Alexis Love,

10625-478: The more famous tournament games in the program's history was their first-round matchup against #1 seeded Michigan State 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 in 2018 . The Murray State basketball program first competed in

10750-583: The nation from the College Media Advisers in 2000. He had earned second-place honors the previous year. Gateway Magazine is a full-color, glossy magazine published annually as an imprint of The Murray State News. The school yearbook, The Shield , was awarded three Pacemaker awards and two CSPA Silver Crowns. The Shield ceased publication with its 2008 edition due to financial concerns. The university's national literary magazine, New Madrid with editor Ann Neelon, featured work from

10875-477: 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 . 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 , and Kirk Rueter . At the time the new athletics nickname was adopted in 1961,

11000-416: The new Susan E. Bauernfeind Student Recreation and Wellness Center was dedicated. The 73,000-square-foot (6,800 m ) student recreation center includes a swimming pool, two racquetball courts, a walking/jogging track, an aerobic studio, basketball courts, and free weights and cardio workout machines. The center is located just north of the residential colleges, near Roy Stewart Stadium. A building campaign

11125-495: The program and failure to monitor assistant Orlando Early, who was accused of facilitating payments to Smith. In December 2021, the NCAA placed NC State on one year of probation for the violations and ordered the Wolfpack to vacate all of its wins in 2016–17. It also slapped Gottfried with a one-year show-cause penalty , effective until December 19, 2022. If Gottfried works at another NCAA member school during this period, that school must show why Gottfried must not be sanctioned. Early

11250-629: The recipient of several ACP Pacemaker awards , the highest award given to collegiate newspapers, most recently in 2004. In October 2013 the newspaper won third place best-in-show for four-year weekly broadcast at the National College Media Convention in New Orleans. The Murray State News gained notoriety between 1998 and 2001 through the work of cartoonist Darin Shock. Shock earned the honor of top college cartoonist in

11375-575: 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

11500-548: 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 . Murray State has three built-in regional rivals in its current home of the Missouri Valley Conference . Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU), already an MVC member, and Belmont University , which moved alongside Murray State from

11625-659: The same rate regardless of residency. Tuition for doctoral students also does not vary by state of residence. 401 international students from 45 countries studied at Murray State as of 2021. MSU has several international student groups, including the International Student Organization, the Saudi Student Association, and the Indian Student Association. Murray State University provides an English as

11750-661: The school is not AACSB-accredited in accounting programs. Several other programs have achieved specialized accreditation: primarily programs in teaching, fine arts and nursing. As a former normal school and teachers' college, Murray State is best known for its NCATE -accredited education programs. The Clinical Psychology Master's program is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). The university has also gained national recognition for its fine arts programs. The Department of Music has been

11875-416: The school year. The Murray State athletic teams are called the Racers. Their historic nickname had been the "Thoroughbreds", but all teams changed over time to "Racers", with the last holdout of baseball making the change in 2014. The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks (for football, the Football Championship Subdivision ), primarily competing in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) since

12000-421: 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

12125-407: The season. Gottfried is divorced and the father of four sons and one daughter. His oldest son, Brandon, was a standout athlete at Gulf Shores High School ( Gulf Shores, Alabama ) in both football and basketball and graduated from Stanford University , where he played football as a tight end. His daughter, Mary Layson, is an accomplished international fashion model. His father, Joe Gottfried,

12250-542: The second round. In 2010, 22 years to the date of the 1988 win, the Racers beat the Vanderbilt Commodores and lost to the Butler Bulldogs 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 . UNC was fouled on the rebound and went to the line to sink

12375-528: The second time under Gottfried) that Alabama did not reach either the NIT or NCAA post-season tournament, although the Tide did receive an invitation to the first annual College Basketball Invitational , which it did not accept. On January 26, 2009, after the controversial departure of player Ronald Steele and an underperforming season at that point, Gottfried met with Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore and resigned mid-season. On April 5, 2011, Gottfried accepted

12500-404: The series 36–24–7. 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

12625-461: The show are given to the Department of Music to fund scholarships. In 1976, the tradition of having a thoroughbred run around the track after every MSU football touchdown began. The name of that first racehorse was Violet Cactus. She died in 1984 and was buried at Roy Stewart Stadium, near the area where the current Racer One begins its run around the football field after a Racer touchdown. She

12750-555: The south of the Quadrangle, and directly west of Sparks Hall is Oakhurst, the residence of the university president. Construction of the mansion, originally known as Edgewood, began in 1917 and was completed in 1918. The home was built by Dr. and Mrs. Rainey T. Wells. The Board of Regents purchased the home from Rainey T. Wells in June 1936. It was remodeled that year and renamed Oakhurst in preparation for James H. Richmond's occupation of

12875-665: 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. Historically, Murray State's biggest rival

13000-545: The university's sports and recreation facilities are located on the northernmost edge of the campus, along the KY-121 Bypass. The most prominent structure in the sports complex is Roy Stewart Stadium . The stadium, the home field to the Murray State Racers football program, was completed in 1973 and named for former Murray State football coach Roy Stewart. It seats 16,800. The outdated AstroTurf surface

13125-524: The west, 15th Street to the east, Lovett Auditorium to the north, and Wilson Hall to the south. In the southwest corner of the Quad is the oldest building on campus, now known as Wrather West Kentucky Museum. It was first known as the Administration Building and then as Wrather Hall, and housed classrooms and offices, before it became a museum. Ground for Wrather was broken on October 15, 1923, and it has been in use since 1924. The building

13250-655: Was Western Kentucky University , now of Conference USA . The Racers also have a well-known rivalry with Austin Peay State University , which was an in-conference matchup from Peay's arrival in the OVC in 1962 until both schools' 2022 departure from the OVC. 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

13375-455: Was a Racers assistant under Beamer, and former Illinois head coach Ron Zook was an assistant under former ESPN college football analyst Mike Gottfried , who was Beamer's predecessor as head coach. Murray State is also the home of a nationally ranked collegiate bass fishing team that has won multiple titles, including national championships. The Murray State News is the student newspaper of Murray State University. The newspaper has been

13500-504: Was also led to the 2012 OVC championship by Coach Steve Prohm. The basketball program has been recognized as one of the top 30 basketball programs in modern history by ESPN. Murray State also is home to one of the nation's top rifle programs. The Racers claimed national championships in 1978 (NRA), 1985 ( NCAA ) and 1987 (NCAA) and have produced six individual NCAA national champions, including two-time national titlist and 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist Pat Spurgin . In addition, MSU

13625-730: Was born in Crestline, Ohio . He played varsity basketball at Carterville High School in Carterville, Illinois , and Carbondale Community High School in Carbondale, Illinois . He then played for UMS Prep (now known as UMS-Wright Preparatory School ) in Mobile, Alabama , during his senior year, averaging 21.6 ppg/11.2 rpg before graduating in 1982. As a student, he was selected to the National Honor Society . Gottfried

13750-469: 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

13875-476: Was changed again in 1948 to Murray State College, with the expansion of the programs to include graduate-level courses, in 1966 the General Assembly authorized the Board of Regents to change the name to Murray State University. The Shield has the heraldic coat of arms of the family of William Murray , Earl of Mansfield, and Lord Chief Justice of Great Britain in 1756. William Murray is an ancestor of

14000-464: Was founded after the passage of Senate Bill 14 by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which created two normal schools in the early 20th century to address the growing demand for professional teachers. One was to be located in the western part of the state, and many cities and towns bid for the new normal school. Rainey T. Wells spoke on behalf of the city of Murray to convince

14125-408: Was handed a show-cause penalty for the violations at NC State. Had Gottfried returned, CSU Northridge would have had to convince the NCAA that Gottfried should not be sanctioned, and could have been severely punished had he committed additional violations while his show-cause order was in effect. Trent Johnson was named interim coach for the 2021–22 season, and won the job on a permanent basis after

14250-482: Was hit with a six-year show-cause penalty. Gottfried joined the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant coach for their 2017 NBA Summer League team. The Mavericks had drafted Dennis Smith Jr. , who played for Gottfried at NC State for one season, in the 2017 NBA draft . Gottfried was hired as head coach of Cal State Northridge on March 12, 2018. The infractions case at NC State was announced shortly after

14375-553: Was inducted into UMS-Wright's Hall of Fame and in 2004, was the UMS Alumnus of the Year. Gottfried attended Oral Roberts on a basketball scholarship. After playing there for one season, where he was a Freshman All-American , he transferred to Alabama. There, he started 98 consecutive games, and Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in all three seasons he played. He holds the school records for most 3-point shots made in

14500-518: Was named SEC coach of the year by the AP and his fellow coaches. The next season, Alabama entered the NCAA tournament as a fifth seed before suffering a first-round loss to UW–Milwaukee . After that, his tenure at Alabama was marked by key player injuries and disappointment. Alabama posted back-to-back losing seasons in the SEC in 2006–07 and 2007–08. The 2007–08 season marked the first time in nine years (only

14625-646: 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

14750-422: Was on the hot seat. On February 16, 2017, after a meeting between Gottfried and athletic director Debbie Yow , NC State announced that Gottfried would not return as head coach for the following season. In July 2019, the NCAA charged NC State with a series of violations regarding the recruitment of former star Dennis Smith Jr. They included two Level I violations against Gottfried, including failure to control

14875-625: Was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and features a large auditorium that is frequently used for lectures and meetings. Faculty Hall, Wells Hall, and the Business Building line the western edge of the Quad. The Lowry Center, Pogue Library, and the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center line the eastern side of the Quad. The 11-story Doyle Fine Arts Center is the tallest building on campus, housing numerous classrooms, practice rooms, recital halls,

15000-410: Was renamed Murray State Normal School and Teachers College, with a four-year curriculum, and the General Assembly granted it authority to confer baccalaureate degrees. In 1928, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1930, the name was changed to Murray State Teachers College and it was granted authority to offer liberal arts and pre-professional courses. The name

15125-511: Was replaced with FieldTurf in 2007. Located on the second floor of the seven-story press box and seating structure is the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range, home of the three-time NCAA champion rifle squad. The 8,602-seat CFSB Center was completed in 1998 to replace the aging Racer Arena , which had been outgrown by the men's and women's basketball teams. Racer Arena remains in use by the women's volleyball team. On April 16, 2005,

15250-427: 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

15375-636: Was set on October 9, 2010, with a 72-59 homecoming victory over the Missouri State Bears . Murray State's football rivalries have historically been with the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers . 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

15500-511: Was the Racers' highest-ever draft selection, picked second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019 , 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 . The two teams became archrivals during their time together in the Ohio Valley Conference. Although the schools no longer share their conference affiliation,

15625-602: Was the first public university in the United States to adopt a successful campus-wide residential college program. The residential college structure, which took form on the campus in 1996, is based on similar, but much more established programs at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom as well as Yale University , Harvard College and Princeton University in the United States. The Murray State model does not include some components of

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