Football, volleyball win soccer championship

Tensions ran high Tuesday night as both the men’s and women’s played for the intramural soccer championship. The girls kicked off the night as the Lady Terps took on the Murray State Volleyball team and the men followed with the Futballers playing the Shooting Panthers.

The Lady Terps started off strong with a goal to take the lead 1-0. MSU Volleyball girls rallied and scored a goal to tie it up 1-1. The atmosphere intensified as the officials asked fans to move from the bench-side of the field to the other to move fans away from the benches of the teams.

Strong defense and goaltending left the game tied at two headed into the second half. … Continue Reading

From The Bull pen: Growing up with Chicago sports

I was young when I realized I would not have a career as a professional athlete. Despite my best efforts and a basketball coach for a dad, I was just plain bad. It didn’t help that I was slow, short and more likely to get hit by a ball than catch one.

I tried my hand at volleyball, soccer and cheerleading but the results were always the same. I am just not cut out to be an athlete, unless you count rodeo but that is another story.

So, I became a fan. My family has always been very into sports. There are countless pictures of me as a baby wearing Chicago Bears and Bulls outfits. In all the family videos of my birthday parties, you can hear and see a Chicago Cubs game in the background, where, unfortunately, they are often losing. … Continue Reading

Strong showing at championship

Jacksonville State and Austin Peay were expected to be near the top, but Murray State was a big surpriuse at last week’s OVC Tournament.

Indeed, it was, and what a surprise they were in the OVC Golf Championship.

Led by the outstanding play of junior Patrick Newcomb and a retooled lineup behind him, the Racers mounted a spirited comeback from 11 shots down to take home third place in the OVC Championship held April 26-28 at Greystone Golf Club in Dickson, Tenn.

Picked to finish eighth in the tournament by OVC coaches, the Racers pushed everything aside and brought a clean slate to the tournament, determined to not have the season written off as a failure. … Continue Reading

Murray alum instills character in players

Head Coach Rob McDonald has Murray State in his roots.

“When the Murray job came open, I just loved Murray,” he said. “My parents both went to Murray State.”

McDonald’s mother, Billie Jean, was named Miss Murray State. His father, Gene, was a member of the Tangerine Bowl team-the last bowl game in which Murray State competed. He served as the team’s quarterback and captain. His wife went to school at Murray State as well as both of her parents.

Head Coach and former ‘Breds player Rob McDonald has coached 20 players to All-Conference Honors, including eight who earned First Team Honors. ||Melissa Ruhlman/The News

“I went a year and a half to the University of Illinois and it was just huge and very impersonable,” McDonald said. “I came down to Murray and thought it was just great, you could walk down the sidewalk and it seemed like I knew most everybody. It was friendly and the people who worked at the University were very helpful. There is a family atmosphere about Murray State and the whole community.

His dad was a football coach and he grew up wanting to be the next Dick Butkus, McDonald said.

“I played baseball in baseball season, football in football season and basketball in basketball season,” he said. “I enjoyed them all but was much better in football and baseball than basketball. I started playing baseball when everybody else did and played ball in the backyard with my dad and friends. I started with T-ball and I just played it all the way up as a young kid.”

McDonald went to the University of Illinois his first three semesters out of high school. He then transferred to Murray State to major in physical education. … Continue Reading

Stampede hopes for more members: Marketing, promotions look for Racer Nation representation in Stampede, offer promotions

For several years, Murray State lacked an organized student cheering section for athletic events. This is no longer the case, as the Stampede took over the CFSB Center last season.

Closing the year with 500 members, the new cheering section brought a whole new level of excitement to the electric atmosphere at Racer basketball games.

For marketing and promotions director Morris White, 500 members isn’t enough.

The Stampede packs the CFSB Center during a basketball game against Southeastern Missouri University. ||File Photo

“Five hundred last year was a great start, but our goal for next year is to double that and reach 1,000,” said White. “We’ve been working hard to publicize it and over the summer we do intend to have a table at the Summer Orientation sessions to let freshmen know that Racer Athletics is something they are definitely going to want to be involved in.”

While the Stampede was impactful at basketball games, White said he hopes to see representation at other sports as well next season.

“The Stampede didn’t really get going until basketball season started,” said White. “Now that we’ve had it in place for a year now, we can use that to our advantage and try to grow our numbers and get students going out to football and volleyball games as well. There’s a lot to be excited about with both the football and volleyball teams as well as the basketball.” … Continue Reading

Softball team enjoys unprecedented success

After the most successful season the team had ever seen, and two wins to their weekend, Megan Glosser, senior utility player, would have been content with a loss to Southeast Missouri State.

“The win on senior day was pretty huge,” said Megan Glosser, senior pitcher. “We could have been content with just winning the two games on Saturday, but everyone came back and fought hard to win that third game on Sunday. As a senior I was really proud of how everyone played and how hard everyone fought when we went into that final inning.”

After all, Murray State had only ever had one sweep, and that was early in the season, not now, with just six games left before the conference tournament. Though there is no doubt the Racers are in the tournament, the pressure to go in with enough wins to prove that they’re a threat to those that would have counted them out in the seasons past.

Trailing by four runs in the bottom of the seventh, it looked like the Racers would just have to be content with two out of three wins on the weekend. But then, Mo Ramsey, freshman outfielder, began the comeback. … Continue Reading

Track sets sights on OVC title

The Murray State track and field teams will travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo., this weekend to compete in this weekend’s OVC Outdoor Championships. Head Coach Jenny Severns said she is ready to see her team make an impact.

“I’m excited,” she said. “I think we can do some pretty big things. OVCs are about going in and doing what you’ve done all season. You don’t need any miraculous performances, but you’ve got to repeat what you’ve been able to do during the season. The teams that go in and repeat their performances will do really well.”

The Racers prepared for the OVC Championships last week with the Showdown on the Cumberland hosted by Austin Peay. … Continue Reading

Open Mouth, Insert Football: Time to go

And just like that, it’s time to graduate. Time to finish up and move on to what is next.

It’s time to go.

Time for the next guy to take my place while I exit stage left. As I glance back and survey my experience here at my alma mater, the melodic tones of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong replay in my mind:

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road,

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.

I’ll be making my way to Bowling Green, Ky., to see what the next phase of my life holds. … Continue Reading

‘Breds push for postseason berth

The Murray State ‘Breds are working toward making the six-team post season.

Head Coach Rob McDonald said he told his team he thinks they are good.

“We just have to take care of our own business, play like we are capable,” he said. “If you take it in small chunks and say; ‘Well we’ve just got to win this game’ and then look at the next one, I think it is a very manageable thing to do.”

The ‘Breds have only nine conference games left to qualify for the post season and right now the team is in seventh. McDonald said he needs everyone to be healthy and to work on consistency to get there. … Continue Reading

Racer gets chance to play in NFL

Just hours after the NFL Draft ended, senior defensive back and return specialist Dontrell Johnson answered his phone.

On the other line was a representative from the Jacksonville Jaguars who was interested in potentially acquiring his skills.

Moments later, Johnson agreed to become a Jaguar, joining former Murray State defensive standout Austen Lane on the squad. Lane was drafted with the 22nd pick of the fifth round in 2010.

Johnson finished last season with return averages of 16.2 yards in punts and 16.5 yards in kicks, while posting one interception for 45 yards, 40 tackles and an OVC-leading 12 pass deflections at the defensive back position.

In 2010, Johnson earned All-American honors, leading the FCS in punt return average (22.8) and returning 16 kickoffs for 323 yards, good for a 20.2-yard average.

Standing at 5-foot, 9-inches and weighing in at 175 pounds, Johnson recorded a 4.47-second 40 yard dash, 10-foot, five-inch broad jump and 37-foot on-half-inch vertical on his March 21 pro day.

The electrifying return man and speedy defensive back garnered attention after playing in the Casino Del Sol All-Star Game on Jan. 16.

Former Racer head coach Houston Nutt selected Johnson to play wide receiver for his East Stars squad, and he did not disappoint, taking a short sideline pass from East quarterback and LSU-standout Jarrett Lee for a huge gain up the sideline, garnering more national attention for Johnson.

Johnson will most likely compete for special teams playing time and blitz-nickel packages for the Jaguars.