A Super Seven group for the class of 2023 – will be the 41st class will be honored at MSU
Murray State Athletics has announced the 41st class of the MSU Hall of Fame presented by the Murray Bank, that will be honored the weekend of Nov. 17-18, 2023.
The honored group of seven spans 47 years of Murray State history from 1976 to 2018 and includes Murray State football greats Squeeky Yarbrough (1982-85) and Nathan Williams (2003-08). Basketball MVPs Jonathan Stark (2016-18) and Ke’Shunan James (2014-17) will also be enshrined, as well as soccer legend Harriet Withers (2014-17), Cameron Carrico (2007-11) from men’s golf and Robin Courtney (1976-79) from baseball.
“Each of these seven individuals are a true embodiment of what it means to be a Murray State Racer and we congratulate each of them and their families on their enshrinement into the Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame,” Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. “We cannot wait to have these special Racers return home so that we can celebrate their legacy in November.”
This Super Seven group covers six sports that earned a combined 21 All-Ohio Valley Conference honors and eight major OVC awards. The group also won eight conference titles and made five NCAA appearances.
MSU Hall of Fame weekend begins with an induction dinner on Friday, Nov. 17, at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. The group will also be recognized at the MSU home football game (Nov. 18) with Youngstown State at Roy Stewart Stadium.
Details on tickets will be announced soon.
Murray State Hall of Fame 2023 Class
Jonathan Stark, Men’s Basketball (2016-18)
Stark follows DT Mayes and Cameron Payne as the only two-year players in MSU history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 2017-18 OVC Preseason and Regular Season Player of the Year and OVC Tournament MVP, Stark was also Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention. He was the fastest in MSU history to 1000 points, accomplishing the feat in 48 games. In 98 MSU collegiate basketball seasons, he is the all-time two-year scorer in program history with 1,408 points.
Ke’Shunan James (Women’s Basketball (2014-17)
James just finished her sixth season playing professional basketball in Europe. She is MSU’s second all-time scorer with 2,191 points. The 2014 OVC Freshman of the Year and 2017 OVC Player of the Year, James was a three-time All-OVC pick and led the Racers in scoring and assists in three-straight seasons. James is one of only seven Racers with a scoring average of more than 21 points in a single season.
Harriet Withers, Soccer (2014-17)
The first from Racer Soccer to have her number retired, Withers is the MSU program leader in goals (37), points (89) game-winning goals (13), points per game (1.16). A four-time OVC Player of the Year, Withers led the Racers to unprecedented success with three-straight OVC regular season titles (2015, 2016, 2017) and to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2015 and 2017. She has competed at the highest level of professional soccer in her native Australia for five seasons.
Squeeky Yarbrough, Football (1982-85)
A four-year starter at cornerback in the Coach Frank Beamer era and 1985 OVC and All-America selection, Yarbrough was also a star for MSU track & field. He was OVC champion in 1986 in the indoor 60M high hurdles and outdoor 110M hurdles. He played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and New York Giants in 1986 and 1987. Professionally, Yarbrough served 20 years as an officer for Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and in 2006, built the J&B Outreach boys and girls club.
Nathan Williams, Football (2003-08)
Nate Williams is one of the most tenacious players in Racers’ history having overcome two season-ending injuries in 2004 and 2007. Even so, Williams still became a three-time All-OVC selection and in 2008, was OVC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and Walter Camp All-America pick. He was just the second Racer to be named a finalist for the Buchanan Award as he finished fifth in voting. In 2005, he led the OVC in tackles (14th NCAA).
Cameron Carrico, Men’s Golf (2007-11)
As MSU’s only four-time All-OVC selection for men’s golf, the 2008 OVC Freshman of the Year, Carrico ended his MSU career as the 2011 OVC Player of the Year. A big part of MSU’s last OVC team championship in 2010, Carrico is the third MSU Hall of Fame member from the 2010 team joining brothers Nick and Patrick Newcomb. Carrico’s 2010-11 season is still MSU’s lowest scoring average in program history (71.29) and so is his career average (72.68).
Robin Courtney, Baseball (1976-79)
A four-time All-OVC selection, Courtney came out of baseball-rich southern Indiana to join the Murray State baseball program that was enjoying its best decade of winning with four-consecutive 30-win seasons for Coach Johnny Reagan. A starter from the time he arrived at MSU, Courtney was ranked first in all-time at MSU in at-bats (513) and was top-5 in games played (169) and hits (154) when he graduated in 1979. Courtney was inducted into the Greater Evansville Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.