The Murray State Racers baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate athletic team of the Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, United States. The team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I and is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, having joined in 2022 after being a charter member of the Ohio Valley Conference.[2]
History
Murray State baseball reached national prominence in the 1970s under coach Johnny Reagan. The team won or shared 11 conference titles during his 36-year tenure from 1958 to 1993, which included 27straight winning seasons and its first two NCAA Division I Baseball Championship appearances in 1975 and 1979. 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. 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. The team was known as the Thoroughbreds even after the university had adopted the nickname of Racers until 2014.[3]
NCAA Tournament
Murray State has played in the NCAA tournament three times.
| Season | Region | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | South Regional | LSU Miami |
L 2–7 L 7–8 |
| 1979 | Starkville Regional | Tulane New Orleans Mississippi State |
W 5–3 W 16–15 L 6–8 L 8–18 |
| 2003 | Hattiesburg Regional | Baylor Southern Miss |
L 6–7 L 0–18 |
References
- ^ Murray State University Brand Guidelines (PDF). June 30, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ https://goracers.com/sports/baseball
- ^ "Murray State University Racers Athletics". GoRacers.com. Retrieved June 14, 2015.