Murray State University Athletics
Victor, Whelchel And Shumate Share Team MVP Honors
4/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State rode its senior class to a 28-6 record and a Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship this season, so it was no surprise that three key seniors shared this year's MVP award.
Cuthbert Victor, Antione Whelchel and Chris Shumate were presented the Joe Fulks Most Valuable Player Award at the team's awards banquet Tuesday night in the Curris Center. With more than 200 Racer fans in attendance, the night centered mostly on the Racers' eight seniors.
"I told the team before we even started practicing that the seniors would determine how far we would go," said first-year Racer coach Mick Cronin.
"Obviously, their leadership and determination led us to a very successful season. As good as players as they are, I'm most proud that they'll all be getting their degrees from Murray State."
On Tuesday night, Murray State was honoring one of the best teams in school history. This season, the Racers came within one win of tying the school's all-time mark for wins in a season (29), won its 12th OVC Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last eight years.
Cronin also became the winningest first-year coach in Racer history, his 28 wins topping the old mark of 27 wins turned in by Tevester Anderson in his first season in 1998-99. The 28 wins by Cronin was also sixth-best all-time in NCAA history among first-year coaches.
In other awards Tuesday night, Whelchel won both the Racer Award and Best Defense Award; Victor earned the Best Rebounder Award; and Shumate also picked up awards for 3-point field goal percentage and deflections. Senior Rick Jones won the Free Throw Percentage Award and Adam Chiles won the Assist Award.
Among the special awards given Tuesday night, Mayfield senior Tim Haworth won the Tom Moran Most Courageous Award and Nathan Akin and Andi Hornig shared the Jeff Martin Class & Character Award.
