Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
"Bennie's Corner" To Be Recognized At Thursday At CFSB Center
2/1/2017 11:04:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State Athletics announced plans to honor the late great Bennie Purcell when the Racer men's basketball team hosts Belmont Thursday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.
"Bennie's Corner" and the incomparable Bennie Purcell will be recognized during the game that has an 8:05 p.m. tip and aired on national television by ESPNU.
During one of the game time outs, the Racers will unveil a monument that will mark the area of the CFSB Center that Bennie and his friends often stood to watch Murray State games along the upper rail in the CFSB Center.
Bennie Purcell died at the age of 86 on Feb. 12, 2016.
A native of Mount Vernon, Ill., Purcell's legend was well known in collegiate basketball and tennis circles as a coach and outstanding player that started from his days of playing basketball for the Racers in the late 1940's.
Purcell came to Murray State in the fall of 1948 and was one of its best ambassadors up to his death.
When the Ohio Valley Conference was formed in 1948, Purcell became one of the league's superstars and helped the Racers win their first OVC basketball championship in 1951. He was a two-time All-OVC pick and in 1952 and named the most valuable player in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Tournament (NAIA). In addition, Purcell was a Converse All-America as well as United Press International and Associated Press.
Purcell was the first Racer to reach 1,000 career points and named to the OVC's 40th anniversary basketball team in 1988. His No. 21 jersey was retired in 1952 and hangs in the rafters.
Purcell was also a hall of fame tennis coach and led the Racers to the OVC title in his first year in 1969. It was the first of 11 championships. Purcell's Racers did something that is still unheard of. They swept an entire decade by winning 10-straight OVC men's tennis championships in the 1980's. Purcell was named OVC Coach of the Year eight times.
Purcell was a six-time hall of fame selection including: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) (1969), Murray State Athletics (1969), Ohio Valley Conference (1990), Kentucky USTA (1994), Intercollegiate Tennis Association (1999) and Mount Vernon High School (2011).
"Bennie's Corner" and the incomparable Bennie Purcell will be recognized during the game that has an 8:05 p.m. tip and aired on national television by ESPNU.
During one of the game time outs, the Racers will unveil a monument that will mark the area of the CFSB Center that Bennie and his friends often stood to watch Murray State games along the upper rail in the CFSB Center.
Bennie Purcell died at the age of 86 on Feb. 12, 2016.
A native of Mount Vernon, Ill., Purcell's legend was well known in collegiate basketball and tennis circles as a coach and outstanding player that started from his days of playing basketball for the Racers in the late 1940's.
Purcell came to Murray State in the fall of 1948 and was one of its best ambassadors up to his death.
When the Ohio Valley Conference was formed in 1948, Purcell became one of the league's superstars and helped the Racers win their first OVC basketball championship in 1951. He was a two-time All-OVC pick and in 1952 and named the most valuable player in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Tournament (NAIA). In addition, Purcell was a Converse All-America as well as United Press International and Associated Press.
Purcell was the first Racer to reach 1,000 career points and named to the OVC's 40th anniversary basketball team in 1988. His No. 21 jersey was retired in 1952 and hangs in the rafters.
Purcell was also a hall of fame tennis coach and led the Racers to the OVC title in his first year in 1969. It was the first of 11 championships. Purcell's Racers did something that is still unheard of. They swept an entire decade by winning 10-straight OVC men's tennis championships in the 1980's. Purcell was named OVC Coach of the Year eight times.
Purcell was a six-time hall of fame selection including: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) (1969), Murray State Athletics (1969), Ohio Valley Conference (1990), Kentucky USTA (1994), Intercollegiate Tennis Association (1999) and Mount Vernon High School (2011).
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