Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Runnin' With The Racers Podcast - Harriet Withers
6/4/2020 6:59:00 AM | General, Women's Soccer, Hall of Fame
Murray State Soccer great, Harriet Withers, is the special guest on episode 92 of the Runnin' with the Racers Podcast.
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Arriving in the fall of 2014 from Murwillumbah, Australia, Withers was a talent unlike anyone had ever seen at Murray State.
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As a freshman, she was a great compliment for star scorer Julie Mooney. If opponents concentrated too much on Mooney, Withers was very happy to score. The ability of Withers to seemingly go from zero to 60, was like a big rush of wind. She scored six goals and was named to the All-OVC Newcomer team as the Racers placed third in the OVC.
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Withers was joined by her teammate Nyomi Devine on the Murray State team and both were there from the start when Coach Jeremy Groves and Matt Lodge created the winning culture of MSU Soccer and the phrase "The standard is the standard."
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"Ultimately, you set the standard," said Withers, who is about to begin a career as a high school Teacher. "As individuals and as a team, we all have to decide. The standard grows, but it is always the standard. Every payer knows that the standard is decided by being willing to work hard to keep it going. I played for great coaches and they know what they're talking about."
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Withers' first season set the stage for the next three seasons in which the Racers were simply awesome. 50-21 overall, 32-3-5 in OVC play and 31-4-1 at home.
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Withers was OVC player of the year as a sophomore in 2015 with 11 goals and seven assists. She set the MSU single season record for most game-winning goals in a season with five and tied the single season record for most points with 29. The Racers smoked the OVC with the first undefeated OVC championship season of 10-0 and Withers was OVC POY.
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In 2016, the Racers won it again going 7-0-3 in OVC play. Now being double teamed everywhere she went, Withers still scored eight goals and had four assists and was again OVC Player of the Year.
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As a senior in 2017, Withers became a three-time OVC Player of the year with 12 goals and she became the MSU career leader in goals (37), points (89), game-winning goals (13) and points per game (1.16).
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Not one to look at her personal accomplishments, Withers just wanted to win. The dominant three-season period was stunning as the Racers won three straight OVC regular season titles and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
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Withers looks back and is amazed at the life-changing experience she had at Murray State.
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"A lot of my friends and family here in Australia ask me about my time around there," Withers said. "The words that come to mind are that my time at Murray State were the best years of my life. I was so unaware of how much I would love it. It exceeded every expectation I had. When I would come home in the summer, I was homesick for Murray. It was the best in all aspects, the university, the team, my teammates and coaches. Those years went by so quickly."
About Runnin' With The Racers Podcast
Murray State Basketball great Jonathan Stark was the first guest when the pilot episode posted Aug. 29, 2018, The podcast is produced weekly and usually is available by Wednesday and is mainly guest driven with news of the week from the Racers. Dave Winder, MSU Athletics Associate AD for Media Relations is the host.
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Arriving in the fall of 2014 from Murwillumbah, Australia, Withers was a talent unlike anyone had ever seen at Murray State.
Â
As a freshman, she was a great compliment for star scorer Julie Mooney. If opponents concentrated too much on Mooney, Withers was very happy to score. The ability of Withers to seemingly go from zero to 60, was like a big rush of wind. She scored six goals and was named to the All-OVC Newcomer team as the Racers placed third in the OVC.
Â
Withers was joined by her teammate Nyomi Devine on the Murray State team and both were there from the start when Coach Jeremy Groves and Matt Lodge created the winning culture of MSU Soccer and the phrase "The standard is the standard."
Â
"Ultimately, you set the standard," said Withers, who is about to begin a career as a high school Teacher. "As individuals and as a team, we all have to decide. The standard grows, but it is always the standard. Every payer knows that the standard is decided by being willing to work hard to keep it going. I played for great coaches and they know what they're talking about."
Â
Withers' first season set the stage for the next three seasons in which the Racers were simply awesome. 50-21 overall, 32-3-5 in OVC play and 31-4-1 at home.
Â
Withers was OVC player of the year as a sophomore in 2015 with 11 goals and seven assists. She set the MSU single season record for most game-winning goals in a season with five and tied the single season record for most points with 29. The Racers smoked the OVC with the first undefeated OVC championship season of 10-0 and Withers was OVC POY.
Â
In 2016, the Racers won it again going 7-0-3 in OVC play. Now being double teamed everywhere she went, Withers still scored eight goals and had four assists and was again OVC Player of the Year.
Â
As a senior in 2017, Withers became a three-time OVC Player of the year with 12 goals and she became the MSU career leader in goals (37), points (89), game-winning goals (13) and points per game (1.16).
Â
Not one to look at her personal accomplishments, Withers just wanted to win. The dominant three-season period was stunning as the Racers won three straight OVC regular season titles and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Â
Withers looks back and is amazed at the life-changing experience she had at Murray State.
Â
"A lot of my friends and family here in Australia ask me about my time around there," Withers said. "The words that come to mind are that my time at Murray State were the best years of my life. I was so unaware of how much I would love it. It exceeded every expectation I had. When I would come home in the summer, I was homesick for Murray. It was the best in all aspects, the university, the team, my teammates and coaches. Those years went by so quickly."
About Runnin' With The Racers Podcast
Murray State Basketball great Jonathan Stark was the first guest when the pilot episode posted Aug. 29, 2018, The podcast is produced weekly and usually is available by Wednesday and is mainly guest driven with news of the week from the Racers. Dave Winder, MSU Athletics Associate AD for Media Relations is the host.
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