Coach Eddie Hunt Retiring At End Of Season After 20 Years Leading Men's Golf

Murray State men's golf coach Eddie Hunt announced his retirement after 20 seasons at the helm of the Racer program.

Hunt continued solid leadership in the men's program as just the second all-time head coach, taking over for MSU and Ohio Valley Conference legend, Coach Buddy Hewitt, who started the program in 1961 and led it for 40 years.

A two-time OVC Coach of the Year honoree, Hunt's retirement becomes official June 30, 2021. His final event will come at the OVC Championship (April 25-27) at The Shoals Golf Club on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

"Coach Eddie Hunt has done an excellent job with our Men's Golf Program for many years and we will miss him," said MSU President Dr. Bob Jackson. "He has been a mentor to student-athletes and continued the long legacy of success of this program. I wish Coach Hunt and his wife, Lanette, all the best in retirement. They are wonderful people." Eddie Hunt

"I want to thank Eddie for his selfless service to our men's golf program and our athletics department over the last 20 years," said MSU Director of Athletics, Kevin Saal. "He and Lanette have served this program, department, university and community well. Coach Hunt has impacted the lives of many young men, developing them as students, persons, golfers and eventually professionals, husbands and fathers. Thanks to Eddie and wife, Lanette, for their service to, and love for Murray State. We wish them the very best and know they will always be a valued member of the Racer Family."

Coach Hunt's legacy at Murray State is that of great standards on and off the course. His teams performed at a high academic level by earning six NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Awards by being among the top 10 percent among all Division-I teams nationally. On the course, Hunt's teams won 36 tournament titles, including the 2010 OVC Championship, the fourth in program history.

"It has always been about the players," said Hunt who became MSU head coach in 2001. "I had a coaching colleague tell me one time that you know you have been successful as a coach if your former players still want to be in touch with you and be around you. I have enjoyed that part. Our golf alumni are a big part of this program and I am very proud of that. I think the world of every one of my former players; it never mattered to me if they were the last guy on the roster or the OVC Player of the Year. They were important to me."

Hunt came to Murray State in the 1960's and earned three degrees. He worked in Murray State University administration after serving two years in the US Army in Vietnam. A Paducah, Kentucky, native, Hunt was part of a successful sporting goods business for 26 years in Murray.

"Murray State has been a part of my life for more than 50 years, but it does seem like it has gone by fast. In 2001, I had an opportunity to coach the men's golf team and it was appealing to me. My goal was to have a competitive program on the course and in the classroom and I think we did that. Seeing our players earn their degrees was first on the list and playing golf was second. We kept that priority all the way through." Eddie Hunt

Hunt's former players will individually attest to the high level of competitiveness he demanded.

"Some might say I am a little too competitive," said Hunt with a chuckle. "I always wanted my players to perform up to their potential. If we played up to our potential and just got beat by someone better, I knew we had done all we could do. I think our players understood there was no more important shot than the next shot."

Hunt's teams performed well at the biggest event of the spring, the OVC Championship. The Racers won it in 2010, had four second place finishes (2001, 2004, 2008, 2009) and five third place showings (2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2019). His 36 tournament wins, also produced 32 individual medalists, including four OVC individual titles and 15 different players who earned All-OVC status 22 times.

Academically, Hunt's teams averaged a 3.19 GPA and produced two OVC Scholar Athlete winners and 13 OVC Medal of Honor winners.

About Murray State Men's Golf
The Racers' program is in its 60th season overall and head Coach Eddie Hunt is in his 20th as the second coach in program history. Hunt took over the program in 2001. The founder of the Racer team was Coach Buddy Hewitt in 1961. Hewitt is a Murray State Hall of Famer, inducted in 1990. He was part of the famous Murray State football team that played in the 1948 Tangerine Bowl. The Racers have won Ohio Valley Conference championships four times (1971, 1987, 1991 and 2010). Hewitt won the first three titles and Hunt's team won it in 2010 as their most recent OVC championship. MSU has produced 11 all-time OVC Golfer of the Year winners: Bill Graham (1962, 1963), Ron Acree (1965), Chris Piggot (1971), Chris Carlson (1987), Adam Grogan (1996), Brandon Henson (2001), Nick Newcomb (2010), Cameron Carrico (2011) and Patrick Newcomb (2012, 2013).

Follow the Racers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and on the web at GoRacers.com.

Murray State University Athletics

Coach Eddie Hunt Retiring At End Of Season After 20 Years Leading Men's Golf

Players Mentioned

Cameron Carrico

Patrick Newcomb

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