2022 Hall of Fame Reveal – “Miss Whit” Still Endearing Figure In Racer Athletics
7/19/2022 2:20:00 PM | General, Hall of Fame
Cheryl Whitaker brought a positive influence on Murray State Athletics from 1985-08
Long time athletics administrative assistant, Cheryl Whitaker, has been announced as part of the 2022 class to the Murray State Hall of Fame.
Whitaker makes the July reveal complete as GoRacers.com introduced the eight-person class one day at a time this month. Cheryl Whitaker joins other Racer greats in the
2022 class including Reggie Swinton and Mike Cherry of MSU Football, Michelle Wenning of women's basketball, Paul King of men's basketball, Melissa Spencer of women's tennis, Jessica Twaddle of softball and Dianne Woodside of women's track & field.
Murray State fans are invited to attend the Hall of Fame dinner on the night of Nov. 11 at the CFSB Center. The 2022 class will also be recognized Nov. 12 at the Racer football game against Robert Morris (1 p.m. kick off) and a men's basketball game against a yet to be determined opponent. Tickets to the dinner can be purchased online through the MSU ticket office.
Whitaker becomes the 12th selection to a wing of the Hall of Fame called The Hall of Distinction. This area of the Murray State Hall of Fame highlights people who were not coaches or players, but were support staff, donors and friends of Racer Athletics.
"I was surprised to say the least and I am completely humbled to be selected," said Whitaker who joins her husband, Bill, who was a long-time athletics faculty representative and was inducted in 2013. "For me it was the people at Murray State that were and continue to be special to me and my love of working in athletics. My time in the department allowed me to have a wonderful career. Yes, it was hard work, but it was very rewarding."
While she worked with many of the sports teams and coaches with the Racers from 1985-08, her main duties were with the men's basketball program. Whitaker was an amazing talent in organizing the program when it came to budget, travel, camps and general day to day operations.
Whitaker began working for Coach Steve Newton 1985 and eventually had a part of the winning program efforts for coaches Scott Edgar, Mark Gottfried, Tevester Anderson, Mick Cronin, Billy Kennedy and Steve Prohm, who is currently in his second run as MSU head coach and was an assistant on Kennedy's staff.
Whitaker speaks fondly of her first years with Coach Newton's staff as they all learned computers together during a time when new technology was changing the way work was done. For 23 years, she had a front row seat to great coaches who attracted great players to a great university.
"Being in athletics was great for me, because I loved it all," Whitaker recalled. "It was wonderful to be a part of Murray State and that's because of the people I worked with. It's something that stays with me always."
2022 Hall of Fame – Cheryl Whitaker – Administration – 1985-08
2022 Hall of Fame Dinner & Program
The annual Hall of Fame dinner is on the night of Nov. 11 at the CFSB Center. The 2022 class will also be recognized Nov. 12 at the Racer football game against Robert Morris (1 p.m. kick off) and a men's basketball game against a yet to be determined opponent. Hall of Fame dinner tickets may be purchased through the MSU ticket office online at GoRacers.com. https://am.ticketmaster.com/murray/2022hofdinner
Racer Football Mini-Ticket Plan
Racer football three-game mini-plan packages are now available for purchase. The package includes a general admission ticket for the home opener vs. Jacksonville State (Sept. 10), vs. Eastern Illinois (Sept. 24) and vs. Robert Morris (Nov. 12). The home opener will be a night to remember as we "Light up the Stew" and giveaway 3,000 LED blue and gold glow boom sticks presented by CFSB. The Racers return home two weeks later for the always popular "Family Weekend", and finish out the season at home with Hall of Fame and Military Day. Fans can purchase their mini-plans here: https://am.ticketmaster.com/murray/2022footballminiplan Each purchase of a 3-game mini-plan will also include one general admission ticket to a Racers home basketball game at CFSB Center during the 2022-23 season.
About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department of Murray State University is a NCAA Division I member and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball, as well as a mixed gender rifle team. The Racers became members of the Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. The Racers will become a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023.
Whitaker makes the July reveal complete as GoRacers.com introduced the eight-person class one day at a time this month. Cheryl Whitaker joins other Racer greats in the
2022 class including Reggie Swinton and Mike Cherry of MSU Football, Michelle Wenning of women's basketball, Paul King of men's basketball, Melissa Spencer of women's tennis, Jessica Twaddle of softball and Dianne Woodside of women's track & field.Murray State fans are invited to attend the Hall of Fame dinner on the night of Nov. 11 at the CFSB Center. The 2022 class will also be recognized Nov. 12 at the Racer football game against Robert Morris (1 p.m. kick off) and a men's basketball game against a yet to be determined opponent. Tickets to the dinner can be purchased online through the MSU ticket office.
Whitaker becomes the 12th selection to a wing of the Hall of Fame called The Hall of Distinction. This area of the Murray State Hall of Fame highlights people who were not coaches or players, but were support staff, donors and friends of Racer Athletics.
"I was surprised to say the least and I am completely humbled to be selected," said Whitaker who joins her husband, Bill, who was a long-time athletics faculty representative and was inducted in 2013. "For me it was the people at Murray State that were and continue to be special to me and my love of working in athletics. My time in the department allowed me to have a wonderful career. Yes, it was hard work, but it was very rewarding."
While she worked with many of the sports teams and coaches with the Racers from 1985-08, her main duties were with the men's basketball program. Whitaker was an amazing talent in organizing the program when it came to budget, travel, camps and general day to day operations.
Whitaker began working for Coach Steve Newton 1985 and eventually had a part of the winning program efforts for coaches Scott Edgar, Mark Gottfried, Tevester Anderson, Mick Cronin, Billy Kennedy and Steve Prohm, who is currently in his second run as MSU head coach and was an assistant on Kennedy's staff.
Whitaker speaks fondly of her first years with Coach Newton's staff as they all learned computers together during a time when new technology was changing the way work was done. For 23 years, she had a front row seat to great coaches who attracted great players to a great university.
"Being in athletics was great for me, because I loved it all," Whitaker recalled. "It was wonderful to be a part of Murray State and that's because of the people I worked with. It's something that stays with me always."
2022 Hall of Fame – Cheryl Whitaker – Administration – 1985-08
- Whitaker worked in the MSU Athletics department for 33 years.
- Whitaker becomes the 12th to be inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame – Hall of Distinction category and the first since Dick & Jan Weaver were inducted in 2018.
- Cheryl's husband, Bill, was inducted in 2013.
- The rest of the Hall of Distinction members include: Dr. Karl Hussung (2000), Frank Fazi (2012), Bill Whitaker (2013), Claire Benton (2016), Dr. Richard Blalock (2016), Phil Bryan and Chuck Shuffett (2016), Neal Bradley, Saundra Edwards and Dick & Jan Weaver (2018).
- Worked for six head men's basketball coaches and was part of 13 OVC regular season championships and 11 OVC Tournament titles and the same in NCAA appearances.
2022 Hall of Fame Dinner & Program
The annual Hall of Fame dinner is on the night of Nov. 11 at the CFSB Center. The 2022 class will also be recognized Nov. 12 at the Racer football game against Robert Morris (1 p.m. kick off) and a men's basketball game against a yet to be determined opponent. Hall of Fame dinner tickets may be purchased through the MSU ticket office online at GoRacers.com. https://am.ticketmaster.com/murray/2022hofdinner
Racer Football Mini-Ticket Plan
Racer football three-game mini-plan packages are now available for purchase. The package includes a general admission ticket for the home opener vs. Jacksonville State (Sept. 10), vs. Eastern Illinois (Sept. 24) and vs. Robert Morris (Nov. 12). The home opener will be a night to remember as we "Light up the Stew" and giveaway 3,000 LED blue and gold glow boom sticks presented by CFSB. The Racers return home two weeks later for the always popular "Family Weekend", and finish out the season at home with Hall of Fame and Military Day. Fans can purchase their mini-plans here: https://am.ticketmaster.com/murray/2022footballminiplan Each purchase of a 3-game mini-plan will also include one general admission ticket to a Racers home basketball game at CFSB Center during the 2022-23 season.
About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department of Murray State University is a NCAA Division I member and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball, as well as a mixed gender rifle team. The Racers became members of the Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. The Racers will become a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023.
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