From The Stables - Letter From the Desk of Director of Athletics Nico Yantko

Racer Nation,

I want to begin this letter by welcoming our new University President, Dr. Ron Patterson, to The Finest Place We Know.

We are committed to working closely with Dr. Patterson as we continue to build a better Murray State University and stronger Department of Athletics, and are grateful for the alignment we have already experienced with his administration as we shepherd in the new era of intercollegiate athletics post-House Settlement.

Three years ago, we introduced THE RACE IS ON strategic plan, which saw us prioritize people, places, and programs while immediately investing in resources that would directly impact recruiting and revenue.

We then laid out a bold SHARED VISION FOR EXCELLENCE based on four primary objectives that have led to an incredible amount of success and triumphs over the last three years:

ADVANCE the brand of Murray State University;
BUILD a stronger Murray State community and region;
COMPETE for and winning championships;
DEVELOP our student-athletes through strategic programming that will serve them from RECRUITMENT through RETIREMENT.

These objectives are the roadmap to enhance the visibility of Murray State's nationally-recognized brand and to allow us to become a premiere athletics program.

As we saw with baseball's run to the College World Series, the exposure our department can generate is unmatched after the team brought 44.3 BILLION IMPRESSIONS AND AN ESTIMATED $406 MILLION IN ADVERTISING to our campus and community. Our team has also seen a more than 200% increase in traffic to our website, GoRacers.com, and has seen significant growth in our digital strategy presence with key investments into creative video and other storytelling mechanisms.

We showcased to the nation the passion of Racer Nation by shattering our departmental fundraising record with $21.5 million raised in 2024-25, including the LARGEST SINGLE GIFT in University history. This fiscal year, we have already raised $3.7 million after the most recent $1 million cash gift from the estate of Jim and Sue Cash.

We have advanced the brand of Murray State University.

With nearly $30 million in facility projects either completed or underway, none will have a bigger impact on our community and region than the eight-figure renovation to the CFSB Center, a DONOR-FUNDED endeavor that will transform the capability of the home of Racer Basketball.

Part of this exciting project is the addition of new loge boxes and other premium amenities that will significantly enhance the fan experience. These boxes are going fast, so secure yours today by CLICKING HERE.

In addition to the exposure brought to our community by baseball's run to the College World Series, Murray has been chosen to HOST the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Tournament, presented by Credit Union 1, at Johnny Reagan Field. This will be the first time we have hosted a baseball championship since 1991, and our first time hosting a MVC championship since we have joined the league.

Our student-athletes have also made community engagement a huge priority, having broken the SCHOOL RECORD over the last two seasons and completing a record 1,455 community service hours in in 2024-25 through our Dennis Jackson Leadership Program.

We have built a stronger Murray State community and region.

The 2024-25 athletics season became the most competitive in school history, with the Racers winning a record seven championships and individual appearances in the NCAA Tournament by men's golf and track & field.

From baseball's historic run to the College World Series, to women basketball's two league crowns and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 15 years, to our women's tennis team and rifle team continuing to dominate, we are showing that our investment in championship resources are having a massive impact on our competitive success.

But that success not only came athletically, but also in the classroom. We extended our streak of a departmental 3.0 GPA or better to 42 consecutive semesters, and also broke the SCHOOL RECORD for highest Graduation Success Rate with a 94 percent.

We have competed for and won championships.

None of this would be possible without the world-class programming and support our student-athletes receive on a daily basis from each member of our department. Through the Dennis Jackson Leadership Program and the investments made by each of you, we will continue to shape the lives of our current student-athletes and generations of Racer student-athletes for years to come.

We will continue to develop our student-athletes through strategic programming that will serve them from recruitment through retirement.

As we get the 2025-26 athletics year fully underway, we will begin the process of closing out our three-year strategic plan, THE RACE IS ON, and will soon unveil the next iteration of our strategic plan that will propel us into the future.

On behalf of our entire department, I want to thank each of you for your support of everything that we have accomplished together over the past three years, and we cannot wait to continue and make a lasting impact on the future of Murray State with your support.

The BEST is yet to come!

Go Racers,
Nico Yantko Signature

Nico Yantko
Director of Athletics

Murray State University

From The Stables - Letter From the Desk of Director of Athletics Nico Yantko

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