The annual Alumni W-Club homecoming brunch and WKU Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place Saturday morning in Diddle Arena.

John Hall, Stan Markham, David Murphy, and Joel Murrie were the guests of honor, and were officially inducted into the hall of fame.

John Asher, a WKU alum and Churchill Downs VP of racing communications, was the master of ceremonies.

“I spent the best years of my life on the Hill,” said Asher, who called himself “first and foremost, a WKU fan.”

Asher first introduced President Gary Ransdell. 

“Let me thank you first and foremost for the legacy you have created for this university,” Ransdell said, addressing the W-Club members present.

Athletics Director Todd Stewart spoke and highlighted WKU’s 82 Sun Belt Conference championships in the past 10 years. He pointed out to the enthusiasm of the audience that figure was 42 better than rival Middle Tennessee State.

“Let me thank the W-club for the already 130 Hall of Fame members,” Stewart said, “and thank you for the continuous support our athletic program receives from you.”

Asher and W-Club President Mike Montgomery inducted the four guests of honor into the Hall of Fame, giving a little bit of information about each inductee while doing so. 

Former football player John Hall received Hall of Fame honors, and in his career between 1977-1980, Hall led the Toppers to 2 Ohio Valley Conference championships, and had an impressive 50.1% completion percentage for his career.

Stan Markham was honored next. In his baseball career between 1966-1969, Markham posted a 2.79 run average in 183.1 innings pitched. Markham went on in his post-college days to play in the minor league for the Cincinnati Reds organization

Track and Cross Country runner David Murphy from 1979-1981 received Hall of Fame honors as well. Highlights of his collegiate career include winning the 10,000 meter races of the OVC championships of ’79 and’81.  Some of his all-time career highlights include being ranked the No. 2 road racer in the United States in 1985, and placing second in the ’84 New York Marathon.

Finally, former head baseball coach Joel Murrie was honored. Murrie had a long and successful career on the hill, beginning in 1980 and ending in 2005. Murrie holds the record for most wins by a WKU coach in a single sport at 815 wins. Murrie coached 71 Toppers who went on to play pro ball.