In Episode 54, we continue our visits with the inductees of the class of 2019 to the Murray State Hall of Fame, with Morgan Hicks (Wallizer) (Rifle 2000-04). Arriving at MSU from Roy, Washington in the fall of 2000, Morgan Hicks was destined for a big career in collegiate and international competition. An eight-time All-America selection, Hicks competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics and later coached the Racers before she coached at Nebraska. In other MSU Athletics news, Racer football heads to Georgia, MSU Soccer defeats Indiana and now is the time to sign up for the Racer 5K on MSU Family Weekend.

It's a Murray State tradition that dates back to 1976, when a thoroughbred horse first made a lap around the Stewart Stadium track after a Racer touchdown. The original horse, Violet Cactus, is actually buried inside the stadium. Since 1985, each horse has carried the name of Racer 1 and Bailey Coffman is the jockey for 2019. On the program today, Bailey and Dr. Shea Porr speak on this amazing Murray State tradition, the new horse "Vegas" who is in his rookie season and what it means to Dr. Porr and Bailey to be part of the Racer 1 program. In our Racer Athletics news of the week, a fall sports update and we'll recap Ja Morant's return to campus for the first time as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

In recent years, former Murray State football student-athlete, Cecil Wolberton, and some of his close teammates started a Facebook page for Racer Football alumni. Fast forward to 2019 and that page has more than 700 former Racers that either played, coached, was a support staff person or a supporter. The Racer Football Alumni Association is making a positive impact of MSU Football. Wolberton talks about how it all got started and the desire to see the Racers someday become Ohio Valley Conference champions. Also today, the Racers hold their final scrimmage before the season begins and Ja Morant is set to make a visit to MSU on the Memphis Grizzlies Caravan.

As the Racers finish their summer exhibition tour of the Bahamas, now is a great time to catch up with senior Anthony Smith. From Suitland, Maryland, Smith suffered a heartbreaking end to his 2018-19 season when an ankle injury after only six games. Now nine months past it and looking better than ever, Smith and the Racers are looking forward to the 2019-20 season. We'll wrap up MSU's 3-0 Bahamas tour with Coach Matt McMahon and unveil the regular season schedule. Murray State Football has held two scrimmages so far in fall camp and 24 MSU student-athletes have been given the OVC Medal of Honor Award. It's all this week in week 51 of the program.

What a grand occasion it was when former Murray State players, coaches and its great fans gathered for Racer Hoopalooza 2019. At the center of this biannual celebration of MSU's great basketball tradition was the 2009-10 team, coached by Billy Kennedy. The heroics of that team combined with all of the greats that came back to campus made it a memorable weekend. This week's edition of the Runnin' with the Racers Podcast has several interviews from the Hoopalooza banquet and pick up games at the Ray Center. Plus, Racer Football gets fall camp going and we hear what Coach Mitch Stewart thought about the first practice.

Coming out of East Prairie, Missouri in 1977, Danny Lee Johnson was recruited to Power-5 schools, but fell in love with the culture and the people in Murray, Kentucky and went on to become one of the best running backs in MSU Football history. Johnson played for three of the best coaches in Racer history: Fergerson, Gottfried and Beamer. Johnson has a life story that he often shares with others and has written a book about it as he overcame a broken home and and a rough childhood. Johnson was lifted from the tough times by an unshakable faith and great people who helped him along the way. A Murray State Hall of Fame inductee in 2018, Johnson loves Murray State and has carried the years he played football here (1977-81) with him into a 26-year career in the Evansville, Indiana Fire Department. In our news of the week for the Racers: Football camp opens, academic honors for MSU track and field and volleyball, plus MSU Baseball welcomes nine talented newcomers to Reagan Field this fall.

The Runnin' with the Racers Podcast hits the road for Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Day in Nashville. Coach Mitch Stewart talks about family and football and how the two are dependent on the other to be successful. Coach Stewart is a football guy and he bleeds Murray State blue and gold and he's not hoping, but believing good things are ahead for the 2019 Racers. We'll take a look at the MSU players that made the All-OVC Preseason team and visit with receiver James Sappington and defensive back Nigel Walton. Also on the show today, we break down the news of the Racer men's basketball team and their recent acceptance of a spot in the Gulf Coast Showcase where they'll play three games during Thanksgiving Week. The NCAA is rolling out new statistics programs for soccer and volleyball this fall, we'll talk about the recent visit to Chicago for Dave Winder and Parker Griffith of MSU Athletics where they went through a training day at the Big 10 Conference office.

The Runnin' with the Racers Podcast reviews the tremendous success of Tommy Turner, one of the most decorated runners in Murray State history. Arriving at MSU in 1966, Turner was recruited by Coach Bill Fergerson and became a international level talent under Coach Bill Cornell. In 1972, Turner was part of Team USA at the Munich Summer Olympic Games and experienced heartbreak at the disqualification of the USA 4x400m relay team and he was witness to the Munich Massacre that left 11 Israeli athletes dead. In the news of the day with MSU Athletics, we'll have information about Racer Hoopalooza and next week's OVC Football Media Day.

Out of the many pioneers that Murray State has produced in women's athletics, Pat Ward-Seib ranks among the best for her love of competition and her amazing talent that allowed her to not only participate, but also excel in track & field, cross country, basketball, volleyball and tennis. Seib still stands as one of MSU's most versatile athletes of all-time. Today, she talks about her arrival to MSU in 1967 from Owensboro, Ky., and how she soon found out that opportunities for women to compete were plentiful. In the news of the week for MSU Athletics, four Racers are honored nationally in women's golf for classroom success, baseball coach Dan Skirka coaches with the MLB-USA Baseball PDL and MSU Football has every game in the coming season on an ESPN platform.