Baseball Hosts All-Century Team for Celebration on Saturday

WKU BASEBALL ALL-CENTURY TEAM PLAYER CAPSULES (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Athletics will honor the 23 members of the Hilltopper Baseball All-Century Team on Saturday, May 4 at Nick Denes Field before the 2019 club's game vs. Rice that begins at 1 p.m.

Nearly the entire team — or representatives of the players — along with their guests are expected to return. With gates opening at 11 a.m., the group will gather down the third-base line prior to the game, and be honored on the field prior to first pitch, estimated at 12:40 p.m.

The team is led by head coach Joel Murrie, the program's all-time winningest coach, who was the Hilltoppers' skipper for 26 years, compiling an 815-656-4 overall record. During his tenure, WKU won three Ohio Valley titles, two Sun Belt titles and an SBC Tournament championship in 2004. His 800th career win came on March 18, 2005 vs. Akron and he retired following that season with a program-record 815 victories under his belt. On March 8, 2015, his No. 36 became the second number to be retired in program history.

From Jan. 15 to Feb. 3, WKU invited fans to vote online and put together their own teams to count for a percentage of the overall voting totals. Simultaneously, other voting groups worked to create their own teams including members of athletic administration, WKU Athletic Hall of Famers and active W-Club Baseball lettermen.

The 2019 WKU club hosts Conference USA foe Rice for a three-game series at Nick Denes Field from May 3-5, a Friday-to-Sunday set at Nick Denes Field. Game times are set for 5 p.m., 1 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. The Hilltoppers defeated the Owls 2-to-1 in last season's matchup in Houston at Reckling Park. With an 11-9-1 league record, WKU trails third-place Rice — who is 12-9 — by 1/2 a game. Louisiana Tech stands in fourth place — also with a 12-9 mark — but was swept by the Owls last week.

WKU Baseball All-Century Team

Starting Pitchers
Matt Ridings (2007-10)
Don Durham (1968-70)
Ryan Hutchison (1998-01)
Ryan Bicondoa (2001-02)
Jim "Big Ick" Weaver (1924-27)

Relief Pitchers
Matt Wilhite (2000-03)
Rye Davis (2008, 10-11)

Catchers
Ralph Antone (1980-83)
Matt Rice (2008-11)

First Basemen
Mike Williams (1978-81)
T.J. Freeman (1996-98)

Infielders
Wade Gaynor (2007-09)
Mike Murray (1977-80)
Rob Tomberlin (1985)
Brad Worley (1989-92)

Outfielders
Chad Cregar (2008-09)
John Clem (1984-85)
Kes Carter (2009-11)
Anderson Miller (2013-15)
Jared Andreoli (2009-12)

Utility Players
Matt Gunning (2003-04)
Chris Turner (1989-91)

Head Coach
Joel Murrie (1980-05)

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