K-State Alums Bishop And Murrell Elected to Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

Class will be enshrined on October 7

July 10, 2012

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Former K-State standouts Michael Bishop (football) and Willie Murrell (men’s basketball) have been selected as members of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012, the State of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.

The induction class of 2012 will be enshrined in ceremonies on October 7 at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in the Wichita Boathouse.

Bishop, the runner-up for the 1998 Heisman Trophy and Davey O’Brien Award Winner as the nation’s top quarterback the same year, led the Wildcats to a 22-3 record and 15-1 mark in the Big 12 during his two seasons in Manhattan, which included the program’s first No. 1 national ranking in 1998. He ranks among K-State’s all-time leaders in passing efficiency, passing yardage (4,401) and total offense yardage (5,715).

Bishop went on to play 12 professional seasons in the NFL, NFL Europe, and the Canadian Football League.

Murrell, a 1964 Helms Foundation All-American at K-State, was one of the greatest Wildcats to ever play on the hardwood.  Murrell, whose K-State jersey was retired in 2009, led the Wildcats to two Big-8 basketball titles during his tenure and also propelled the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1964 when he averaged 22.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a game.

Although he played just two seasons for the Wildcats, Murrell still ranks among the school’s all-time leaders in scoring (20.6 ppg) and rebounding (10.6 rpg). Murrell was a two-time first-team All-Big-8 selection, an NCAA Regional MVP, a Big-8 tourney MVP, and named to the NCAA Final Four all-tourney team. He went on to play in three professional seasons where he averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

The two former Wildcats are joined in the induction Class of 2012 by former KU quarterback David Jaynes, former University of Wichita distance runner Harold Manning, , KU basketball players Wayne Simien and Bud Stallworth, Winfield tennis coach David Snyder, Emporia State softball player Brenda Stolle and former Oklahoma State women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke.

The nine-person induction class raises the total of inductees to 219 in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, which now includes 38 representatives with ties to K-State.

Tickets to the induction ceremony may be purchased on-line at kshof.org, or by calling 316-262-2038.