By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The 2022-23 academic year marked the 75th anniversary of the Ohio Valley Conference, which began in 1948 and currently ranks as the eighth-oldest NCAA Division I conference.
As part of the celebration of the storied accomplishments of the league, a committee working in conjunction with current and former schools captured the “best-of-the-best” in each sport and celebrate the top athletes in league history with the 75th Anniversary Teams across all OVC sports. A similar listing was compiled during the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the league.
The Skyhawks were responsible for four recipients on the OVC 75th Anniversary Team for the sport of men’s basketball as all four men additionally occupy a spot in the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame.
Lester Hudson (2007-09)
Hudson is UT Martin’s all-time leader in field goals made (604) and ranks third in school history in scoring (1,727 points) despite playing only two seasons. He owns the top two scoring seasons in Skyhawk history, wrapping up his career with an OVC-record 880 points (27.5 points per game, which trailed only eventual two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry). The Memphis, Tenn. native garnered All-American accolades, won OVC Male Athlete of the Year and OVC Player of the Year hardware in each of his two seasons. The 2021 UT Martin Hall of Famer helped guide the Skyhawks to a school-record 22 victories, the program’s first-ever OVC regular season championship and first NCAA Division I postseason appearance as a senior. In 2007-08, he accumulated the first quadruple-double in NCAA Division I history with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals against Central Baptist on Nov. 13, 2007.
Jared Newson (2003-06)
Newson was enshrined in the UT Martin Hall of Fame Class of 2014 after earning a spot on the All-OVC squad twice during his career. That included a mention on the All-OVC first team as a senior as his 18.8 points-per-game scoring average ranked second in the league. Although he just played three seasons, the Belleville, Ill. product departed the program as its third-highest scorer with 1,347 points. He still ranks in the top-10 in Skyhawk history in field goals made (452), free throws made (378), rebounds (535) and steals (128). His 141 free throws made during his junior campaign ranked as the most in the school’s NCAA Division I Era at the time.
DeWayne “Pooh” Powell (1992-96)
Powell notched OVC postseason accolades in all four seasons (OVC All-Newcomer as a freshman, All-OVC second team in each of his final three years). Hailing from Fort Wayne, Ind., Powell ranked atop the OVC in career three-point field goals made (a current UT Martin record of 302 treys) after he exhausted his eligibility. To this day, he still leads the program with 263 steals while ranking in the top-five in points (1,626) and assists (330). The 2019 UT Martin Hall of Fame inductee started in each of his 107 career contests and helped guide the Skyhawks to their first winning season in OVC play (9-7) during his senior year.
Cal Luther (1990-99)
Luther is one of the most influential coaches in UT Martin men’s basketball history as he transitioned the program into the NCAA Division I ranks. Joining the school with 422 collegiate wins already under his belt – including 241 at nearby Murray State – he became the Skyhawks’ first-ever OVC Coach of the Year in men’s basketball, tallying his third such award in 1995-96. That same season, he directed UT Martin to its first winning season in conference play since reclassifying to Division I status. Born in Valdosta, Ga. and raised in Milwaukee, Wis., Luther was selected for the UT Martin Hall of Fame in 2017.
Below is a listing of the top men’s basketball student-athletes and coaches in OVC history:
Jack Adams, Eastern Kentucky (1952-56)
John “Sonny” Allen, Morehead State (1946-50)
Jim Baechtold, Eastern Kentucky (1948-52)
Jerry Beck, Middle Tennessee (1979-81)
Garrett Beshear, Murray State (1949-53)
Eddie Bodkin, Eastern Kentucky (1963-66)
Marcel Boyce, Akron (1985-87)
Evan Bradds, Belmont (2013-17)
Courtney Bradley, Jacksonville State (2005-07)
Craig Bradshaw, Belmont (2003-07)
Mike Branson, Southeast Missouri (1998-2000)
Tevin Brown, Murray State (2017-22)
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State (2009-13)
Darel Carrier, Western Kentucky (1961-64)
Tom Chilton, East Tennessee (1958-61)
Ian Clark, Belmont (2009-13)
Jr. Clay, Tennessee Tech/Tennessee State (2018-23)
Antonious Cleveland, Southeast Missouri (2013-17)
Robert Covington, Tennessee State (2009-13)
Howie Crittenden, Murray State (1953-56)
Dick Cunningham, Murray State (1965-68)
Henry Domercant, Eastern Illinois (2000-03)
Bud Eley, Southeast Missouri (1995-99)
Kenneth Faried, Morehead State (2007-11)
Jimmy Hagan, Tennessee Tech (1957-60)
Steve Hamilton, Morehead State (1954-58)
Demonte Harper, Morehead State (2007-11)
Clem Haskins, Western Kentucky (1964-67)
Trenton Hassell, Austin Peay (1998-01)
Josh Heard, Tennessee Tech (1998-00)
Adrian Henning, Austin Peay (2000-03)
Kyle Hill, Eastern Illinois (1997-01)
Chris Horton, Austin Peay (2012-16)
Lester Hudson, UT Martin (2007-09)
Howard Jackson, Austin Peay (1974-78)
Joe Jakubick, Akron (1981-84)
Wille Jenkins, Tennessee Tech (2003-05)
Jim Jennings, Murray State (1962-64)
Kerron Johnson, Belmont (2009-13)
Roderick Johnson, Southeast Missouri (1998-2000)
Frank Jones, Tennessee Tech (1972-76)
Popeye Jones, Murray State (1989-92)
Rich Kaye, Eastern Illinois (1995-98)
Stephen Kite, Tennessee Tech (1982-86)
Bob Lavoy, Western Kentucky (1947-50)
Austin Luke, Belmont (2014-18)
J.J. Mann, Belmont (2010-14)
Tom Marshall, Western Kentucky (1950-54)
Jeff Martin, Murray State (1986-89)
Nick Mayo, Eastern Kentucky (2015-19)
Bob McCann, Morehead State (1984-87)
Jim McDaniels, Western Kentucky (1968-71)
J. Robert Merritt, Samford (2002-06)
Ricky Minard, Morehead State (2000-04)
Nick Muszynski , Belmont (2018-22)
Ja Morant, Murray State (2017-19)
Grayson Murphy, Belmont (2017-22)
Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech (2008-12)
Jared Newson, UT Martin (2003-06)
John Oldham, Western Kentucky (1942-43, 1946-49)
Cameron Payne, Murray State (2013-15)
DeWayne “Pooh” Powell, UT Martin (1992-96)
Bruce Price, Tennessee State (2003-08)
Bennie Purcell, Murray State (1948-52)
Bobby Rascoe, Western Kentucky (1959-62)
Drake Reed, Austin Peay (2005-08)
Brett Roberts, Morehead State (1988-92)
Mike Rose, Eastern Kentucky (2005-09)
Walker Russell, Jacksonville State (2003-06)
Harold Sergent, Morehead State (1962-65)
Tim Sisneros, Middle Tennessee (1972-74)
Kenny Sidwell, Tennessee Tech (1954-58)
James Singleton, Murray State (2001-03)
Lamont Sleets, Murray State (1980-84)
Dwight Smith, Western Kentucky (1964-67)
Larrie Smith, Tennessee Tech (1999-01)
George Sorrell, Middle Tennessee (1973-74)
Isaac Spencer, Murray State (1997-01)
Nick Stapleton, Austin Peay (1998-01)
Jonathan Stark, Murray State (2015-18)
Tyler Stone, Southeast Missouri (2011-14)
Dan Swartz, Morehead State (1953-56)
Harley “Skeeter” Swift, East Tennessee (1965-69)
Les Taylor, Murray State (1970-73)
Terry Taylor, Austin Peay (2017-21)
James “Turk” Tillman, Eastern Kentucky (1978-80)
Cuthbert Victor, Murray State (2000-04)
Corey Walden, Eastern Kentucky (2012-15)
Bobby Washington, Eastern Kentucky (1966-69)
Charles “Bubba” Wells, Austin Peay (1994-97)
James “Fly” Williams, Austin Peay (1972-74)
KJ Williams, Murray State (2018-22)
Dylan Windler, Belmont (2015-19)
Earl Wise, Tennessee Tech (1986-90)
Tommy Woods, East Tennessee (1964-67)
Coaches of Note
Rick Byrd, Belmont
E.A. Diddle, Western Kentucky
Travis Ford, Eastern Kentucky
Billy Kennedy, Murray State
Bob Laughlin, Morehead State
Jeff Lebo, Tennessee Tech
Dave Loos, Austin Peay
Cal Luther, Murray State/UT Martin
Paul McBrayer, Eastern Kentucky
Matt McMahon, Murray State
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information
