THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Steve McAdoo

Inducted: 2009
Sports: Football

Steve McAdoo is generally regarded as one of the best offensive lineman in school history, this despite beginning his Blue Raider career on the defensive side of the ball.

Blue Raider head coach Boots Donnelly's decision to move the Murfreesboro-native proved pivotal in the program's phenomenal success in early 1990s. McAdoo anchored an offensive line that produced 25 conference wins against only two losses and three OVC championships from 1989 to 1992. He earned back-to-back first team All-American honors (Associated Press 1991 & 1992) and helped lead Middle Tennessee to four NCAA playoff appearances.

McAdoo was well-respected throughout the OVC as coaches selected him to the All-OVC first team in 1990, 1991 and 1992. His highest conference honor came years later, however, when he was named to the prestigious OVC All-Half Century Team.

Class of 2012

Mike Caldwell
Football

Diane Cummings Turnham
Athletic Administration

Harry Gupton
Basketball, Baseball

Tawanya Mucker Wilson
Basketball

Jayhawk Owens
Baseball

History of the Hall of Fame

In the early spring of 1975, a pair of long-time supporters of Middle Tennessee State University's athletic program decided that the University should honor its greatest athletes. Homer Pittard, alumni director, and Gene Sloan, public relations director, came up with the idea and asked sports information director Jim Freeman to join them in setting up an athletic hall of fame.

After getting approval for the Hall of Fame from President M. G. Scarlett, the trio began laying the groundwork to select the first inductees. Others, including Bob Womack and Joe Nunley, were also involved.

"We decided not to have categories but to put all candidates in one group," said Freeman. "We also decided against inducting a large group to start with and felt that three per year was the ideal number. That way, everyone got a good share of the spotlight."

The nominating and voting for the first several years was done by members of the old "T" Club, now reorganized and called the Varsity Club. Nominations were solicited, and the the list of candidates was mailed to the voters. They selected Horace Jones, Charles "Bubber" Murphy and Teddy Morris as the initial inductees in 1976.

The Blue Raider Hall of Fame was originally housed in the old Blue Raider Room under the west side of the football stadium. It had to be torn down when then stadium was expanded in 1998. After several years without a home, the Hall of Fame moved into the new Rose and Emmett Kennon Sports Hall of Fame building in 2004.