Murray High School (Kentucky)

Murray High School is a public high school located in Murray, Kentucky, United States. Currently, the school is on Sycamore Street, but from 1872 to 1971 it was located at 801 Main Street, in the building now used for Murray Middle School.

Murray High School
Address
1800 Sycamore Street Murray , Kentucky 42071 United States
Coordinates	36.6011°N 88.3318°W / 36.6011; -88.3318
Information
Type	Public
Motto	"Once a Tiger always a Tiger"
Established	1872
School district	Murray Independent School District
Superintendent	Coy Samons
Principal	Tony Jarvis
Faculty	35.98 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9 to 12
Enrollment	586 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	16.29[1]
Campus	Small city
Color(s)	Black and Traditional Gold   [2]
Slogan	Tradition, Pride, Excellence
Athletics	14 varsity teams
Athletics conference	KHSAA
Mascot	Tigers
Nickname	Tigers and Lady Tigers[2]
Website	www.murray.kyschools.us/mhs/home.asp

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

The Murray High Lady Tiger Basketball team is currently the most successful sport at the school. During former head coach Rechelle Turner's 21-year tenure from 1997 to 2017, the team had unprecedented success. Perhaps the most notable accomplishments of the Lady Tigers are their two back to back KHSAA Final Four appearances in 2016 and 2017, along with a Class A state championship in 2016 and 2018. Additionally, the Lady Tigers were Region 1 champions in 1997, 2010, 2016, and 2017. Turner is now the head women's basketball coach at NCAA Division I Murray State University.

Murray's football team is well known across Kentucky to be one of the best in Class AA. Murray High School had undefeated regular seasons in 2009 and 2010. The program has reached the third or fourth round of KHSAA Class AA Playoffs each year from 2009 to 2014. Prior to moving to Class AA, Murray High School won the Class A state championship in 1961 and 1974.

The Murray girls' track and field team won the KHSAA Class A state championship in 2016 and 2017.

• Archery
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Cross country
• Dance
• Football
• Golf
• Marching Band
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and field
• Volleyball-Ladies
• Water Polo
• Fencing
• Lacrosse-Ladies
• Cricket

Murray Tiger Band

The marching band has won three BOA Grand National Class A Championships in 1977, 2021, and 2024, as well as five KMEA state championships in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024. The band has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, and Walt Disney World in Florida.

Accomplishments

• BOA Grand National Champion - 1977
• BOA Class A National Champion - 1977, 2021, 2024
• BOA National Semifinalist - 2021, 2022, 2024
• KMEA State Champion
  • Class A - 2017, 2018^[3][4]
  • Class AAA - 2021, 2023, 2024
• KMEA 2nd Place
  • Class A - 1997, 2009, 2013, 2015
  • Class AA - 2007, 2019
  • Class AAA - 2022
• KMEA 3rd Place
  • Class A - 1987, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016
• KMEA 4th Place
  • Class AA - 2001
• KMEA State Finalist - 1987, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• KMEA West Regional Champion
  • Class A - 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Class AA - 2001, 2004, 2007, 2019
  • Class AAA - 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• BOA Class A Super Regional Champion (Indianapolis) - 2016
• BOA Class A Super Regional Champion (St. Louis) - 2006
• Murray State Festival of Champions Grand Champion - 1976, 1977, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Murray State Festival of Champions Reserve Grand Champion - 1978, 1979, 2002, 2005, 2011
• MTSU Contest of Champions Finalist - 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

Notable alumni

• Shane Andrus, football placekicker^[5]
• Gordon Cooper, Mercury-Atlas 9 astronaut^[6]
• Tim Masthay, punter for the Green Bay Packers^[7]
• Mel Purcell, tennis player^[8]
• Molly Sims, model and actress^[9]