Former Student-Athlete Leaves Legacy Gift for MSU Tennis Program
Dr. William Henry Baughman Jr.
MURRAY, Ky.—Dr. William Henry Baughman Jr., a former student athlete and 1968 graduate of Murray State University, has made a generous gift through his will that will leave a lasting impact on the Murray State Tennis program.
A native of Stanford, Kentucky, William became a farmer and an army medic after high school. He followed his service by earning his B.S. in Business Education and Ag Science in 1968 and a Master of Arts in Education in Physical Education in 1968 from Murray State University. He went on to complete a doctoral degree at Indiana University.
After earning his health and safety doctorate, William created a certification exam for emergency medical technicians (EMT). He helped Kentucky start an EMT program, where he earned one of the first of 58,000 certifications to be issued. He also held positions as a certified X-ray technician, construction contractor, tennis instructor and tennis champion for more than 40 years.
William played collegiate tennis at the University of Kentucky and Murray State University and later became an assistant coach for Murray State. His tennis accomplishments are legendary, having won hundreds of awards. He was the captain of Murray State’s OVC championship tennis team in 1965 and 1967. He won Senior Olympic gold medals in 1993 and 1997. He was inducted into the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2011. Being a nationally ranked top player in his age division numerous times earned him Kentucky and Southern Player of the Year for five consecutive seasons.
William, an Eagle scout, was known to be charitable. His family said, “He will be remembered as a tireless worker who strived to do good and honorable work for the betterment of society, hoping to leave this earth better for having lived there.”
Taylor Mudd, Murray State’s assistant athletic director for development, said this legacy gift is a testament to William’s love of tennis and his commitment to helping others. “We very much appreciate Dr. Baughman's thoughtful planning to include Murray State University in his will and it is our honor to help fulfill his wishes,” said Taylor.
“We are humbled by Dr. Baughman’s support and commitment to our tennis program. This special gift is meaningful to each of our players and allows our team to continue the legacy he started here at Murray State,” said Head Coach Jorge Caetano. “His Racer pride will forever benefit our program.”
This generous bequest will provide the MSU Tennis program the resources and facilities necessary to support them in consistently winning championships—just like William did.
Like William, you, too, can create a legacy supporting future generations of Racers as they reach for their athletic goals. Contact Dr. David Durr, CFA, CFP® at 270-809-6912 and ddurr@murraystate.edu to learn more.
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