Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2013
Five outstanding athletes, an iconic Montana State University professor and a pair of championship women's basketball teams will join the school's most decorated athletic legends when they are inducted into the Wendy's Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame on September 13.
A pair of gridiron greats and two championship women's basketball highlight an induction class of six individuals and two teams. Four of the six individual inductees originally came to MSU from the Treasure State.
Two football All-Americas are up for induction, linebacker Jack Muhlbeier (1977-80) from Hardin and Neal Smith (1994-97) from Polson. Each earned All-America honors after dominant senior seasons. Another two-time all-conference end as a Bobcat football player, Vic Berra (Eveleth, Minn.), also starred in basketball (post) and baseball (first base) for the Bobcats. Ray Willis, Jr., earned the nod as MSU's top defensive player and was a key cog in one of the school's most successful three-year runs in the last 50 years (1985-88).
Alira Johnson, originally from Deer Lodge, won three straight conference championships in the high jump at MSU (1983-85), and continues to hold the school record. Montana State's back-to-back women's basketball championship squads of 2001-02 and 2002-03 took the Big Sky by storm, with different players (Jessica Blake and Isabel Stubbs) winning Big Sky MVP honors in those two seasons. Dr. Hayden Ferguson is renowned on the Bozeman campus as an iconic professor in the MSU College of Agriculture and for his tireless support of all Bobcat teams.
Hall of Fame ceremonies are set for Friday, Sept. 13, at Bozeman's Best Western GranTee Inn. Cost is $50 per couple, $26 for individuals, and the evening begins at 6 pm with a hosted social. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Bobcat Athletics at 406/994-5435. RSVPs are requested by Sept. 5.
Ray Willis, Jr. – Men's Basketball
During a three-year run when the Bobcat Basketball program accomplished some big things, Ray Willis, Jr., was known for excelling at the little things. MSU coach Stu Starner called him the unsung hero on Bobcat teams that won the Big Sky Tournament (1985-86), won the Big Sky regular season title and hosted an NIT game for the only time in school history (1986-87), and hosted the league tournament (1987-88). He was named the team's top defensive player during his final three seasons, and as a senior was among the Big Sky leaders in scoring, assists, steals, free throw percentage and three-point percentage. Willis earned Second Team All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior.
