Joel Murray - basketball athlete of the year 2021
Joel Murray - West Texas A&M
Why Honored: 2021 was a great season for the Buffs and Murray quickly became a standout player on the team. He started in all 22 games and averaged a career-best 23.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He shot 47% overall, 30% from the 3-point line and 80.7% from the free-throw line.
Murray's 23.3 points per game is the third-most in a single season in program history. The junior scored in double digits in 17 games and scored a career-high 37 points against Lubbock Christian. That career-high scoring led to Murray being named the USBWA National Player of the Week.
Murray also earned First Team All-Lone Star Conference, Lone Star Conference All-Defensive Team, and Lone Star Conference All-Tournament Team honors, among many others.
