Wendell Murphy to receive Don Fish North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Legacy Award
N.C. State fans may know the name Wendell Murphy for his contributions to the athletic programs, and rightfully so.
As of Thursday, Murphy will be recognized for his impact on sports across the state in general. The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame announced that Murphy was the recipient of the inaugural Don Fish North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Legacy Award.
The award is named in honor of Don Fish, the former NCSHOF Executive Director. Current Executive Director Jeff Elliott came up with the idea of the award, looking to honor an individual who “has significantly improved the sports landscape in North Carolina.”
A 1960 graduate of N.C. State, Murphy and his father, Holmes, started a business, Murphy Family Ventures.
A member of the Centennial Authority, which played a huge role in the development of PNC Arena, Murphy worked tirelessly to get funding for Carter-Finley Stadium. Eventually, $22 million was donated to the project and in 2003, the university named its football facility, the Wendell H. Murphy Football Center, after Murphy.
“Wendell Murphy has been dedicated to NC State athletics for more than half a century, with countless student-athletes benefiting from his service and support,” N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement. “The Murphy name has become truly synonymous with the Wolfpack. We are grateful to him and his family and congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.”
Murphy has been a member of the Wolfpack Club for more than 50 years. Murphy will be recognized at the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Banquet on July 23 at the Raleigh Convention Center.
This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 3:12 PM.
