OUTSTANDING ATHLETE

Induction Year: 2012 | Graduation Year: 2002

Tristan Marshall Murray was born on October 16, 1983 in Dayton, OH to Victoria Clark and Arthur Murray.  He was raised in New Carlisle and attended Tecumseh Local Schools from kindergarten until he graduated as the Co-Valedictorian of the THS Class of 2002.  While in High School, Tristan was a member of National Honor Society, Astronomy Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  He was also a standout athlete in football, wrestling and track throughout his career.

Tristan started his football career off by being a member of the undefeated 1998 team and ended his career with another league title his senior year in 2001.  He led his team to an 11-2 record his senior year as they reached the state regional finals for the first time in school history.  During his career, he broke 9 school records and led his class to the greatest overall record in the history of Tecumseh football at 35-8. While doing this he earned 1st team all CBC honors twice, All District honors twice and was a member of the All-State team as a senior.

In addition to earning four varsity letters in football, he also earned four varsity letters in track. He ran the 110m hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4x100m relay, 4x400 relay and competed in the long jump. He won 18 event titles throughout his career and ended up being the CBC champ in the 110m hurdles as a junior and placed 2nd as a senior. In the 300m hurdles, he placed 3rd as a junior and was the CBC champion his senior year. Tristan went on to place 2nd in the long jump at the CBC meet and was also a member of the record breaking 4x100m relay team that also won the CBC title in his senior season.

In wrestling, he began his career as a sophomore and finished 16-15 and placed 3rd in the CBC.   As a junior he went 40-10, winning 6 tournaments and placing in the other 3, before capping off the year with a 1st place finish at the CBC and sectional tournaments, 4th place at Districts and ended with a 5th place finish at the state tournament. As a senior, he finished 39-4 and again won 6 tournaments throughout the year. He placed 2nd in the CBC, 1st at the sectional, 3rd at Districts and completed his career by winning the Division I 160lb state title, becoming Tecumseh’s first ever state champion. He complimented his success on the mat by also being named a 2 time Academic All State award recipient.

Upon graduation, he went to Brown University to play football and majored in architecture. After two years at Brown, Tristan decided to transfer back home to play football with his brother again at Wittenberg University. He continued his academic and athletic success at the collegiate level. Tristan led his team to a NCAC league championship his senior year while earning a berth to the DIII playoffs. He currently holds eight individual rushing records at Wittenberg and is listed in the record books an additional 26 times.  Tristan was voted the team’s MVP all three years and was named Wittenberg’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2006.   He was 1st team All NCAC three times and in 2005 and 2006 he was voted to the DIII All Region team. To highlight his on the field accomplishments, Tristan was a 2 time Football Gazette All American and was a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy (DIII Heisman Trophy) as a senior. Academically at Wittenberg, Tristan made the presidents list every semester in college, was a 3 time academic all American All American and received the Broadwell Chinn Award (highest African American GPA at Wittenberg). To complete his accolades, he was a semi-finalist for the Draddy Trophy, which is considered to be the “Academic Heisman” across all divisions of football.

After college, Tristan became a financial advisor for a small firm in Vandalia for 2 years, before finding his current career in management logistics. Tristan is presently the corporate development supervisor with Dayton Freight lines and has been there for 4 years.  He presently resides in New Carlisle with his two wonderful children, Tristan Murray (4) and Savannah Murray (3).

Tristan would like to thank his incredible family for all the support and love they’ve shown him throughout his life.  He would also like to thank the entire Tecumseh family for this honor and he is very proud to call himself a Tecumseh Arrow.