J.C. Murray druing his days as a Bobcat M Club bringing back varsity letter jackets by Tom Schultz October 23, 1993, was an unforgettable day for many Bobcat fans. In fact, it was the most memorable moment for J.C. Murray, '96 Ag Bus, during his tenure as a student-athlete at Montana State University. Murray and the rest of the Bobcat football team handed No. 1 ranked Idaho a 40-35 setback in one of the biggest upsets in Big Sky and Montana State history. The Vandals, led by a handful of future NFL standouts, had a tough time handling the Bobcat offense, which was sparked by a tremendous performance from the MSU offensive front. Murray, who started the game at right guard, helped the Bobcats pile-up 444 yards of offense en route to the victory. Now, 11 years later Murray is working at First Interstate Bank as a private client officer/trust and investment specialist. And, again, he is giving something backto the university. Murray is currently serving as the president of the M Club. The M Club is comprised of past letterwinners at MSU, and is committed to continuing the winning tradition of Bobcat athletics. The M Club's mission is to promote communication among its members and the athletics program, and to heighten all aspects of Montana State University athletics. "The M Club wants to enhance the experience of student-athletes during their time at Montana State," Murray said. "It also provides a networking mechanism and gives former student-athletes a venue to connect with the past." A native of Jordan, Mont., Murray was an All-Big Sky Conference selection in football and a Big Sky Conference shot put champion, as well. He is one of a handful of MSU student-athletes to letter in two or more sports. Prior to 1986, the most visible sign of a Bobcat letter winner was the honor of wearing a jacket with the block "M." The awarding of letter jackets was discontinued the following year due to budget considerations. Now, a new group of former MSU letter winners led by Murray and Bob Parkins, '61, (basketball, track,) want to reestablish the tradition of awarding student-athletes with one of the department's highest honors. "Our No. 1 goal is to start awarding varsity letter jackets," Murray said. Murray and the rest of the M Club committee want to grow their membership and increase funding to the point where they can award letter jackets on a permanent basis to sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes. In addition, the M Club is also involved in awarding championship rings and hosting the student-athlete senior luncheon. "During my time as a student-athlete at Montana State, I gained the skills and discipline needed to be successful in the real world," Murray said. "I didn't truly appreciate what I learned until I was away from the university. "The experiences and friendships I gained at MSU are truly special," he added. "And, as part of the M Club, we want to make that experience special for our current student-athletes." Any former Bobcat student-athlete that would like to become a member of the MSU M Club or receive more information, should log onto www.msubobcats.com or call (406) 994-4221.