Logan Murray

Illini by birth, Iowan by choice. Briar Cliff University and Drake Law/CBPA Graduate. Avid fan of basketball and politics. Tweets are my own.

[William Payne @TweetsbyCoachP]

One thing I’ve probably never said enough is this:

I genuinely love small college athletics. All of it!

Not because it’s perfect. It isn’t.

But because it still feels like college sports were originally meant to feel. Not saying major college sports are bad, because they aren’t, and I love them as well. But there’s something uniquely beautiful about small college athletics.

Most campuses are small enough that people actually know one another. Professors recognize students by name. Coaches see their athletes outside of practice. Faculty, administrators, coaches, and classmates aren’t just sharing the same campus……they’re sharing the same community.

The educational mission still matters. It’s often very much what drives every aspect of the institution.

That’s something worth protecting.

People also forget just how good these athletes are.

Whether they’re in the NCAA, NAIA, USCAA, NJCAA, NCCAA, or another association, they’re still among a tiny percentage of people who continue competing after high school. Less than 7% of high school athletes ever play at any collegiate level.

Think about that.

If you’re still competing, you’ve already accomplished something most athletes never will.

Yet many of these student-athletes spend their careers being told they aren’t “good enough” simply because of the logo on their jersey or the school that recruited them.

I’ve never believed that.

I’ve seen future doctors, teachers, engineers, business owners, coaches, military officers, politicians, clergy, and incredible parents come through small college programs. I’ve watched athletes develop because someone believed in them when bigger schools didn’t. I’ve seen coaches build families instead of rosters.

And YES, I’ve seen many become professional athletes as well.

The crowds may be smaller.

The budgets may be tighter.

The facilities may not make ESPN.

But the relationships are often deeper.

Student sections still know the players. Communities still rally around their teams. Coaches often wear twenty different hats because they care more about the students than the title on their office door.

Small college athletics has always reminded me that success isn’t measured only by TV contracts, NIL deals, or social media followers.

It’s measured by lives changed.

Some of the best coaches I’ve ever met work at schools most people couldn’t find on a map in their own state.

Some of the best teammates, leaders, and human beings I’ve ever known wore uniforms that rarely made national headlines.

Small college athletics doesn’t need anyone’s sympathy.

It deserves more people’s respect.

[Hoop Herald @TheHoopHerald]

This is awesome

Shakamak High School started 4-foot-3 senior manager, Cameron Paulin, on Senior Night

Sometimes it’s bigger than a game

A night he will NEVER forget 🔥

(Via @RickSemmler 🎥)

[Nick Bateman @nickbateman33]

New unlocked benefit of the NIL era

Some guys made enough $$ in college that they’d rather grow the game and help kids. Cool stuff.

[Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley]

Speaker of Iowa House Pat Grassley planting soybeans within 24 hours of legislature adjourning sine die #soybeanwatch

[Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. @RepMMM]

The House just passed my bill to rename the Fort Madison Post Office after Martin L. Graber.

A well-deserved tribute to a lifetime of service, leadership, and dedication to Iowa.

[New York Basketball @NBA_NewYork]

Molly 3 weeks ago “My mom…nurse of 47 years…last item on her bucket list…see her Knicks at the Garden…accessibile tickets gone…last season she has

Molly today “Can’t believe this happened…End of the night she said ‘this is one of the best days of my life’ Thank you Knicks”

[Hack City @HackCityPod]

College Gameday would be so much cooler if they went back to smaller schools/niche rivalries instead of rotating big name P4 schools every year

[Logan Murray @logan4murray]

Miracle at St. Anthony is one of my all-time favorite sports books.

[Eric Balchunas @EricBalchunas]

Bob Hurley (Danny's father) is fascinating guy, the Jack Bogle of bball IMO. Dude coached a catholic HS with no gym to 25 state championships in 39 years with a 90% winning record. His teams beat Kobe twice and a bunch of other future NBA guys in HS. The whole time it was just his side gig to his job as probation officer which he never gave up despite all kinds of offers. Built different. Great book about it called The Miracle of St Anthony.

[MavsHighlights @MavsHighlights]

every good Father's dream is to live long enough see your child succeed and get to give them a hug of congratulations

[Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein]

There is no greater pressure for a coach than the Elite Eight.

One win away from immortality.

One win away from an exclusive club.

The most pressure packed 40 minutes in college basketball.

This is March.

[Waukee NW Wolves Activities @NWHSWolves]

Northwest is proud to have three former Wolves advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Basketball tournament. @WaukeeNWBBall

Peyton McCollum Class of 2025 @iowahoops
Pryce Sandfort Class of 2023 @huskermbb
Cade Kelderman Class of 2023 @cyclonembb

Congratulations!

[BetMGM 🦁 @BetMGM]

The Round of 16 will have:

-Iowa
-Nebraska
-Michigan
-Michigan State
-Iowa State
-Illinois
-Purdue

The Midwest has never been so up

[Dan Wetzel @DanWetzel]

Old coaches can’t survive in the new era of college basketball.

Sweet Sixteen coaches:

Rick Pitino (73 years old)
Tom Izzo (71)
Rick Barnes (71)
Kelvin Sampson (70)
John Calipari (67)

[Iowa Chill @IowaChill]

DEPLOY THE PEACEKEEPERS!

The Corn Title is back on the line 🌽 🏆

[Aaron Torres @Aaron_Torres]

Kansas out of the NCAA Tournament in the opening weekend.

So is Kentucky.

UNC needs a new coach.

If we're going to talk about the NIL/portal era killing cinderella, it's killed blue bloods too.

Only things that matter in 2026: Competitive NIL and the right coach. That's it.

[Logan Murray @logan4murray]

My two boys are going to about this far apart. Hope they have that type of love for each other #Waukee #IA

[NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA]

Payton Sandfort caught a flight from NYC at 6 AM ET to surprise his brother, Pryce, in the first round of the NCAA tournament ❤️

[Valley Madness @MVCMadness]

Wow. Such a waste of a year

[Garrett “Backcut” Sturtz @putmeincoach03]

Despite a 14-20 season, Drake is still top ten in wins in the decade😮‍💨

[Logan Murray @logan4murray]

Part of why March Madness is the best time in Sports.

[NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners @NCAABuzzerBters]

Fun Fact:
The two Head Coaches who got the first 2 Auto-Bids were both All-American point guards in their playing days

Nolan Smith - Tennessee State HC
Rod Strickland - Long Island HC

[Baba Del Rey ⸆⸉ 🍂 @BabaDelRey]

Mais ouiiii le mode nuit dans Pokémon Argent 😭
Quand la nuit tombait dans le jeu avec les petites lumières des maisons…

Je me souviens que je sauvegardais toujours en fin de journée dans un coin du Centre Pokémon comme si mon personnage et toute mon équipe allaient dormir pour la nuit… comme moi 😄
Puis j’éteignais ma Game Boy Color et j’allais me coucher moi aussi haha

J’étais tellement immergé qu’il n’y avait presque plus de frontière entre le jeu et la réalité.

Revoir cette image me rend tellement nostalgique 🥹