Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Taking a look back in Blue Raider history
7/19/2021 6:22:00 PM | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Basketball
Live stream Tuesday at noon
Blue Raider fans, join us as we look back at some of the great eras of Middle Tennessee Athletics with the people who were instrumental in their teams' success Tuesday at noon.
Blue Raider greats Rawley Bishop (baseball), Nathaniel Claybrooks (football), Jason Millard (golf), Patrick Simpson (wrestling), Jamie Thomatis (women's basketball) and Desmond "Boogie" Yates (men's basketball) will be part of the start-studded lineup via Zoom.
Chip Walters will serve as host and Director of Athletics Chris Massaro will be part of the lineup for this look back at Blue Raider Athletics, which will be streamed live on Facebook (Blue Raider Athletics) and Twitter (@MT_Athletics).
Rawley Bishop was a two-time All-Region and All-Sun Belt performer and one of the top all-around players in Blue Raider baseball history. He tops the career lists in five categories, including first in RBI, runs scored and total bases. He is second all-time with 51 home runs, just 10 off of the career record of 61 held by teammate Bryce Brentz. Bishop was instrumental in helping the Blue Raiders win a school record 44 games as a senior in 2009.
Nathaniel Claybrooks was a first-team All-American for Coach Boots Donnelly in 1995 and was a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection in 1994 and 1995. The hard-hitting linebacker led the Blue Raiders in tackles both years. Claybrooks ranks eighth all-time in total tackles at Middle Tennessee with 270. He is tied for fourth all time with six fumble recoveries.
Jason Millard was a four-time All-American for the Blue Raider golf team during his heralded career. He became the first Blue Raider golfer to be named All-American since 1968 when he was so honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America in 2008. Millard played in four consecutive NCAA Regionals, reaching the NCAA Championship twice (2008, 2011).
Patrick Simpson was a four-year starter for the Middle Tennessee wrestling squad from 1975-to-1979. Simpson was the first Blue Raider wrestler to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, which he reached in 1979. In qualifying for the tournament at the Midwest Region held at Notre Dame, Simpson defeated three wrestlers seeded ahead of him, one of whom was an eventual two-time NCAA Champion. He is currently head wrestling coach at Father Ryan High School, where he has led his team to more than 20 state titles.
Jamie Thomatis was Middle Tennessee's first women's basketball player to be named first-team, all-conference in two different leagues – the Sun Belt and the OVC. Thomatis was a dominant force and capped her career with 1,971 points, which is still fourth on the all-time list 19 years following the completion of her career. Thomatis also ranks No. 1 all-time for field goal and free-throw percentage.
Desmond "Boogie" Yates left his mark on the Middle Tennessee men's basketball program as he became the Blue Raiders' all-time leading scorer with 1,775 points during his four-year career. Yates is also first all-time for field goals made with 714. The consistent post player averaged double figures scoring each year. He played in 122 career games, starting 107 of them. Yates is the only Blue Raider to be named All-Sun Belt Conference three times.
Blue Raider greats Rawley Bishop (baseball), Nathaniel Claybrooks (football), Jason Millard (golf), Patrick Simpson (wrestling), Jamie Thomatis (women's basketball) and Desmond "Boogie" Yates (men's basketball) will be part of the start-studded lineup via Zoom.
Chip Walters will serve as host and Director of Athletics Chris Massaro will be part of the lineup for this look back at Blue Raider Athletics, which will be streamed live on Facebook (Blue Raider Athletics) and Twitter (@MT_Athletics).
Rawley Bishop was a two-time All-Region and All-Sun Belt performer and one of the top all-around players in Blue Raider baseball history. He tops the career lists in five categories, including first in RBI, runs scored and total bases. He is second all-time with 51 home runs, just 10 off of the career record of 61 held by teammate Bryce Brentz. Bishop was instrumental in helping the Blue Raiders win a school record 44 games as a senior in 2009.
Nathaniel Claybrooks was a first-team All-American for Coach Boots Donnelly in 1995 and was a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection in 1994 and 1995. The hard-hitting linebacker led the Blue Raiders in tackles both years. Claybrooks ranks eighth all-time in total tackles at Middle Tennessee with 270. He is tied for fourth all time with six fumble recoveries.
Jason Millard was a four-time All-American for the Blue Raider golf team during his heralded career. He became the first Blue Raider golfer to be named All-American since 1968 when he was so honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America in 2008. Millard played in four consecutive NCAA Regionals, reaching the NCAA Championship twice (2008, 2011).
Patrick Simpson was a four-year starter for the Middle Tennessee wrestling squad from 1975-to-1979. Simpson was the first Blue Raider wrestler to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, which he reached in 1979. In qualifying for the tournament at the Midwest Region held at Notre Dame, Simpson defeated three wrestlers seeded ahead of him, one of whom was an eventual two-time NCAA Champion. He is currently head wrestling coach at Father Ryan High School, where he has led his team to more than 20 state titles.
Jamie Thomatis was Middle Tennessee's first women's basketball player to be named first-team, all-conference in two different leagues – the Sun Belt and the OVC. Thomatis was a dominant force and capped her career with 1,971 points, which is still fourth on the all-time list 19 years following the completion of her career. Thomatis also ranks No. 1 all-time for field goal and free-throw percentage.
Desmond "Boogie" Yates left his mark on the Middle Tennessee men's basketball program as he became the Blue Raiders' all-time leading scorer with 1,775 points during his four-year career. Yates is also first all-time for field goals made with 714. The consistent post player averaged double figures scoring each year. He played in 122 career games, starting 107 of them. Yates is the only Blue Raider to be named All-Sun Belt Conference three times.
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