Cullowhee, N.C. – Continuing a tradition that began back in 2011, Western Carolina junior catcher Cam Murray was selected as this year's Leggett No. 7 Legacy recipient by third-year head coach Alan Beck and his coaching staff. Murray will wear the coveted No. 7 jersey during the 2025 season.

The official announcement of this year's Leggett No. 7 Legacy recipient came during a team meeting on Wednesday (Feb. 6) in the Ramsey Center. Coach Jack Leggett addressed the team over a Zoom call in making the announcement.
 
"Coaching him over the past three seasons, Cam Murray has continually demonstrated that he is the ultimate team player and a perfect fit for what the Leggett No. Legacy represents," said Beck. "He always has a smile on his face and his personality is contagious. He is very dependable and has earned the respect of both his teammates and coaches."
 
Murray is the 15th different player and the fourth catcher to have the Leggett No. 7 Legacy bestowed upon him for a season. He is also the sixth junior over the past seven years to receive the honor. He is joined on this year's team by previous winners OF Cole Jones (2024) and assistant coach Seth Graves (2022).
 
Murray enters his fourth year on the Catamount roster after taking a redshirt as a sophomore in 2023 after playing in 42 games as a true freshman in 2022. He continues to embody and exemplify the principles set forth with the founding of the annual honorary selection. Murray displays passion for the game of baseball, uses adversity as preparation for greatness, and acts a team-leader, displaying toughness, effort and an approach to make it happen.
 
The lone underclassman elected a team captain for the 2025 Catamounts, Murray has played in 61 career games with 24 starts split between behind the plate and as the designated hitter. Last year, he was second in the Catamount squad with three pinch hits. He came off the bench to double at Florida State and hit his first career home run with a two-run shot to left at home against Georgia State where he was swarmed by all of his teammates upon returning to the dugout.
 
In the classroom, Murray is a three-time selection to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24).
 
The annual Leggett No. 7 Legacy program was introduced by former WCU baseball head coach Bobby Moranda back in 2011 at the second "Celebration of Catamount Baseball" banquet. Each year, the Catamount coaching staff selects one player who is committed with the principles and integrity established by the former WCU skipper during his tenure in Cullowhee and throughout his Hall of Fame coaching career. It's a tradition that Beck – who was on Moranda's staff in 2011 when the legacy was created – has continued since returning to campus.
 
"Among the many great past individuals that have influenced the success and the prestige of Western Carolina baseball, Jack Leggett stands out above most. His legacy continues to live on here every day," Moranda said of the Leggett Legacy tradition upon its creation back in 2011.
 
Leggett is a 2001 WCU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and a 2014 selection into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame. The son of a coach and a native of Vermont, Leggett coached both NCAA programs with the Catamount moniker. He led the Vermont Catamounts baseball program back to the varsity level from 1978 through 1982 before taking over at Western Carolina in 1983. Leggett amassed 302 career victories in Cullowhee to rank second all-time, guiding the Purple & Gold to five Southern Conference titles and five NCAA tournaments.
 
As a collegiate head coach, Leggett won 1,332 career games and made 26 appearances in the NCAA postseason. He coached over 140 professional baseball signees, nine first-round draft picks, and 25 players who played in the Major Leagues.
 
Western Carolina continues preseason practice ahead of the 2025 season this weekend, scheduled for an intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday, Feb. 9, beginning at 11 a.m., ahead of the third-annual Little Cats Clinic – a program started by Beck upon his return to western North Carolina – at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
The clinic – open for kids ages 6-12 – follows the action on the field at 2:30 p.m., with a post-clinic autograph session with the Catamount baseball team. For questions or to register, contact Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing & Promotions Tyler Pope at tpope@wcu.edu.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
 
WCU's All-Time Leggett No. 7 Legacy Recipients:
2025: Cam Murray, C
2024: Cole Jones, OF
2023: Zach Ketterman, INF
2022: Seth Graves, OF
2021: Immanuel Wilder, OF
2020: Justice Bigbie, INF
2019: Luke Robinson, C
2018: Cameron Blaquiere, INF
2017: Nobu Suzuki, INF
2016: Reece Strong, INF
2015: Danny Bermudez, C
2014: Luke Gragg, UT
2013: Morgan McKinney, LHP
2012: Vance Chavis, LHP
2011: Stephen Notaro, C