Award Winners – Ed Murphey Award

Zach Long

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Justin Hunter

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Tavis Bailey

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Leigh Smith

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Jose Parrilla – 800m, 1993 and 1994 (Olympian 1992, 1996)

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Jose Parrilla, an American middle distance runner who specialized in the 800 meters, finished
sixth at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg. Known for coming from behind with
a strong finishing kick, his personal best 800m time is 1:43.97, set in 1992 in the U.S. Olympic
Trials. He qualified again for the U.S. team at the 1996 Summer Olympics, making him a two-time
Olympian. While running for Tennessee he won three successive NCAA Championships from 1992, 1993
and 1994, a feat only duplicated twice before (by Charles Hornbostei and John Woodruff), both from
the 1930s. A 10 time All-America , Parrilla was sixth in 1991 indoor, eighth American in 1992 and
third in 1993. Other outdoor NCAA finishes include a sixth in 1991. The current record holder in
the 800m with a time of 1:43.97 set in the 1992 Olympic trials. In SEC action Parrilla won the 800 meter runs four straight years from
1991-94, plus winning Indoor crowns at that distance in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Randy Jenkins – High Jump, 1991 and 1993

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The Randy Jenkins story is about overcoming the odds and meeting the challenges of life head on.
Jenkins, helped lead Tennessee track and field team to the 1991 NCAA title, finishing second in the
high jump with a mark of 7-6.50. After a visit to his doctor a few weeks later, the high of winning
an NCAA title was sobered by the diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma -or cancer. Undaunted, Jenkins
continued attending classes at UT, earning a 3.24 GPA and dean’s list recognition the next
semester. He would, however, miss the entire 1992 track season. Jenkins spent most of the fall and
winter of 1992 and 1993 working his way back into jumping shape. Remarkably, Jenkins qualified for
the 1993 NCAA’s with a jump of 7-3.25. At the NCAA meet, he jumped 7-5.75 and taking home the
title. Jenkins won the 1994 NCAA Indoor and outdoor titles with a school records of 7-7. Jenkins also won SEC indoor titles in 1990
and 1991 and captured the 1994 outdoor crown.

Aric Long – Decathlon, 1991 (Olympian 1992)

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Arie Long won three prestigious decathlon titles since enrolling at Tennessee in 1988. His first
title of note came in 1989 at Ohio State University when he captured the National TAC Junior
championship by scoring 6,908 points in the ten events. This earned Arie a spot on the U.S. team
for the Pan American Juniors championships at Sante Fe, Argentina. He took the Juniors crown with
6,659 points while Marco Brito of Brazil was a distant second with 6,024 points. In 1991 NCAA Track
and Field meet, Long was a surprise champion 7,916 points. Long had finished sixth in 1990 with a
mark of 7515 and in 1992 he was the national runner up with a mark of 8227. Long along with Brian
Brophy made track history in 1991 as juniors when they became only the second set of collegiate
teammates to reach the 8,000-point barrier. Long captured SEC decathlon titles in 1991 and 1992 as
well as winning the SEC indoor pentathlon in 1991 and 1992. In 1992 Long was second at the Olympic
trials with 8,237 points earning a spot on the 1982 Olympic team. His Olympic mark is currently
the third best all-time and he holds the decathlon high jump record of 7-1.75 set in the 1991 NCAA
and tied in

Todd Williams – Distance, 1991 (Olympian 1992, 1996)

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Todd Williams stands as one of the finest distance runners in Tennessee and U.S. history. A
two-time Olympian (1992, 1996) and World Championships competitor (1993, 1995), Williams earned his
spot as the top U.S. distance man in the 1990s. Williams won the 10,000m title at the USA Outdoors
four times–1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996. Williams placed seventh in the world in the 10,000m at the
1993 World Championships and was 10th in the event at the 1992 Olympics. Williams also won USA
cross country titles in 1991 and 1993. He likewise starred at Tennessee during his 1988-91 tenure.
Williams set the school record for 3,000m (7:S8.34), 5,000m (13:41.50i) and 10,000m (28:18.4m). His
10,000 and 5000 meter marks stand as the current school record. Williams was Tennessee’s top
NCAA scorer in 1991 with 14 points courtesy of a runner-up finish in the 10,000m and third-place
finish in the 5,000m. His points were crucial as the Vols secured the 1991 NCAA Outdoor title at
Oregon’s storied Hayward Field. Williams won four SEC titles-the 1989 and 1990 cross country crown,
the 1991 indoor 5,000m, the 1991 outdoor 10,000m and Williams accumulated eight All· America honors
between cross country and track.

Brian Brophy – Decathlon, 1990 and 1992

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Brophy, a three-time letter winner for the Vols, was one of the most accomplished decathletes in
program history. He won the 1990 SEC Championship in the decathlon, posting a total of 7,537 points
and earned All-America honors as the national runner-up at the NCAA Championships with a mark of
7779. He earned All-America honors again in 1991 after taking third at the NCAA meet and played a
big role in helping the Vols win the 1991 national title. As a senior in 1992, Brophy scored 8,276
points to win the NCAA Championship in the decathlon and set a then-UT record. During Brophy’s career
he set the decathlon record three times with his career best mark of 8276 still second on the
all-time list. Brophy currently holds UT decathlon event record in the discus (176-8) and ranks
second in the shot put (51-5.50). Brophy was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in
2015.

John Richardson – Javelin, 1989

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John Richardson was a three time gold medalist in the Javelin at the AAU Jr Olympics, setting a
National record each year. In 1987 he was named to the Track and Field News All-America high
School squad in the javelin. After high school, John attended Tennessee and was a three time All-America and was a key part of their 1991 NCAA
Championship team. Richardson, who currently ranks third on the all-time list, set his best mark
of 254-4 in 1990. Richardson placed three straight years in the NCAA javelin finishing sixth in
both 1989 and 1990 and recording a runner finish in 1991. Richardson finished 11th in the 1988 World Junior meet. In SEC javelin action Richardson was
fifth in 1988, fourth in 1989, and third in both 1990 and 1991.