The Tenth Annual Donna L.J. Murphy Award will be presented to Laken Williams of Martin County during the 2024 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 17th at the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Resort.
Nominations were submitted from across the state for this prestigious award which honors a standout female senior basketball player who exemplifies the meaning of being a great student athlete. “Each year I am reminded of the great talent and character that Kentucky has in our girls’ basketball programs! So many of the ladies who were nominated have had some great accomplishments in their high school basketball career and this decision is always very difficult.” said Donna Murphy.
Laken Williams, a distinguished senior at Martin County, exemplifies excellence both on and off the basketball court. With four years of varsity basketball under her belt, Laken is a member of the 2000 point club at Martin County High and also maintains an impressive 3.96 GPA.
Throughout her high school career, Laken has been a pivotal player in the success of the Lady Cardinals basketball team. She contributed to back-to-back 57th District Championship victories in 2022 and 2023 and has garnered numerous accolades, including selections to the WYMT All Tournament Team in 2020 and 2023, as well as the 15th Region Coaches Association All-Region team in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
In addition to her on-court achievements, Laken has received various MVP awards, including tournaments such as the Marshall County Hoop Fest, the Daytona Beach Sunshine Classic, and the Smoky Mountain Classic. Her exceptional performance has also been acknowledged being named the Buckeye Elite MVP and Donna Murphy Classic two time player of the game awards, as well as the Lexington Christian Jim Rose Classic, where she earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Looking ahead, Laken has committed to playing basketball for Morehead State University in the upcoming 2024-2025 season. With over 500 career assists for the Lady Cardinals, Laken’s dedication to her team has been instrumental in achieving an impressive 80-32 record over her four-year career.
Beyond her athletic endeavors, Laken is actively engaged in various extracurricular activities and community service projects. She is a proud member of the BETA Club and Travel Club, participates in the JAG Program, and contributes her time to the Yearbook team. Additionally, she has been involved in numerous community service initiatives, including those with local churches and the Martin County Hoops League, where she mentors youth through basketball camps and individual lessons.
Reflecting on her experiences, Laken acknowledges the invaluable lessons she has learned through basketball, including discipline, teamwork, adaptability, time management, and sportsmanship. As she looks toward the future, she is eager to apply these skills to her career, aspiring to make positive contributions to any team or community she joins.
Donna L.J. Murphy played basketball at Newport High School from 1972-76 and went on to become an All-American. During her senior year she was named Kentucky’s first Miss Basketball in 1976, averaging 35 points and 20 rebounds. She was awarded the Ted Sanford Award for being named the MVP of the 1975 Kentucky state tournament after she scored 67 points and grabbed 50 rebounds in two games.
More than a great high school basketball player, Murphy was also the State AA high jump champion in 1974 and named All-region in volleyball before graduating fifth in her class. As a highly recruited student-athlete, she chose to attend Morehead State University and graduated magna cum laude twice, with a BA in Communications/ Journalism with Teacher Certification, and a MHE in Counseling.
Murphy remains a highly decorated high school and college student-athlete and a member of eleven Hall of Fames, including the Kentucky Basketball Hall of Fame. Murphy was also the first female student-athlete to have her jersey retired at Morehead State University and Newport High School. She was the first forward drafted in the Women’s Professional Basketball League in 1980 and went on to play for the St. Louis Streak. After her playing career she transitioned to coaching. She has held coaching positions at the collegiate level and also coached Pro-Am, high school, middle school, AAU and Exposure basketball. Murphy is now retired after many years working as a Professor and Counselor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, overseeing the Diversity Outreach Services and Intramural Sports. In her free time, she is a basketball skills trainer.
All sports fans are welcome to attend or view the 2024 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony. To learn more about the event visit http://www.mrandmisskybasketball.com. For questions, please email JenniferHunt@kylionseye.org or call 270-999-4887.
The 13th annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, who has announced Mr. Kentucky Basketball since 1954 and Miss Kentucky Basketball since 1976. To learn more about KLEF’s mission and our programs and services please visit www.kylionseye.org.