MURRAY, Ky. — When you get close to the end of college, the question of what’s next will inevitably come up.
For former Murray State golfers Payton Carter and Austin Knight, what’s next presented a unique scenario.
Knight graduated in 2021, but his future wife still had some college eligibility.
“I had to figure out what I was going to do until she got done,” Austin said. “She was like ‘hey, I’ve got a COVID year, I think I’m going to stay one more.’ I’m like, ‘go for it, I can save up a little bit more money I can get through this.'”
Austin spent the past 3 years teaching and coaching at his alma mater Hopkinsville, while Payton wrapped up her Racer tenure in April.
This summer, the two-time conference Golfer of the Year was helping out at a Murray State camp when she talked with Murray High principal Tony Jarvis.
“I was at Murray High School before doing my school counseling practicum, so he was kind of familiar with me,” Payton said. “He was like ‘oh, you play golf?’ I was like ‘yeah, and I just got a job at Murray Elementary.’ And he said ‘I might be talking to you.'”
That conversation kickstarted a whirlwind summer. In June, Payton and Austin tied the knot, and in July, the duo teed off a new chapter as golf coaches at Murray High School, in the same city the two shared many memorable moments as Racers.
“It’s pretty cool to just set our college careers aside and give back to the community and give back to the kids that are going to grow the program and hopefully get them to college and play golf like we did,” Payton said. “My coach built me to be a good person on and off the golf course that’s kind of what we’ve instilled in these kids just starting out this week with our rules and our expectations just making sure that they know we’re here for you to grow as a person and as a golfer.”
“We’ve always done something as a team, no matter what we’ve done,” Austin added. “I’ve caddied for her some, she’s been a big cheerleader for me in my sports as well. Just the fact that we get to do this together. It’s amazing and we couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The Tigers tee off their season Tuesday in the Marshall County Tournament at Calvert City Country Club.
