HERMITAGE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association recently honored Boniface Amuzu, Murphy Center Complex director at Middle Tennessee State University, with its Distinguished Service Award winner for November in recognition of his many years of service as a top liaison for TSSAA when its myriad championship events are hosted at MTSU facilities.

A native of Ghana, Amuzu made his way to Murfreesboro almost three decades ago as an international track prospect, a journey that’s taken him from student-athlete to part-time employee to Murphy Center Complex director, according to a TSSAA news release.

Amuzu’s list of tasks on his journey to overseeing all Murphy Center operations — picking up trash, pressure-washing facilities, operating elevators, prepping playing surfaces — nearly matches that of his athletic endeavors as a Blue Raiders athlete, his track and field events including the long jump, 100- and 200-meter races, the 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay and “every now and then, Coach would throw me in the 4×400 (relay).”

Amuzu handled it all in stride, as the TSSAA has seen him do with events from Spring Fling State Track Championships to basketball tournaments in the Glass House to the more recent state volleyball championships.

“I have known ‘Boni’ for years,” said Matthew Gillespie, TSSAA assistant executive director. “He’s an unbelievable and outstanding guy. He’s just one of those guys who does anything and everything for us when we host any event at MTSU.”

All because the late Dean Hayes, legendary MTSU track coach and OVC Hall of Famer with 29 conference titles, took a chance on Amuzu at the advice of Christian Nsiah, who already was starring at MTSU and happened to be Amuzu’s best friend.

“I came to the United States on a track scholarship in 1996 thanks to the legend and may his sweet soul rest in peace, Dean Hayes; he recruited me and I came to the States on a full scholarship to MTSU,” Amuzu, quick to praise his daughters, Alexandria and Alyssa, as well as fiancè Beth Neese, said in the release. “It was my first time coming to the States in 1996.

“I love it. It’s a great place. I love the people here, especially being here working on campus; love the culture that Dr. McPhee (MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee) has developed here. I love working with the people, past and present. It’s just great and I love being in the athletic facilities, helping the student-athletes accomplish their goals and helping them succeed. So that has been one of my motivations.”

Read the full story the TSSAA’s John Brice at tssaa.org.