Michael Murphy - Basketball (W) Coach - Troy University Athletics

Michael Murphy

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
mjmurphy@troy.edu
Phone:
3688

Only the third head coach in school history at Troy University, and now in his 10th season at the helm of the Trojans, head coach Michael Murphy continues to improve the Trojans as they play in the tough Sun Belt Conference against some of the nation’s toughest teams in Division I-A.

Over the previous five seasons in the Sun Belt, the Trojans have shown considerable improvement, gaining the attention of several media members and coaches from around the league.

Last season, the Trojans started the season off strong by winning seven of their first nine contests heading into the final day of December. After struggling through the mid-point of the schedule, the Trojans were able to muster a charge late to earn the ninth seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. It was the second straight season for the Trojans to be a single-digit seed in the postseason conference tournament.

For the third straight season, Murphy coached an All-Sun Belt Conference performer; this time in the form of forward Donette McNair. The then-junior earned third-team all-conference honors for the Trojans.

In the 2008-09 season, the Trojans recorded their highest finish since joining the conference, finishing second in the East Division and fourth overall at the conclusion of the regular season. They hosted their first conference tournament game at Trojan Arena in school history and had a player chosen as a First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference performer for the second season in a row.

Murphy led the Trojans to many firsts last season in the program’s history - defeating North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette on the road, beating Western Kentucky for the first time in school history and beating South Alabama for the first time since joining the Sun Belt Conference. It was also the first time that the Trojans finished with a winning record since joing the Sun Belt. It was also the first time the Trojans have appeared in the Sun Belt Conference quarterfinals two consecutive seasons.

Not only did the Trojans strive on the court under Murphy’s watchful eye, but also in the classroom, as they won eight academic awards for the second season in the Sun Belt Conference and were awarded the Team GPA Award for the season by the conference during the conference tournament.

During the 2008-09 season, Murphy coached Kylie Morrissy while she rewrote the record books at the university in scoring and free throw shooting, ending her career in the top 10 of almost every major category at the school. He also coached one of the top 3-point shooters in school history, Danielle Realph, and one of the top point guards at the school in Larelle Roper.

Two seasons ago, during the 2007-08 season, the Trojans made their first appearance in the Sun Belt Conference quarterfinals - an honor each team has to earn in order to participate. Dealing with the toughest division in the conference, the Trojans were able to win two of their final three regular season games and earned the right to face Louisiana-Monroe in the first round of the conference tournament.

The Trojans, under Murphy, led the country in 3-point field goal percentage for the majority of the season, including every week of the non-conference schedule. They also led the Sun Belt from start-to-finish in the same category. Both were firsts for the Trojans in the short history of their play in the Sun Belt.

Murphy also led the Trojans to their first-ever victories over North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette during the 2007-08 season.

He coached Amy Lewis to a First-Team selection on the All-Sun Belt Conference Team, the honor being a first for a Murphy-coached player in the Sun Belt. The team also won an unprecedented eight academic awards which were handed out prior to the opening tip of the quarterfinal game against Middle Tennessee.

During the Murphy-era at Troy University, the Trojans have ventured all over the country to play teams. This past season, the Trojans ventured to the nation’s capital to play George Washington, played in a tournament in Brownsville (TX), faced NCAA participant Georgia Tech in Atlanta and traveled to Chattanooga for a Thanksgiving Tournament. Two seasons ago, the Trojans played NCAA Tournament teams Western Kentucky and Auburn; as well as WNIT teams Middle Tennessee and UALR. The Trojans also traveled to Corpus Christi (TX), New York City, Tulsa (OK) and Atlanta for non-conference games. These locales are among other sites such as Las Vegas that Trojans have ventured during Murphy’s time at the helm.

In 2007-08, Murphy led the Trojans to a 13-18 overall record and an 11th-seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, leading them to the first berth in the quarterfinals in the same year. During the season, Murphy coached three 1,000-point scorers in Amy Lewis, Morrissy and Laura Lee Holman; with a fourth narrowly missing out in Audrey Muse.

He also coached the Trojans first-ever All-Conference First-Team selection in Lewis, and the team’s first-ever Preseason All-Conference selection (Lewis). Under Murphy during the 2007-08 season, the Trojans captured their first-ever tournament championship; winning the Holiday Inn Select Thanksgiving Tournament in Tulsa; and the Trojans also were awarded their first Most Outstanding Player Award, won by Amy Lewis and the team also earned five All-Tournament selections during the process.

In 2006-07, Murphy led the Trojans to a 12-17 record overall and a 5-13 Sun Belt Conference mark, in just their second season of competition in the conference. Murphy coached Morrissy during her sophomore season to a selection on the All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team at the conclusion of the season.

Prior to joining the Sun Belt Conference, the Trojans competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference and in 2004-05, Murphy eclipsed the 100-win plateau for his career. He was able to reach the milestone with a 57-50 victory over Birmingham-Southern College on November 23. At the conclusion of the season, Murphy’s career record as a head coach stood at 125-96.

In 2003-04, Murphy led the Trojans to their best-ever finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 12-8 mark that placed the Trojans in second place during the regular season. That year, Murphy and the Trojans also advanced to the second round of the conference tournament for the first time since 2001, defeating Florida Atlantic University 65-57 in the first round. The Trojans finished 16-12 in Murphy’s first season at the helm, the school’s best record under a first-year head coach.

Murphy’s first three recruiting classes at Troy included the A-Sun’s Freshman of the Year, Laura Lee Holman (2003-04) and Lewis (2004-05), while Lewis was a First-Team All-Sun Belt selection (2007-08). Morrissy earned a Third-Team honor (2006-07) and a First-Team selection (2008-09), while Lewis was Preseason selection (2007-08). Murphy has seen 47 student-athletes earn conference academic honors during his tenure at Troy.

Prior to his arrival at Troy, Murphy spent five season as an assistant to Troy alumnus Rick Moody at the University of Alabama, helping the Tide women to postseason appearances each season.

Before joining the women’s program, Murphy worked two seasons as an administrative assistant with the Alabama men’s program from 1995-97. Murphy compiled a 72-26 record as the men’s head coach at Viterbo University in Lacrosse, WI from 1992-95. In 2005, he was added to the Viterbo Hall of Fame for his achievements.

Murphy also has the unusual accomplishment of being involved in the NCAA men’s tournament, NCAA women’s tournament, the NIT, the WNIT and the NAIA National Tournament as a coach.

Born in Chicago, but raised in Whitewater (WI), Murphy was a four-year letterwinner in basketball at Cardinal-Stritch University in Milwaukee from 1980-84. He was also the team’s captain in his final two years.

Murphy later played and coached professionally for the Rotorua Basketball Club in New Zealand from 194-86 and for Team Budweiser in Cork, Ireland in 1986-87. After the completion of his professional career, he worked as a graduate assistant at Alabama under former coach Wimp Sanderson during the 1987-88 season.

Following that season, Murphy accepted his first full-time coaching position at Coastal Carolina University under head coach Russ Bergman. In his four-year tenure, the Chanticleers captured the Big South Conference championship in 1989, 1990 and 1991; posting a 73-42 record and earning a trip to the 1991 NCAA Tournament.

He accepted the position at Viterbo in 1992, winning the Midwest Classic Conference championship and the National Catholic Championship in 1995. In two seasons at Viterbo, he led the team to NAIA Top 25 finished - 22nd in 1994 and eighth in 1995. His success earned him NCBT Coach of the Year honors in 1995. Murphy’s association with the game of basketball has not been limited to the sidelines, however. He served as a color analyst for game broadcasts, covering games for the Alabama Sports Network, the Alabama Cable Network and FOX Sports South.

Murphy earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Cardinal-Stritch in 1985. He is married to the former Elaine Smith, and the couple has two children; a daughter, Kristen, and a son, Jackson. Kristen graduated from Auburn University in 2004, and lives in Birmingham with her husband Barron. Murphy also welcomed in his first grandchild July 1 2010; Peyton Nicole Lakeman.