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Mike Murphy - Assistant Coach |
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Mike Murphy enters his fifth season
along the banks of the Hudson
River and third under head coach
Joe Alberici after spending his first
two campaigns assisting legendary
head coach Jack Emmer. Under his
mentorship, the Black Knights have
consistently ranked among the best
defensive teams both in the Patriot
League and nationally.
Murphy has tutored the defense
the last four seasons and will
continue in that role as defensive
coordinator, as well as recruiting responsibilities along the East Coast.
Last spring was typical for Murphy’s defense, which finished a successful
campaign ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only four
teams to score more than 10 goals en route to 7.8 goals per game
average. First-team all-conference selection Adam Fullerton capped
his junior season with by garnering Patriot League “Goalkeeper of the
Year” honors, while current senior defensemen Jay Larson and Craig
Massie were both named second-team all-stars.
In 2006, Murphy’s molding of senior Matt Luyster was made complete
as he was named to an honorable mention All-American, the first All-
American under Murphy’s watch.
In his second season directing the defense, the Black Knights allowed
only one opponent to reach double figures in its first 10 games of the
season. As a result, Army finished with an average of 9.2 goals allowed
per game to rank in the top five in the NCAA in scoring defense.
Luyster was a first-team All-Patriot League selection and the “Defensive
Player of the Year” in the conference, while Nick Doerr earned secondteam
all-league honors as well. Murphy also guided Fullerton when
he was pressed into starting duty early into his freshman season and
watched him run off seven consecutive victories in the cage, setting an
Academy record for consecutive wins by a plebe goalie.
In 2005, Army’s man-down defense ranked 14th in the country, killing
off 81 percent of opponents’ EMO’s. Goalkeeper Matt Darak also set
an Academy record for saves in a single season as the Black Knights
only allowed 165 goals during the campaign that saw Army qualify for
the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season.
Darak’s 132.47 goalie rating by Lax.com (save percentage multiplied by
saves) ranked third nationally.
Murphy came to the Academy after spending two seasons at Denison
University in Granville, Ohio, where he was in charge of the Big Red’s
defensive unit and face-off personnel. He also served as an assistant on
Denison’s football coaching staff and held a position in the Department
of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation as an instructor.
Prior to his work at Denison, the University of New Hampshire
graduate served as head assistant coach/defensive coordinator at
Wingate University from 1999-2001. The Beverly, Mass., native helped
the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Division III National Semifinal
appearance in school history as the squad posted a 27-17 record
in Murphy’s three seasons on its sideline, while 14 players garnered
All-Deep South honors. His 2001 defensive unit finished the season
ranked among the national leaders in scoring defense (12th), winning
percentage (7th) and goals-against average (10th).
Murphy, 34, also enjoyed one-year stints at Pfeiffer University and
Merrimack College after his graduation from New Hampshire in the
spring of 1996, where he was a three-year letterman for the then-
Division I Wildcats.
A resident of West Point, N.Y., Murphy is engaged to Jennifer Huff,
an athletic trainer at Army. The couple is scheduled to perform their
nuptials in the summer of 2008.
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