GRANVILLE, Ohio (January 23, 2023) – Denison University's Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Nan Carney-DeBord has announced that Gail Murphy, one of the winningest coaches in the history of NCAA Division III women's soccer, will be stepping down as head coach of the Big Red. After 40 years of coaching in her career, Murphy will now step away to focus on her research and teaching as a faculty member in both the Health, exercise and sport studies (HESS) major and the physical education program at Denison.

Since arriving in Granville in the fall of 1997, Coach Murphy has built Denison University women's soccer into one of the premier programs in NCAA Division III. In 26 seasons as the Head Coach of the Big Red, Murphy has posted an impressive record of 317-133-48 (.685 pct.) with 15 appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament, eight North Coast Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championships and four NCAC Tournament Championships. A five-time NCAC Coach of the year and a two-time NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year, Murphy has compiled a collegiate head coaching record of 350-166-49 (.663 pct.). The Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association has twice named Murphy its Coach of the Year (1997, 1999).

Since her arrival in 1997, Murphy has coached 10 athletes who each have gone on to earn at least one All-American citation. She is the program's all-time leader in victories and also boasts the second highest career winning percentage in Denison women's soccer history.

Murphy's Denison teams have won at least 13 games in 15 of her 26 seasons as head coach. In 1999, her team won a school-record 18 games and in 2005 they advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals (Elite Eight) after a dramatic shootout victory over Otterbein in the Sweet 16. Murphy has coached DU in 30 of the program's 33 NCAA Tournament matches and she has advanced to the second-round 10 times to go along with three Sweet 16 appearances and two Elite Eights.

Coach Murphy spoke on her time at Denison, saying, "Dr. Larry Scheiderer and Lynn Schweizer gave me the opportunity to become the head coach back in 1997 and I will always be grateful for their guidance, support, and continued friendships. I've loved coaching, that's why I've remained in the profession for 40 years. But even good things eventually come to an end. I'm proud of the program I've built at Denison, and I'm excited to see it continue to grow under the next head coach. The best part is I'm not going anywhere, just changing roles, so I'll still have the opportunity to work with all the amazing people who make up Denison Athletics. I'd like to thank Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Nan Carney-Debord for her leadership during the last 12 years of my coaching career, and her support and guidance as I start this new chapter."

From 1983 to 1991 she coached Los Alamos (N.M.) High School, where her teams played in the finals of the state tournament five times, winning three championships. She began her college coaching career in 1991 as a graduate assistant at Smith College in Massachusetts. In March of 2018, Murphy was the recipient of the Honor Award from the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association for her impact on college soccer in the state of Ohio.

Murphy spent four years at Southwestern University in Texas, where she took a first-year program to a top-10 regional ranking in just two seasons. While at Southwestern, Murphy was selected as Coach of the Year by the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Murphy then made the cross-country switch to Denison, leading the Big Red back to regional and national prominence.

Murphy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from the University of New Mexico in 1983 and her Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science from Smith College (Mass.) in 1993. Along with her soccer coaching duties, Murphy is an assistant professor on the faculty of Denison's Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Studies.

"Three years ago, we started using performance technology devices with our team," added Coach Murphy. "Working with the data was fascinating to me, especially with both my degrees being in the area of sport and exercise science. I knew right away this was the path I wanted to take post-coaching, so I proposed some ideas for what that path might look like. I've been granted a sabbatical next Fall where I'll be working with my HESS colleague Dr. Eric Winters to continue to research the data and explore how we might bring this technology to the athletic department as a whole. Additionally, I'll be working to broaden our relationship with Denison's Data Analytics program to hopefully create more opportunities for students to engage in sport analytics. It's exciting to think about all the possibilities. I'm grateful to Denison for giving me this opportunity to move away from one thing I love and into another."

Denison's Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Nan Carney-DeBord said of Coach Murphy. "I am honored to have the opportunity of working and collaborating with a nationally respected presence, not only in soccer, but in women's athletics," said Carney-DeBord. "Coach Murphy's body of work and commitment to excellence speaks for itself. What has also been impressive is her commitment to the growth and development of each student-athlete in an effort to have them reach their performance potential academically and athletically. We are looking forward to her research and the development of data analytics to enhance and inform the athletic experience. Gail is a respected colleague, mentor and friend. We are fortunate to have her academic future goals contribute to the enhancement of our entire division."

Please join us in congratulating Coach Gail Murphy for her continued service and commitment to Denison athletics.