John Murphy Position: Head Coach Experience: 24th Year

When John Murphy became the Brown women's crew coach in 1984, his goal was to take the crew program to a higher level of competitiveness and awareness. After finishing his 24th year at the helm of the women's crew program, Murphy is recognized as one of the outstanding coaches in the country. He was named the 2004 NCAA Division I Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to their fourth national title in the last six years. Murphy was also named the 2002 Regional Coach of the Year in New England as the Bears won the NCAA Championship again that year. Brown is the winningest program in NCAA history, placing in the top three since the championships existed (1997).

Under the direction of Murphy, along with his wife, assistant coach Phoebe Murphy, Brown has captured four NCAA Titles in the last six years. The Bears attained National Championships in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2007. At the 2007 NCAA Division I Rowing Championships in Oak Ridge, TN, all three of Bruno's crews made it into the Grand Finals and captured its fifth NCAA Championship in 10 years. After the season, Murphy guided the crew to a semifinal appearance at the Henley Royal Regatta in London, England. To top off the successful 2007 season, Murphy also had one student athlete named to the First Team of the District I ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team.

In 2004, the second varsity eight went undefeated as Brown captured first place in both the varsity and second varsity eight races at the national championships in Sacramento, CA. Brown finished its 2002 season undefeated in the regular season and ended with a record of 10-1, earning its third national title.

In 2001 the Bears finished third in the NCAA Championships at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA. The team compiled an 11-1 overall record and captured its fourth straight Eastern Championship on Cooper River in Camden, New Jersey.

In 2000, Murphy was named the Division I Rowing Coach of the Year by the CRCA (College Rowing Coaches Association) after his crew captured its second consecutive NCAA Division I Rowing Championship with victories in the varsity and second varsity races at Cooper River. In addition to a second consecutive NCAA title, the Bears' won the 2000 Eastern Sprints title and an Ivy League championship.

In 1999, Murphy led his crew to the first NCAA Division I Championship in Brown University history after defeating the University of Virginia by a three-second margin at the NCAA Championship at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, California. The Bears' also captured the Eastern Sprints Championships and the Ivy Championship while setting a new course record.

Murphy coached the '98 women's crew team in the prestigious Henley Regatta in London, England. In 1997, he guided the crew to a third place finish at the inaugural NCAA women's rowing championship on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, California. That year, his varsity four won the first gold medals ever awarded at the NCAA championship.

After finishing the 1996 season undefeated, Coach Murphy's crew became the first women's crew to capture the "Triple Crown" of collegiate racing - the Eastern Sprints, the IRAs, and the National Collegiate Rowing Championship.

Murphy coached his crew to back-to-back IRA Championships in 1993 and 1994. He also tallied an EAWRC team Championship in 1990, capturing the Charles G. Willing trophy after winning gold medals in the first varsity and the second varsity.

Coach Murphy was recognized in `88 being named the EAWRC coach of the year after his varsity eight captured the Women's Eastern Sprints Championship for the first time in Brown history.

Murphy began his coaching career in 1976 at Cal-Berkeley where he was responsible for the men's novice crew. He continued to coach the men's novice crew in 1977 and 1978.

In 1979-80, Murphy coached the women's novice crew at the University of Washington with the first novice eight going undefeated in the Pac-10 and claiming the West Coast Championship. Murphy returned to Cal-Berkeley as the novice women's coach in 1980, winning the Pac-10 West Coast Championship in 1981. His 1982 and 1983 crews were both silver medal winners and his 1984 crew were undefeated National Champions.

Murphy attended Kent School and Columbia University. At Kent, he captained the National Schoolboy Championship crew and rowed in the Royal Henley Regatta in his junior and senior years.

He and his wife, Phoebe, have three children, Jack, Patrick, and Penelope, and reside in Barrington, Rhode Island.

Murphy's Record at Brown

1985 4-5 1-3