Brian Murphy, William & Mary Tribe

College Baseball Now

Brian Murphy was named head coach of the William & Mary Tribe baseball program on Dec. 3, 2013, and he enters his fifth season as the team’s head coach. It will be his sixth season in Williamsburg, after spending one season as the Tribe’s top assistant coach.

The former one-year assistant guided the Green and Gold to three 30-plus win seasons, two NCAA Regional Final appearances and a Colonial Athletic Association Tournament bid each season in his first four years as the skipper. Before his promotion, Murphy helped the Tribe earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament at-large bid and win its first regional games in school history on the strength of a record-setting 39-win season in 2013. He made a seamless transition to head coach the following year as W&M secured its first-ever regular season conference title, culminating in CAA Coach of the Year honors. A couple seasons later, W&M captured its first CAA tournament championship since 2001 en route to reaching the NCAA Regional Final for the second time in a four-year span.

In 2017, a third-place finish in the CAA standings allowed W&M to make its fifth consecutive postseason appearance, which is a program-best since qualifying started for the CAA Baseball Tournament. Murphy secured his 100th career victory mid-way through the season after the Tribe edged conference rival UNCW, 10-9, on March 26. At the end of the regular season, the Green and Gold landed five players on the all-conference teams, highlighted by junior Cullen Large receiving All-CAA First Team accolades. Senior Ryder Miconi, who was tabbed All-CAA Third Team, continued to excel in the classroom as he repeated as CAA Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition, All-CAA second teamer Brandon Raquet was named to Collegiate Baseball’s Freshman All-American Team. Murphy also helped produced a draft class of at least three W&M players for the fifth time in program history. Redshirt sophomore Nick Raquet became the third-highest all-time MLB draft pick by getting selected in the third round by the Washington Nationals, Large was chosen in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays and senior Nick Brown was picked by the Minnesota Twins in the 32nd round. It was the second time in program history that two players were taken inside the first five rounds of the MLB Draft.

The 2016 season will go down as one of the most memorable seasons in program history of the William & Mary Tribe. Down 8-1 in what looked like its final at-bat of the season, the Tribe answered with seven runs in the ninth and sparked a two-week run for the ages. Following a 27-hour rain delay, W&M went onto win the first CAA Championship game in 12 innings, before senior Josh Smith’s grand-slam homer in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted them to the CAA Tournament crown and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the NCAA Regional, the Tribe, which fell in its first game, knocked out Bryant and defending national champion Virginia on its way to its second Regional Final in four seasons. When all was said and done the Green and Gold won six elimination games against Northeastern, College of Charleston, UNCW (twice), Bryant, and Virginia. For his efforts, Murphy was named VaSID Coach of the Year. Individually, he helped lead six Tribe players to all-conference awards, including senior Charley Gould, junior Ryder Miconi, and sophomore Ryan Hall, who were named to the second team. Miconi was rewarded for his hard work in the classroom by being named the CAA Scholar Athlete of the Year. Gould became the 35th player in school history to be drafted when the Oakland Athletics drafted him in the 26th round. It was the fifth straight season that the Tribe had a player selected in the MLB Draft.

Throughout his stint in the W&M dugout, Murphy has mentored a total of nine MLB Draft picks, two national award semifinalists and 22 all-conference players. Michael Katz (2012-14), who garnered multiple All-American honors, was tabbed a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist in 2014. Additionally, Katz and Charley Gould (2013-16) were just two of three players in program history to become Dick Howser Trophy semifinalists, representing W&M on the prestigious list in back-to-back years (‘14 & ‘15). Murphy also helped develop a quartet of record-setting athletes. Under his watch, three pitching records were shattered as John Farrell (2010-13) set a new single-season wins standard (11), Jason Inghram (2012-15) replaced the school’s all-time wins mark (26) and Joseph Gaouette (2013-16) broke the career saves record (18). Furthermore, Katz eclipsed the single-season RBI ledger (75).

The Easton Mass. native, who enters his sixth season with the Tribe baseball program, after spending three-seasons at Ivy League school Brown.

While at Brown, Murphy served as the Bears recruiting coordinator and hitting coach. During his three-year tenure in Providence, R.I., Murphy mentored 10 All-Ivy League selections.

Prior to his time with the Bears, Murphy was an assistant at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., (2006-09) where he was the recruiting director for the Bulldogs. His on the field responsibilities at Bryant included overseeing the catchers, outfielders and batting. In 2008, he was a member of a Bulldog squad that captured the Northeast-10 Championship. His tenure at Bryant was highlighted by 132 victories, two NCAA Tournament Regional final appearances and a school-record 42 wins in 2008. At the plate, Bryant improved every season in batting average and runs per game under Murphy’s tutelage.

In 2004 and 2005, Murphy served as an assistant at Wheaton College in Norton, Ma. While coaching at Wheaton, Murphy’s coaching engagement centered on the Lyons’ hitting approach and catchers. The Lyons captured two New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) titles and made it all the way to the 2005 NCAA New England Regional finals during Murphy’s two seasons.

Murphy has summer coaching experience in the Cape Cod League and the Northwoods League. Murphy served as the hitting coach for the CCBL’s Hyannis Mets during the summers of 2005 and 2006. In 2008, he was the Head Coach of the Battle Creek (MI) Bombers of the Northwoods League.

He played collegiately at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., where he was the team captain in 2003. Murphy earned a degree in business management from Merrimack in 2003 and a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2009.

Murphy resides in Williamsburg with his wife, Karen, and son, Connor (4).

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