Phoebe Murphy – CRCA Hall of Fame Class of 2014
Entering her 25th season with the Brown program, Phoebe Murphy, wife of Head Coach John Murphy, has helped lead the Bears to unprecedented success. Under the Murphy’s leadership, Brown has become the winningest program in NCAA Championship history, winning seven NCAA rowing championships in the last 13 years.
Murphy, who was named the associate head coach in 2010, has provided steady leadership and an amazing knack for getting the most out of her student-athletes. She was named the CRCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011 after helping guide the Brown squad to its unprecedented seventh NCAA Division I Championship.
The husband-wife duo of John and Phoebe has helped the Bears become one the most respected programs in the country as they continuously compete for National Championships.
In the 2007 season, Murphy’s novice eights and second varsity eights went undefeated during the regular season and went on to win the Grand Finals at the EAWRC Sprints. The second eights placed third at the NCAA Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and helped Brown claim an NCAA Championship. In 2004, the second varsity eights and second novice eights went undefeated winning gold medals at the Eastern Sprints. The second varsity eights also placed first in the grand finals at the NCAA Championships.
In 1999, Murphy’s first novice crew posted a perfect 10-0 record while the second novice boat compiled an unblemished record of 8-0. Both the first and second novice boats captured the EAWRC Championship. It is no surprise that she was voted the EAWRC novice coach of the year.
A distinguished athlete, Murphy began her career as a single sculler. She captained the Brown crew in 1980 and stroked the varsity four which won the National Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her other accomplishments include a Junior National Championship at age 16, gold medals in the Lightweight single at the Head of the Charles in 1979 and 1980, and being a member of the United States Lightweight National Team which won gold medals at the U.S. Nationals as well as the Canadian Henley.
Phoebe and her husband, John, the women’s varsity coach at Brown, reside in Barrington, RI. The coaching tandem has three children, Jack, Penelope and the late Patrick D. Murphy.
Murphy’s Career Awards
EAWRC Novice Coach of the Year: 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010
CRCA Assistant Coach of the Year: 2005, 2011
Words Unlimited Co-Coach of the Year (with husband John): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
US Rowing Ernestine Bayer Award for significant contributions to women’s rowing: 2007