LEWISTON, Maine — After 21 seasons, 343 victories and six NCAA Tournament appearances, Jim Murphy is retiring as head coach of the Bates College women’s basketball team, effective at the end of the 2014-’15 academic year, the school announced Tuesday in a news release.
Murphy, who also coached women’s soccer at Bates between 1994 and 2011, “has been one of the most successful coaches that we have ever had at Bates College,” Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh said in the release.
“Throughout his tenure he has led his programs with the utmost integrity, an amazing work ethic and a passion for excellence. Beyond the multitude of achievements, Jim’s outstanding leadership is also reflected in the scores of young women who played for him and have gone on to distinguish themselves after their Bates careers.
“Jim always brought a sense of humor and has been a quiet, steadfast influence, instrumental in the development of our younger staff. He will be sorely missed but remembered fondly.”
Murphy has led the women’s basketball program through 21 of its 47 years in existence, and is the program’s longest-tenured coach. He entered the 2014–15 season ranked 49th among active Division III coaches in career wins (333), and finishes his career with a 343–187 record.
Bates reached new heights in 2004–05, earning the No. 1 national ranking for four weeks and finishing 25–3 with a second NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance. Bates returned to the tournament for a sixth time in 2006, finishing 19–9. Sixteen of Murphy’s 21 teams finished with a winning record, and six former players were named All-America.
Murphy, a Portland native, led the women’s soccer team for 16 seasons beginning in 1994, amassing a 146–93–13 record, including the 2005 NESCAC Women’s Soccer Championship and NCAA Division III Championship tournament appearances in 1996, 1997 and 2005. Murphy also coached the team to two ECAC Championship finals, winning the title in 1998.
As an undergraduate, Murphy was one of the finest quarterbacks in the history of Bates football and owns the team’s records for touchdown passes in a career (50) and season (17), and is one of just three players to have his number (10) retired, in 1968. He also played two years of varsity basketball at Bates.
The Bates Department of Athletics will immediately begin a national search for the team’s new head coach.