University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Men's Basketball
Murphy, Michael
Michael Murphy
- Title:
- Director of Basketball Operations
- Email:
- mmurphy@louisiana.edu
- Phone:
- (337) 262-1494
Veteran coach Michael Murphy is in his 11th season on the Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball staff, serving as Director of Basketball Operations. A native of Whitewater, Wisc., Murphy brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the Ragin’ Cajuns, including 13 as a head coach.
Before arriving in Lafayette in 2013-14, Murphy served for 10 seasons as head women’s coach at Troy (2002-12). He also was the head men's coach for three seasons at Viterbo University (LaCrosse, Wisc.) and has served on the staffs at Alabama (men's and women's) and Coastal Carolina (men's).
Murphy is one of a select handful of coaches in the country that has been involved in the NCAA men’s tournament, NCAA women’s tournament, the NIT, the WNIT and the NAIA National Men's Tournament as a coach.
Named the third head coach in Troy history, Murphy steadily improved the Trojans as the school transitioned from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Sun Belt beginning in the 2005-06 season. He recruited 14 all-conference players in his tenure with the Trojans along with 75 Academic all-conference selections.
Before his tenure at Troy, Murphy spent seven years at Alabama working with both the men’s and women’s teams. He served for five seasons (1997-2002) as an assistant on the women’s staff, helping the Crimson Tide reach the postseason each year, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
For two seasons from 1995-97, Murphy was the Director of Basketball Operations on David Hobb’s staff at Alabama that also included current Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Bob Marlin and assistant coach Neil Hardin. Murphy was part of the 1995-96 Crimson Tide team that finished 19-13 overall and advanced to the NIT Final Four.
The seven-year stint in Tuscaloosa would be the second for Murphy, who began his career as a graduate assistant under Wimp Sanderson during the 1987-88 season.
He served from 1992-95 as head men's coach at Viterbo, posting a 72-28 record and winning the Midwest Classic Conference championship, the Midwest Classic Conference Tournament Championship and the National Catholic Basketball Championship in 1995. During his first two seasons, the team earned a pair of Midwest Classic Conference runner-up finishes and were NAIA District 14 Finalists. In addition, he led the program to two NAIA Top 25 finishes (No. 22 in 1994, and No. 8 in 1995). His success earned him NCBT Coach of the Year honors in 1995. Over the course of his tenure, Murphy developed 11 All-Conference selections, 13 Academic All-Conference selections and two Conference Players of the Year and two NAIA All-Americans. In 2005, he was inducted into the Viterbo University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Murphy accepted his first full-time coaching position on the men's staff at Coastal Carolina. In his four-year tenure, the Chanticleers captured three Big South Conference championships (1989, 1990 and 1991) and two Big South Tournament championships (1990, 1991), posted a 73-42 record and earned a trip to the 1991 NCAA Tournament.
Murphy was a four-year letterman in basketball at Cardinal-Stritch University in Milwaukee from 1980-84, earning All-Conference honors following his junior and senior seasons. Murphy also served as the Wolves team captain during his final two years. He later played and coach professionally for several clubs internationally.
Murphy’s association with the game of basketball has not been limited to the sidelines as he has served as a color analyst for game broadcasts, covering games for the Alabama Sports Network, the Alabama Cable Network, FOX Sports South and WVUA-TV in Tuscaloosa.
Murphy earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Cardinal-Stritch in 1985. He is married to the former Elaine Smith, and the couple are the parents of two children; a daughter, Kristen Lakeman, and a son, Jackson.
Before arriving in Lafayette in 2013-14, Murphy served for 10 seasons as head women’s coach at Troy (2002-12). He also was the head men's coach for three seasons at Viterbo University (LaCrosse, Wisc.) and has served on the staffs at Alabama (men's and women's) and Coastal Carolina (men's).
Murphy is one of a select handful of coaches in the country that has been involved in the NCAA men’s tournament, NCAA women’s tournament, the NIT, the WNIT and the NAIA National Men's Tournament as a coach.
Named the third head coach in Troy history, Murphy steadily improved the Trojans as the school transitioned from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Sun Belt beginning in the 2005-06 season. He recruited 14 all-conference players in his tenure with the Trojans along with 75 Academic all-conference selections.
Before his tenure at Troy, Murphy spent seven years at Alabama working with both the men’s and women’s teams. He served for five seasons (1997-2002) as an assistant on the women’s staff, helping the Crimson Tide reach the postseason each year, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
For two seasons from 1995-97, Murphy was the Director of Basketball Operations on David Hobb’s staff at Alabama that also included current Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Bob Marlin and assistant coach Neil Hardin. Murphy was part of the 1995-96 Crimson Tide team that finished 19-13 overall and advanced to the NIT Final Four.
The seven-year stint in Tuscaloosa would be the second for Murphy, who began his career as a graduate assistant under Wimp Sanderson during the 1987-88 season.
He served from 1992-95 as head men's coach at Viterbo, posting a 72-28 record and winning the Midwest Classic Conference championship, the Midwest Classic Conference Tournament Championship and the National Catholic Basketball Championship in 1995. During his first two seasons, the team earned a pair of Midwest Classic Conference runner-up finishes and were NAIA District 14 Finalists. In addition, he led the program to two NAIA Top 25 finishes (No. 22 in 1994, and No. 8 in 1995). His success earned him NCBT Coach of the Year honors in 1995. Over the course of his tenure, Murphy developed 11 All-Conference selections, 13 Academic All-Conference selections and two Conference Players of the Year and two NAIA All-Americans. In 2005, he was inducted into the Viterbo University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Murphy accepted his first full-time coaching position on the men's staff at Coastal Carolina. In his four-year tenure, the Chanticleers captured three Big South Conference championships (1989, 1990 and 1991) and two Big South Tournament championships (1990, 1991), posted a 73-42 record and earned a trip to the 1991 NCAA Tournament.
Murphy was a four-year letterman in basketball at Cardinal-Stritch University in Milwaukee from 1980-84, earning All-Conference honors following his junior and senior seasons. Murphy also served as the Wolves team captain during his final two years. He later played and coach professionally for several clubs internationally.
Murphy’s association with the game of basketball has not been limited to the sidelines as he has served as a color analyst for game broadcasts, covering games for the Alabama Sports Network, the Alabama Cable Network, FOX Sports South and WVUA-TV in Tuscaloosa.
Murphy earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Cardinal-Stritch in 1985. He is married to the former Elaine Smith, and the couple are the parents of two children; a daughter, Kristen Lakeman, and a son, Jackson.
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