Denison University

Gail Murphy, one of the winningest coaches in the history of NCAA Division III women's soccer, retired as head coach of the Big Red at the end of the 2022 season. After 40 years of coaching in her career, Murphy will now focus on her research and teaching as a faculty member in both the Health, exercise and sport studies (HESS) major and the physical education program at Denison.

In October of 2024, Murphy was named to the inaugural Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Hall of Fame class. 

Since arriving in Granville in the fall of 1997, Coach Murphy built Denison University women's soccer into one of the premier programs in NCAA Division III. In 26 seasons as the Head Coach of the Big Red, Murphy posted an impressive record of 317-133-48 (.685 pct.) with 15 appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament, eight North Coast Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championships and four NCAC Tournament Championships. A five-time NCAC Coach of the year and a two-time NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year, Murphy compiled a collegiate head coaching record of 350-166-49 (.663 pct.). The Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association was twice named Murphy its Coach of the Year (1997, 1999).

Denison finished the 2022 season 7-9-4 overall while advancing to its 10th-straight NCAC Tournament, winning its fourth NCAC Tournament Championship and making the NCAA Tournament for the 17th time in school history and for the first time since 2016. The Big Red earned five All-NCAC honorees as senior forward Amy Chiero and sophomore defender Kate Dalimonte were both named first-team all-conference before Dalimonte was also selected by the United Soccer Coaches as an NCAA Division III Women's Region VII Third-Team pick.

During the 2021 campaign, Denison captured its conference-best 11th NCAC Regular-Season Championship with an overall record of 11-5 and a 7-1 mark in the conference. Seniors Abby King and Katie Livingston were named the NCAC Midfielder and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, while Coach Murphy was named NCAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career. In all, Denison had five All-NCAC selections while both King (First-Team) and Livingston (Second-Team) were named All-Region by the United Soccer Coaches for the second time in a row. Additionally, King became the fifth player in the history of Denison women's soccer to receive the honor of NCAA Division III Scholar All-American (Second-Team). During the Big Red's 2021 season opener on September 3, Coach Murphy earned her 300th career win as the head coach at Denison with a 1-0 victory over George Fox University.

During the 2019 season, Denison finished the year at 8-7-4 while advancing to their eighth-straight NCAC Tournament. The Big Red also claimed six All-NCAC selections during the 2019 season and Abby King and Katie Livingston garnered All-Region honors by the United Soccer Coaches.

In 2018, Murphy led the Big Red to their 10th NCAC Championship in program history after going 12-3-2 overall and undefeated in the conference at 6-0-2. Along with the team success in 2018, Murphy was named the NCAC's Coach of the Year for the fourth time in her career and senior Maggie Armstrong was honored as the NCAC Midfielder of the Year for the second time in her career after leading all conference midfielders with nine goals and six assists.

In 2016, Denison captured the NCAC Tournament title by blanking Wittenberg, 1-0 behind a goal by Meg Wozniak in the 89th minute. With the win, Denison advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time under Murphy and the 16th time in program history.

In 2010, the Big Red matched their deepest NCAA Tournament run in school history by advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Denison was nationally ranked all season and after tying for second place in the NCAC in the regular season, the Big Red won the conference tournament on their home field and went on to host the NCAA Regional at Barclay-Thomsen Field. After dispatching Penn St.-Altoona in the first round, Denison defeated eighth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan in the second round to capture the regional title. In the Round of 16, the Big Red advanced by edging Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a shootout before bowing out, in a similar fashion, the following day, to Otterbein in the quarterfinals. Senior forward Jen Clemmer was named to the NSCAA All-America squad and was chosen as the NCAC's Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2009 Murphy's squad posted a 16-4-2 record and finished 25th in the final NSCAA/Adidas Division III rankings. Murphy was named the NCAC Coach of the Year for the third time after leading the team to a 7-0-1 conference record. Junior forward Kim Oshita was named the NCAC's Offensive Player of the Year and would go on to become the program's 16th All-American.

Murphy coached 10 athletes who earned at least one All-American citation. She finished as the program's all-time leader in victories.

Murphy's Denison teams won at least 13 games in 15 of her 26 seasons as head coach. In 1999, her team won a school-record 18 games and in 2005 they advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals (Elite Eight) after a dramatic shootout victory over Otterbein in the Sweet 16. Murphy has coached DU in 30 of the program's 33 NCAA Tournament matches and she has advanced to the second-round 10 times to go along with three Sweet 16 appearances and two Elite Eights.

From 1983 to 1991 she coached Los Alamos (N.M.) High School, where her teams played in the finals of the state tournament five times, winning three championships. She began her college coaching career in 1991 as a graduate assistant at Smith College in Massachusetts. In March of 2018, Murphy was the recipient of the Honor Award from the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association for her impact on college soccer in the state of Ohio.

Murphy spent four years at Southwestern University in Texas, where she took a first-year program to a top-10 regional ranking in just two seasons. While at Southwestern, Murphy was selected as Coach of the Year by the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Murphy then made the cross-country switch to Denison, leading the Big Red back to regional and national prominence.

Murphy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from the University of New Mexico in 1983 and her Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science from Smith College (Mass.) in 1993. Along with her soccer coaching duties, Murphy is an assistant professor on the faculty of Denison's Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Studies.

Murphy resides in nearby Newark, Ohio.