8/17/2006 - (

Mount Saint Vincent Head Men's & Women's Cross Country Coach Michael Murphy.

Riverdale, NY) – Mount Saint Vincent Director of Athletics Cathy Ingram has announced the hiring of Michael Murphy as the school’s Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach. Murphy, a Riverdale resident, who is currently the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the Mount, takes over a program experience a rebirth at the Mount and will compete in its second varsity season after a one-year hiatus during the 2006 season. Ingram said the hiring of Murphy brings to Mount Saint Vincent an experienced recruiter with a proven track record of success in Cross Country competition.

“Michael Murphy has impressed us since his first days on campus as a tireless recruiter who holds the best interests of our school and athletics department very close to his heart. He has been a tremendous leader for our Men’s Basketball program and I think he is the perfect fit for our Men’s and Women’s Cross Country position,” Ingram said. “The Cross Country position brings with it infinite possibilities due to the many features of our College that serve as source of attraction for High School seniors, and our proximity to Van Cortlandt Park. There is no doubt we can have an excellent Cross Country program, and I am confident that Michael Murphy will do an outstanding job in this position.”

Murphy brings with him a wealth of experience in Cross Country and Track competition, most recently serving as the Track & Field Coach at the Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan. At Steiner, he led a first year team to a third place finish in the competitive ISAL league meet. Prior to his coaching position at Steiner, Murphy was an accomplished cross country runner in High School, earning First Team All-Conference for five consecutive seasons while setting his school’s all-time cross country course record. During that time, he was also league champion in the two-mile event during track & field season and was honored as a First Team All-Conference performer for three straight years. Murphy credits his High School success to working with legendary Head Coach Howard Rubin, and said he hopes to run a program emulating his former coach.

“It is an honor to be the Head Cross Country Coach at Mount Saint Vincent. Over the last 10 months, I have learned all about this fine College and the many positives it has to offer prospective student-athletes. I think Mount Saint Vincent is the perfect school for a top-notch cross country program. When I was a kid, the goal was to get to all of the big races at Van Cortlandt Park. Having such a facility in our back yard is going to be a tremendous draw for High School seniors. It’s an opportunity to practice every day at one of the most renowned cross country facilities in the world,” Murphy said. “I had the rare privilege of competing for one of the finest cross country coaches in the sport and I gained tremendous insight into the sport from Coach Rubin. He is an icon for our sport in upstate New York, and I think my efforts are going to be a tribute to his leadership and mentorship. I am very excited to be in this position and I can’t wait to see how far we can take cross country at Mount Saint Vincent.”