Catawba College

Mike Murphy enters his fifth season as the Catawba College Head Men's Lacrosse Coach in the Spring of 2027.

Murphy led the program to its most wins in a season since 2012 with 11 and an impressive 6-3 record in South Atlantic Conference play in 2026. Catawba was a spectacular 7-1 away from home and defeated two ranked foes, including a 22-12 rout of No. 5 Anderson at Shuford Stadium. The blue and white finished the season ranked 15th in the country and was touted in the top-10 throughout April 20th. 

Tanner Stout and Owen Conway received USA Lacrosse All-American honorable mentions and USILA deemed Conway and Kier McKnight honorable mentions in its All-America awards. Statton Rehrer, Stout, Conway and McKnight all garnered USILA South All-Region honors. Rehrer was voted SAC Freshman of the Year. 

In the 2025 season, after a two-year rebuilding stage, Murphy elevated the Catawba men's program to its first winning campaign since 2019 with a 9-7 overall record. The squad tied its best start in program history with six consecutive wins, then finished the year with the first South Atlantic Conference Tournament appearance in Murphy's tenure.

Murphy was announced as the second head coach in program history in August of 2022, returning to his alma mater after serving as the head men's lacrosse coach at Mount Olive for the past ten seasons. In his tenure with the Trojans, Murphy posted a 103-46 overall record. He also led the program to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and five Conference Carolinas Postseason Tournament finals.

He coached a total of 17 All-Americans and was named the Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2018. Murphy was named the men's lacrosse coach at UMO in 2012 and coached the program's first-ever game on Feb. 16, 2013.

Prior to Mount Olive, Murphy was an assistant coach at Catawba for three seasons. In 2011, Murphy helped guide the men's lacrosse team to their first national ranking in program history as the team finished the season ranked tenth in the country. In 2012, Murphy assisted in the program's winningest season with a 14-3 record which led to the highest ranking in program history at eighth in the country.

Murphy also played lacrosse at Catawba from 1994 until 1998. He was a first team all-conference selection in 1996, and in 1997, he led the team in points with 51 and was tied for the team lead in assists with 20.