Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics

A 1959 Lenoir-Rhyne graduate, Joe Murphy was a three-sport standout for the Bears during his time at the college.  It was in football that he made his biggest accomplishments, both as a player and as a coach.  During his four years (1955-58) on the Bears football team, the squad posted a 36-3-2 overall mark and won four North State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.  In his junior and senior seasons, Murphy was chosen as the outstanding defensive player for the Bears and also won all-state and all-conference recognition.  As a senior, Murphy served as team co-captain and was named to the Little All-American team by both the NAIA and Associated Press.   Following his playing days at Lenoir-Rhyne, Murphy returned to his hometown, taught health and physical education at Gloucester Catholic High School for some seven years.  While at Gloucester Catholic, he served as assistant football and baseball coach for two years before becoming athletic director and head football and baseball coach in 1961.  His five-year record as head football coach was 30-13-2.  Murphy later coached football at Washington Township and Oakcrest High Schools before joining the college coaching ranks in 1969.  He served as defensive back coach at Lafayette College for two years and then was defensive coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania from 1971-80.  He left coaching and entered private business following the 1980 season.