Tribute to Liz Murphey

Liz Murphey was one of the leading figures in the evolution and development of women’s intercollegiate athletics both on the national level and at the University of Georgia.

A Newnan, Ga., native, Murphey was not only an outstanding women’s golf coach but also led the overall Lady Bulldog women’s sports program to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s as its senior woman administrator. She died November 23, 2005, following a short illness.

“Liz was certainly one of the national pioneers in women’s athletics and one that provided the real foundation for the program here at Georgia,” said former UGA Director of Athletics Vince Dooley. “Her work at Georgia was recognized across the country both as an administrator and golf coach.”

Murphey joined the university faculty in 1967 as an assistant professor of physical education and women’s golf coach. She coordinated the women’s club sports program until being named assistant athletic director for women’s sports in 1978. When UGA officially added women’s golf as an intercollegiate sport in the fall of 1978, Murphey already had a solid foundation in place. She led the Lady Bulldogs to 21 team and 18 individual titles from 1978-86. Under Murphey, Georgia finished in the top 10 at each national championship from 1979-83, including second at the 1981 AIAWs and third at the 1983 NCAAs. Additionally, Terri Moody and Cindy Schreyer won individual national titles in 1981 and 1984, respectively. Murphey was the first-ever NGCA National Coach of the Year in 1984, and she was a charter member of that organization’s Hall of Fame. Two of her most prestigious honors were the 1996 Rolex Meritorious Service Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Collegiate Women’s Athletic Adminstators in 2003. Under her leadership, Georgia won eight of the 14 SEC women’s all-sports awards, secured four national team championships and captured an additional 31 individual national titles. Murphey retired from the University in May 1996. She was inducted into the UGA Athletic Association’s Circle of Honor – the school’s highest tribute paid to former athletes or coaches – in 2001. Murphey’s legacy lives on. For more than four decades, Georgia has hosted the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, appropriately one of the nation’s oldest women’s collegiate athletic events in any sport.

LIZ’S LEGACY

Liz Murphey’s fingerprints remain on UGA women’s athletics long after she retired. Murphey hired current Georgia women’s head coaches Jack Bauerle (swimming and diving) and Jeff Wallace (tennis), as well as previous standouts Andy Landers (basketball) and Suzanne Yoculan (gymnastics). That quartet has combined to lead 19 teams to NCAA Championships and 45 squads to SEC Championships in their respective sports. She also brought in Beans Kelly as her assistant coach in 1986 and handed the reins to the golf program over shortly thereafter. Kelly led Georgia to eight SEC titles and eight top-10 finishes at the NCAAs.

PUTTING UGA ON THE MAP

Hosting the 1981 AIAW Nationals was perhaps Liz Murphey’s finest hour as a coach and administrator. Terri Moody (upper right) captured the first-ever national title in UGA women’s athletics history and the Lady Bulldogs finished second in the team field (right).