Former UNC standout to coach soccer at Gardner-Webb

Dinosaurs visited Patriots Park

University President Dr. William M. Downs has named Tina Murphy the next head coach of Gardner-Webb’s women’s soccer program, the Department of Athletics announced on Friday. A former four-time national champion as a player at the University of North Carolina, Murphy joins Gardner-Webb after two seasons as the head coach at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

“Coach Murphy is a big get for Gardner-Webb,” said Downs. “She has a championship pedigree, vast international experience, and deep knowledge of player talent in our own region. I’m confident that she will reinvigorate a program that has been trying to get over the hump for many years. With Tina Murphy, a title is now well within our reach. This is, in short, a next-level hire.”

This past season at USC Aiken, Murphy led the Pacers to a 7-4-4 overall record and a 4-3-3 mark in conference play, their best finish in the Peach Belt Conference since 2006. The improvements in 2022 included an eight-point increase from Murphy’s first season in Aiken, the biggest one-year jump in program history. Her team also tied a program record with eight combined shutout wins and draws.

The 2022 USC Aiken Pacers featured two all-conference players, the program’s 16-year best, including Megan Gettys, who became first USC Aiken player to earn PBC Freshman of the Year honors.

Last season’s successes propelled USC Aiken to back-to-back PBC Tournament appearances after the program reached postseason play just twice the previous 12 seasons. During her first year at the helm, Murphy guided USC Aiken to the conference tournament for the first time since 2017.

“From her youth, to college, to the professional ranks Tina has excelled, not just as an individual, but also as a member of a team,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich. “Her vast experience and powerful network in North Carolina, the southeast, and around the world, will not only help us attract great students, but also help provide the young ladies in our program with opportunities to play the sport they love post-graduation. I’m confident that Tina will instill a culture of competitive excellence in alignment with our Christian mission, we are honored to have her join our family.”