Sports Editor

Alabama assistant Michael Murphy will be named head coach of the Troy State women’s basketball program on Wednesday, making the 42-year-old only the third head coach in the history of the program.

Murphy will take over for Jerry Hester, who resigned March 12 following seven seasons as head coach of the Lady Trojans. Under Hester, Troy State was 93-103 overall, earning its only NCAA Tournament berth in 1997 when the program was a Mid-Continent Conference regular season title and tourney winner.

Murphy has spent the last five years at the Capstone under current Alabama women’s head coach Rick Moody. The Crimson Tide finished this season with a 19-12 record, losing 79-61 to Michigan State in the quarterfinal round of Women’s National Invitational Tournament two weeks ago. Murphy began his coaching career as a UA men’s graduate assistant under then-Crimson Tide head coach Wimp Sanderson in 1987-88.

In 1992, Murphy began a three-year head coaching stint with the Viterbro V-Hawks (LaCrosse, Wisc.) of the NAIA. He compiled a 72-26 record, winning the Midwest Classic Conference championship and National Catholic Tournament championship in 1995. He took Midwest Classic Conference Coach of the Year and NCBT Coach of the Year honors in the same season.

Murphy was a successful assistant coach at Costal Carolina under Russ Bergman from 1989-91 as the Chaticleers won the Big South Conference Championship three straight years, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1991.

He is a native of Chicago, Ill., but grew up in Whitewater, Wisc., and lettered in basketball at Cardinal Stritch College. He was named all-conference three times and was team captain his final two years.

Murphy is recognized as a hard working recruiter, helping to sign the most recognized class in the history of the Alabama women’s basketball program in 1999. The class was ranked as the nation’s fifth best.

Murphy is married to the former Elaine Smith. The couple has two children: a daughter, Kristen, and three-year-old son, Jackson.

Troy State will hold a press conference at noon in Trojan Arena today to announce Murphy as its new women’s head coach.