Penn men’s lacrosse coach Mike Murphy will not return next season, Penn Athletics announced Tuesday.
Murphy was the head coach for the Quakers for 16 seasons beginning in 2010, and his 109 wins with the Red and Blue rank first in program history. Penn Athletics, with the help of Elevate Consulting Group, will immediately begin a nationwide search for a new head coach.
“I want to thank Mike for his service to Penn men's lacrosse and its student-athletes for the past 16 seasons," 1996 College graduate and T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation Alanna Wren said in a press release announcing the decision. "While difficult, a change in leadership is needed to elevate the men's lacrosse program to compete for Ivy and national championships.”
USA Lacrosse Magazine wrote that the timing of Murphy’s dismissal was “peculiar” given that summer is a significant recruiting period for national lacrosse programs. Inside Lacrosse said the late-June decision is “well beyond” the typical timeline for a coaching change.
Penn men’s lacrosse has garnered 14 appearances at the NCAA tournament since the program’s start in 1971, with 10 of those appearances coming under Murphy. The Quakers have won the Ivy League tournament three times, most recently in 2022. In 2019, Murphy was named Ivy League and USILA Coach of the Year after the Quakers won the Ancient Eight and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.
In 2025, the Quakers compiled a 4-10 overall record, their worst finish since 2012. They also recorded a 1-5 clip in the Ancient Eight, good for a seventh-place conference finish. Prior to the start of the campaign, Penn was ranked No. 12 in the nation by USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Before serving as head coach, Murphy was an assistant coach for the Quakers in 2001 and 2002. Even then, Murphy took the program to new heights — his 9-4 record in 2002 was the best program record since the previous 13 seasons. Murphy subsequently served as head coach at Haverford for seven seasons, where his 64 wins tied him with program founder Dana Swan as all-time winningest coach.
Throughout his Penn career, Murphy coached a number of legendary Quakers, including 2023 Wharton graduate Sam Handley, a three-time All-American, and 2019 Wharton graduate Simon Mathias, a four-time All-Ivy honoree and the program’s all-time points leader. Murphy coached 55 All-Ivy players and 27 All-Americans.
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Murphy’s players often lauded his dedication to the program, citing his impact on their lives both on and off the field.
“One word to describe Coach Murphy would be devoted,” 2021 College graduate and former Penn men's lacrosse attacker Mitch Bartolo said in 2021. “He does everything with the best intentions for his family and his team, and will not waver from his commitment to what he finds important and loves. Coach Murphy has made me into the man I am today, and I can’t thank him enough for making my college experience everything I could have asked for.”
