UC San Diego

Sam Murphy was named assistant coach of the UC San Diego track and field program in August of 2020.

A native of Perth, Ontario, Murphy comes to La Jolla with both domestic and international running experience.  
 
Since 2015, Murphy has trained as a professional track and field athlete, racing in numerous events all over the world. She has been coached by veteran middle-distance runners and coaches including Joaquim Cruz (1984 Summer Olympian), and her husband, Mac Fleet (2x NCAA Title Champion, 2009 Pan American Jr. 1500m Champion).

She has been a nationally carded athlete for Athletics Canada and one of the top-ranked Canadian women in the 800m with a personal record of 2:01. Murphy is currently training for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials. 

Murphy graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor of science in psychology in 2015. Most recently, she spent one season as a volunteer coach at her alma mater for the 2014-15 campaign when the team won the Indoor and Outdoor titles. 

After three successful years at the University of Illinois, Murphy finished her collegiate career with the Ducks and was part of the Indoor Track and Field National Championship season in 2014. That same year, Murphy was named All-American under the guidance of former Stanford middle-distance star Maurica Powell.

During her time at Illinois, while coached by three-time Olympian and Illinois Hall of Famer Tonja Buford-Bailey, Murphy earned All-American honors in back-to-back seasons. She participated in both indoor and outdoor competitions in which she became a five-time school record holder for the Fighting Illini, as well as an Academic All-American. 
 
In addition to coaching and training, Murphy served as the social media manager of the Golden Coast Track Club Pride 5K, a virtual race that benefited the Trevor Project – an American non-profit suicide prevention organization with a focus on the LGBTQ youth community.