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Gary Murphy, High Jump Coach
Alma Mater: Appalachian, 1976
Years at ASU: First Year

A public school teacher for 27 years, Murphy has coached at all levels in various sports.

A former head track coach at Watauga High School, Murphy’s teams finished first five times and second twice in the Northwestern 4-A Conference during his seven year tenure. He was honored coach of the year six times.
Murphy has had numerous athletes advance to state champions and had great success.

During his graduate years at ASU, Murphy was in charge of all fall workouts and helped with recruiting and meet day administration. He coached Mel Hubbard and Bobby Terry to conference championships in the high jump. Hubbard was the first field event athlete to advance to the NCAA Championships for ASU. He, along with Terry, dominated the SoCon High Jump in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

During his public school years, Murphy coached April Cook, who was state champion and still holds the North Carolina 3A record at 5’8 ¼”, and Lindsay Taylor. Taylor was a 5’11” jumper, a state runner up.

A master’s level USATF official, Murphy has worked numerous NCAA Championships and USATF Championships, and was an official in the 1996 Olympic Trials and Olympic games in Atlanta. He is the coordinator of officials for the Southern Conference Championships.

A high jumper for the Mountaineers during the early 70’s, Murphy still ranks in the top ten indoors with a 6’9” effort and has a personal best of 6’10 ¼” during his master jumping days in his early 30’s. Murphy works with all of the high jumpers at ASU as well as multi-event jumpers.

Murphy and his wife, Gay, reside in Boone and he has three children. Patrick, 25, was a track athlete at UNCC. Megan, 23, was a volleyball player at UNCA. Briana, 21, is currently a soccer player at Charleston Southern University.





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