New graduate assistant Kelsey Murphy joins Golden Eagle staff
August 2, 2010

New graduate assistant Kelsey Murphy joins Golden Eagle staff

Kelsey Murphy, a member of the Clemson volleyball team for the past four years, has been named graduate assistant coach for the Tennessee Tech volleyball team. The squad reports to campus Sunday to begin preparations for the 2010 season.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Kelsey Murphy, a member of the Clemson volleyball team for the past four years, has been named graduate assistant coach of the Tennessee Tech volleyball team.

In addition to her four years of playing experience at Clemson, Murphy has held other coaching jobs including VolleyPerformance clinics since January of 2008 and a season of Tangent Volleyball in May of 2006. During these events she would lead clinics for kids and teach them the skills and techniques needed for volleyball. As a coach she was responsible for running practices and supervising tournaments and organizing road trips.
 
“I definitely wanted to coach,” said Murphy. “I wanted to be part of the game in some way. Tennessee Tech is a great program and coach (John) Blair is a great coach.”
 
“We had several immediate responses for the open position,” said head coach John Blair. “Kelsey had a strong recommendation from her coach (Jolene Jordan Hoover) and we knew she would be a good fit for the program.”
 
As a player, Murphy spent four seasons as a member of the Clemson volleyball team, in which she served as the primary setter for three and half seasons. During her tenure as a Tiger, Murphy compiled 5,185 assists for second on the all-time list at Clemson. She also finished eighth in school history with digs and blocks with 1,220 and 436, respectively. She is the only player in ACC history to tally at least 5,000 assists, 1,000 digs and 400 blocks in a career.
 
Murphy was an all-ACC selection and all-region player for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons and was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2006. She also received AVCA all-American honorable mentions from 2007-09 and was named the National Player of the Week in 2008.
 
The Golden Eagles first tournament of the 2010 season will be at the Big Orange Bash in Clemson, S.C., where the Golden Eagles will take on Murphy’s former team.
 
“I’m excited,” said Murphy. “I started my college career in Clemson, now I get to start my coaching career there. Everything will come full circle.”