May 23, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State head coach Pat Murphy has been named the Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year, the conference announced today. The Coach of the Year is selected by a vote of all the conference head baseball coaches. This is the second time in Murphy's career he has won the award. He also won the award in 2000. It is the seventh Pac-10 Coach of the Year award in ASU history.
Murphy, now in his 13th year at Arizona State, and the Sun Devils have already clinched at least a share of the 2007 Pac-10 title, and can claim it outright with one victory this week.
"Good teams make good coaches, and I am very fortunate to have the kind of team that I do," said Murphy. "I have had a great time coaching this team and I am very humbled and very honored to win this award."
Murphy has led the Devils to a 41-12 record and Top Ten national ranking despite returning only one pitcher and five starting position players from last year's team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. There are 17 overall returners from the 2006 squad, and only five players (Joe Persichina, Rocky Laguna, Eric Sogard, Andrew Romine, Josh Satow) who were members of the 2005 College World Series squad that finished third in the nation.