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Kate Murphy struggled to gain recruiting attention.

A native of Plano, Texas, Murphy dreamed of playing at a big school in a top conference. But, as a defender, she didn’t possess any eye-popping stats. Then, she met Adam Flynn.

Flynn was Murphy’s club coach for local team, D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC). He put Murphy in contact with SU head coach Nicky Thrasher-Adams. Murphy’s lasting connection and stellar play with Adams resulted in a scholarship to Syracuse. Four years later, Murphy is the backbone of SU’s backline, leading the team with 34 starts.

Murphy attended the Ursuline Academy of Dallas her senior year of high school, playing under first-year head coach Darrin Hedges. Prior to coaching at Ursuline, Hedges coached at rival Bishop Lynch, just a 30 minutes drive away from Murphy’s school. Hedges’ time with Lynch and later Ursuline allowed him to study Murphy’s play.

“I don’t think I ever saw her get beat,” Hedges said. “I never had to worry about the other team’s right forward as long as she was in the game.”

In 2019, Murphy helped Ursuline win the District Championship for the Texas Associate of Private Parochial School D1 district and advance to the state semifinals. For Hedges, Murphy was the model of consistency.

“No doubt I could pencil her in as my left back no matter who was playing or what the circumstance was,” Hedges said. “She was a kid I always knew I could count on.”

Murphy’s prowess on the left flank was first realized at DKSC. Playing left back, Murphy didn’t flash her offensive potential until arriving at Syracuse. Now, she regularly takes corners and set pieces for the Orange.

“Good lefties are few and far between,” Flynn said. “I was singing Kate’s praises in terms of the balance she brings to a team and her reliability and consistency.”

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Near the end of her fall 2019 season, Murphy was still uncommitted. While attending the Elite Club National League Nationals with DKSC, Murphy’s father, Robert, inquired about her future plans.

“I remember Robert went on a trip with her and asked what she was going to do,” said Murphy’s mother, April. “She said she wanted to play in college, but she wasn’t going to just play anywhere. Fortunately she found the right school.”

A few weeks later, Murphy took an official visit to Syracuse. Early into 2020, SU offered her a scholarship. Without much delay, she accepted.

“I wanted a new experience,” Murphy said. “Playing in the best conference in the country was something that really stood out to me and something I wanted to challenge myself with.”

Early last season, against Lafayette, she slotted home an ‘olimpico’ — a goal where a player scores directly from a corner kick. Fifteen minutes later, Murphy delivered a pass that Erin Flurey’s head to put SU up 2-0.

In 2022, Murphy faced her biggest collegiate challenge yet. In back-to-back weeks, the Orange faced then-No. 3 Duke as well as then-No. 3 North Carolina. Against the Blue Devils, Syracuse conceded a goal with just 1:40 remaining in an eventual loss.

Next, against UNC, Murphy played the entire 90 minutes in one of the most complete games of her career, according to her father. Both Robert and April had made the trip from Texas to see Murphy play. While the Tar Heels got the first goal of the game 32 minutes in, Murphy and the rest of the backline shutdown UNC for the remainder of the game. Not being able to produce any offense, the Orange fell 1-0.

“Defensively, it was probably the best game I’ve ever seen her play,” Robert said.

Published on September 20, 2023 at 9:56 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky