Volleyball Adds Transfer Rachel Murphy to 2020 Roster
6/19/2020 4:35:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NASHVILLE – Lipscomb volleyball's already talented 2020 signing class received a big boost on Friday, as head coach Brandon Rosenthal announced the addition of transfer Rachel Murphy.
"We are very excited about the addition of Rachel Murphy," Rosenthal said. "She brings a wealth of experience and she will immediately bolster our defensive effort with a strong block game. We are excited to blend Rachel's game into an already impressive team of players."
Murphy will join the Bisons with two years of eligibility after beginning her career at the University of New Mexico.
"Honestly, coming from such a large university, the thought of a small faith-based school was super appealing to me," Murphy said. "I talked to Brandon and was able to get to know him and his staff. It just felt really good to me. And I just felt so welcomed to a team that I wasn't even committed to yet.
"It was a perfect fit and Lipscomb checked all of the boxes. The thought of going to school here made me really excited and that was huge. And I've never had a coach who is so highly spoken of the way people talk about Brandon. That really helped me feel confident in my decision and I can't wait to be able to learn from him."
The 6-foot middle blocker appeared in and started 27 matches in 2019 as a true sophomore. She was the Lobos top defensive threat at the net, leading the team with 120.0 total blocks, including 11 solo and 109 assisted.
She recorded at least one block in every match and posted multiple stuffs 25 times, highlighted by a career-high 10 blocks at Boise State on November 9.
Murphy led the team in blocking 12 times and her 120 total swats were the sixth most on UNM's single-season individual chart in the 25-point rally scoring period.
Murphy also consistently contributed offensive for UNM, posting five-plus kills in a match 15 times. She finished fourth on the team with 123 total kills and averaged 1.22 kills per set. Her top offensive night came against Wyoming (Sept. 28), as she exploded for career highs in kills (14) and hitting percentage (.407). She also tacked on eight total blocks en route to a career-best 18.5 points.
"Now being considered an upperclassman, you get to carry this confidence with you," Murphy said. "I know what I can do and know there is more to me. I can walk into a gym with a really good attitude and have confidence in myself, but also know that I can help other girls who might not have had those tough moments yet.
"I hope to be a really good offensive and defensive middle. At New Mexico I excelled defensively, but Brandon wants to get me more involved on the offensive side. I am excited to see where Lipscomb can help me grow on that side."
A Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin native, Murphy prepped at Menomonee Falls High School where she earned all-conference recognition and was named all-state honorable mention. In 2017, she totaled 280 kills, 78 blocks, 23 digs and 16 aces while hitting .346 in 100 sets.
"I have no doubt that Rachel will continue her strong play as she fully immerses herself into the LUV culture," Rosenthal said. "I'm proud of the work that this staff of Nate Thompson and Rachel Ferguson have done in this challenging times of recruiting."
"We are very excited about the addition of Rachel Murphy," Rosenthal said. "She brings a wealth of experience and she will immediately bolster our defensive effort with a strong block game. We are excited to blend Rachel's game into an already impressive team of players."
Murphy will join the Bisons with two years of eligibility after beginning her career at the University of New Mexico.
"Honestly, coming from such a large university, the thought of a small faith-based school was super appealing to me," Murphy said. "I talked to Brandon and was able to get to know him and his staff. It just felt really good to me. And I just felt so welcomed to a team that I wasn't even committed to yet.
"It was a perfect fit and Lipscomb checked all of the boxes. The thought of going to school here made me really excited and that was huge. And I've never had a coach who is so highly spoken of the way people talk about Brandon. That really helped me feel confident in my decision and I can't wait to be able to learn from him."
The 6-foot middle blocker appeared in and started 27 matches in 2019 as a true sophomore. She was the Lobos top defensive threat at the net, leading the team with 120.0 total blocks, including 11 solo and 109 assisted.
She recorded at least one block in every match and posted multiple stuffs 25 times, highlighted by a career-high 10 blocks at Boise State on November 9.
Murphy led the team in blocking 12 times and her 120 total swats were the sixth most on UNM's single-season individual chart in the 25-point rally scoring period.
Murphy also consistently contributed offensive for UNM, posting five-plus kills in a match 15 times. She finished fourth on the team with 123 total kills and averaged 1.22 kills per set. Her top offensive night came against Wyoming (Sept. 28), as she exploded for career highs in kills (14) and hitting percentage (.407). She also tacked on eight total blocks en route to a career-best 18.5 points.
"Now being considered an upperclassman, you get to carry this confidence with you," Murphy said. "I know what I can do and know there is more to me. I can walk into a gym with a really good attitude and have confidence in myself, but also know that I can help other girls who might not have had those tough moments yet.
"I hope to be a really good offensive and defensive middle. At New Mexico I excelled defensively, but Brandon wants to get me more involved on the offensive side. I am excited to see where Lipscomb can help me grow on that side."
A Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin native, Murphy prepped at Menomonee Falls High School where she earned all-conference recognition and was named all-state honorable mention. In 2017, she totaled 280 kills, 78 blocks, 23 digs and 16 aces while hitting .346 in 100 sets.
"I have no doubt that Rachel will continue her strong play as she fully immerses herself into the LUV culture," Rosenthal said. "I'm proud of the work that this staff of Nate Thompson and Rachel Ferguson have done in this challenging times of recruiting."
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