Baseball

Jim Murphy enters his third year as assistant coach at Paradise Valley Community College and his 52nd year in coaching. Murphy comes to PVCC with a wealth of baseball experience at practically every level of the game. 

Prior to his present position at PVCC, Murphy served as head coach at Osceola High School (FL). Prior to Osceola, he was the top assistant at Iowa State University. While with the Cyclones, he coordinated the recruiting and served as hitting coach and infield coordinator.

In his three years at ISU Murphy produced a Big XII batting champion as well as a fielding record of double plays turned by the ISU middle infield.

Murphy’s coaching career started at the college level while serving as an assistant at Blackhawk Junior College from 1969 to 1972. Murphy served as head coach at Assumption High School in Davenport, IA from 1986-1997. During that 11-year span, his teams won three state titles and 10 conference titles. His overall record was 364-118. From those teams, six players entered the professional ranks and countless others continued their careers in collegiate baseball.

Murphy’s oldest son Quinn was drafted in the 15th round in 1994 by the Cleveland Indians, his youngest son Dustin was a middle infielder at North Carolina State, and his oldest grandson Brody will play baseball at University of Illinois in 2020.

Aside from numerous coaching experiences, Murphy has had a decorated career as a college basketball referee. He refereed in five major conferences from 1981-1997 when he retired and took on the reigns at ISU. Murphy also served as an associate scout for such organizations as the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Murphy, a graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA, is married to Kathy Ommen Murphy. They have three children and five grandchildren.