Sue Murphy, longtime member of the Middlebury College Sports Medicine Department, will retire in August after 40 years at the College. Murphy joined the staff in September of 1976 after earning her degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont earlier that year.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Middlebury – it has been a privilege working with the student-athletes, my colleagues, coaches and community health-care providers,” said Murphy. “In particular, I am deeply grateful to our [sports medicine] directors Dick Waterman, Dave Matthews and more recently Kelly Cray for their support and leadership.”
“Sue has dedicated 40 years of service to Middlebury College athletics, demonstrating compassion and drive right up to her last days serving student-athletes. Her sense of humor and consistency will be missed by all, including athletes, coaches and her colleagues in the training room,” said Director of Sports Medicine Kelly Cray. “As a colleague of Sue’s for 24 years, I will miss the opportunity to learn from her and to strive to achieve the standards of care that she has modeled over her four decades of service.”
In her time at Middlebury, Murphy has worked with thousands of athletes from every Panther team. When Murphy came to Middlebury, she and Waterman were the only athletic trainers in a department that also treated members of the general student body. Forty years later, due to increased enrollment and teams, the Department of Sports Medicine has grown to six employees who treat varsity and club-sport athletes.
Murphy spent significant time working with the men’s soccer program, and says one of the highlights of her career came in 2007 when she accompanied the team to Florida where the Panthers won the NCAA Championship in dramatic fashion.
Longtime men’s soccer coach David Saward says Murphy has been invaluable to his team. “Sue has been absolute pleasure to work with,” said Saward. “The players trusted her implicitly and her word was gospel around the team. She has been friend, counselor, psychologist, surrogate mother, loyal team player and healer extraordinaire.”
“One of the most enjoyable and satisfying things I experience is when I get a ‘thank you’ from an athlete after rehab that enables them to return to competition,” said Murphy. “There’s something great about watching them return to action and knowing you had a little piece in that.”
“I am certain that I speak for all players and coaches alike when I say we will miss her presence greatly. From all the men’s soccer players who have benefited from her professional attention over the years, we thank her and wish her the best of good health in her upcoming retirement,” said Saward.
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