Coach Calder Brings Murray on Staff As Assistant Field Hockey Coach
By Greg Gornick
Gwynedd Mercy University Head Field Hockey Coach Alex Calder is pleased to announce that graduate midfielder/defender Kaci Murray will be staying with the program for the 2023 season as an assistant coach. “I am very excited to have Kaci back with the program. She not only brings energy and excitement to each session, but also has strong tactical knowledge of the game and our defensive system,” praised Coach Calder. “Kaci is a proud Griffin alumni who wholly understands our team culture and mission of our university from a student athlete perspective.” Murray is the most decorated Griffin under Coach Calder, earning National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III All-Region IV recognition and All-Atlantic East Conference (AEC) First Team honors in 2021 (Defense) and 2022 (Midfield).
“I am looking forward to continuing my career within Gwynedd Mercy athletics as an assistant coach,” said Murray. “My experience as a Griffin, both as a student and an athlete, will help support me along this new opportunity. I'm so excited and very grateful to Coach Calder and Coach Santiago for welcoming me to their staff!”
Murray garnered her second straight NFHCA Division III All-Region IV Second Team recognition following an appearance in the 2022 Victory Sports Tours/NFHCA Division III Senior Game. The two-year captain (2021, 2022) was an All-AEC First Team selection in 2022, leaving her backfield duties to help provide more offense. She did so with 11 points (21st in AEC) on three goals (T23rd) and five assists (T10th). She also ranked 13th in the league for shots (37) and tied for fifth in defensive saves (3).
In 2021, Murray earned her first NFHCA All-Region IV and All-AEC designations after tying for second on the team in points and tying the program record for defensive saves in a single season with 10; she also led the league in the latter category. Her lone tally was the only goal in the Griffins’ 1-0 victory over league rival Immaculata University. She also recorded an assist and three defensive saves in Gwynedd Mercy University's 2-1 victory over Arcadia University three days prior.
Overall, Murray was a five-year starter for the Griffins with 70 starts in 75 career games. She ranks among the program’s Top-10 all-time in defensive saves (4th, 13) and penalty strokes (T8th, 2), while finishing her collegiate career with four goals, eight assists, 16 points, 60 shots, and a pair of game-winning goals.
Murray graduated from Gwynedd Mercy University in fall 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in gerontology. She plans to enroll in the University’s new speech pathology graduate program next fall.