- 2016 Olympic Games (Bronze Medal)
- 2018 FIVB World Championship (5th Place)
- 2014 FIVB World Championship (Gold)
- Bronze medalist at 2016 Olympic Games where she started all eight matches at opposite and scoring 76 points
- Scored a team-best 157 points during the 2014 FIVB World Championship helping U.S. Women win the gold medal.
- Has led U.S. Women in scoring in 2013 and 2014, her first two seasons since joining the team... As a rookie, she tallied 314 points with a 3.53 scoring average. In her second season in 2014, she scored team-highs of 370 points and 4.35 points per set average in 2014
- Named Most Valuable Player and Best Spiker of the 2013 NORCECA Women's Continental Championship after leading Team USA to gold medal
- Finished 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round ranked second in Best Spiker with a 45.0 kill percent
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:
2018 - FIVB Volleyball Nations League (Gold)...FIVB World Championship (5th Place)
2017 - FIVB World Grand Prix (5th Place)
2016 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)...Olympic Games (Bronze).
2015 - USA Volleyball Cup vs China...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)
2014 - USA Volleyball Cup vs. Brazil...FIVB World Grand Prix (5th Preliminary Round)...FIVB World Championship (Gold)
2013 - Pan American Cup (Gold)...USA Volleyball Cup vs. Japan...FIVB World Grand Prix (6th)...NORCECA Championship (Gold-MVP)...FIVB Grand Champions Cup (Silver).
Did You Know
- Led the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2007 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Junior World Championship, earning the tournament’s Best Server award
- Three-time AVCA All-America (first-team in 2010 and 2011, second-team in 2009) while playing at University of Florida
- Finished seventh in University of Florida history in sets played (447), eighth in kills (1,306), eighth in assists (2,671), 10th in aces (126) and 10th in points (1,567.5) while registering 30 career triple-doubles
- Helped Hoosier Exterminators win the first-ever Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Championship in 2012
- Selected Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalist in 2011
- AVCA National Freshman of the Year in 2008
- Named 2007-2008 Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year (Article)
- Ranked as nation's top recruit by PrepVolleyball.com after career at Joliet Catholic High School in Illinois
- Played on Sports Performance club that went 84-0 over three years, earning MVP honors after team won the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships 18 Open title in 2007 and 16 Open title in 2006
- Started playing club volleyball at age 11 in 2000 with Club Uno.
- Mother played volleyball at Illinois State University
Kelly Murphy's Favorites:
Food: Chocolate Chip Cookies ... Book: Harry Potter series ... Music Type: Country, Pop ... Professional Team: Chicago Cubs
Path to the Podium
- Started playing youth club volleyball at age 11 for Uno Volleyball Club in 2000
- Earned MVP honors of the 2007 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships as she led Sports Performance to gold, capping a three-year career with an 84-0 record
- Member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that finished fourth at the 2007 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship
- Chosen Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year in 2007-2008 to wrap up her senior season at Joliet Catholic Academy
- Three-time AVCA All-American at University of Florida after being AVCA National Freshman of the Year in 2008
- Made debut with U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2013 Pan American Cup
- Member of the 2014 FIVB World Championship gold-medal team as she scored a team-best 157 points
- Earned bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games as she started all eight matches at opposite
The Big Blurb
University of Florida head volleyball coach Mary Wise on Kelly Murphy: "A unique talent. She has a picture-perfect arm swing coming from a 6-foot-2 left-hander. She has great court vision and great arm speed. That by itself would be enough to make her a special talent. But then she has one of the best deliveries and touches on the ball ... of any setter in the college game. She makes it look effortless." (from espnW article dated Dec. 7, 2011)
Related Links
- Herald News: Kelly Murphy's Olympic Volleyball Potential was Evident Early On (July 18, 2016)
- Kankakee Daily Journal: Olympics: Wilmington's Murphy secures Olympic spot (July 14, 2016)
- Chicago Tribune: Olympic Volleyball Dream Comes True for Joliet Catholic's Kelly Murphy (July 12, 2016)
- USA Volleyball Interview: Getting to Know Kelly Murphy
- ESPNW Article: Florida's Kelly Murphy in a World of Her Own (Dec. 7, 2011)
Last Updated: October 2018
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Secretive Navy SEAL-Inspired Camp Provides Ultimate Bonding Experience For U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team, presented by Ultimate Software
Karen Price Aug. 02, 2018
The squad took part in the multi-day excursion shortly after winning the Nations League.
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Vote On Team USA's Best Athletes From July
United States Olympic Committee Aug. 02, 2018
See which athletes made the Team USA Awards nominations and vote for your favorites.
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Vote On Team USA's Best Athletes From July
United States Olympic Committee Aug. 02, 2018
See which athletes made the Team USA Awards nominations and vote for your favorites.
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The Champs Are Crowned: U.S. Women Claim Inaugural Volleyball Nations League Title With Win Over Turkey
Karen Price July 01, 2018
Team USA won 17 of 19 matches across more than six weeks and five countries.
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Team USA Beats Olympic Champion China To Advance To Volleyball Nations League Final
Karen Price June 30, 2018
The U.S. women will face Turkey for the title in Nanjing, China.
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U.S. Women's Volleyball Team On To Nations League Semifinals
Karen Price June 29, 2018
Team USA defeated Turkey and Serbia to advance to Saturday’s semis, with the medal round Sunday.
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U.S. Women Clinch Top Spot After Lengthy FIVB Volleyball Nations League Preliminary Round
Karen Price June 14, 2018
Team USA’s 10-game win streak was ended but it still enters the finals on top.
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Dominant Performance Continues For U.S. Women’s Volleyball Players As They Beat World No. 1 China
Karen Price June 07, 2018
The win was the 10th in a row for the Americans, who top the Nations League standings.
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U.S. Women Top Volleyball Nations League Standings After Three More Wins In Week 3
Karen Price May 31, 2018
The Americans topped Germany, the Dominican Republic and hosts Thailand in Bangkok.