Cascade College - 2008-09 Women's Basketball Coaches

Matt Murphy - Head Coach

matt.murphy@cascade.oc.edu

503-257-1284

Caoch Murphy begins his second season as head coach of the Thunderbirds in 2008. In his first season, Murphy guided the revamped T-Birds to a 15-17 season and a quarterfinal appearance in the CCC tournament.

Murphy arrives from Reno, NV, where he has coached the North Valleys HS varsity girls program since the school's opening in 2001. Starting the program from scratch, he has built the fledgling Panthers into a well respected team. Murphy's 2005 squad was a Northern Nevada Final Four team, and he was named Sierra League Co-Coach of the Year. That year he also coached in the Northern Nevada All-Star game.

Prior to North Valleys, Murphy directed the Golden West College women's program in Huntington Beach, CA for 4 seasons. He recruited a program in 1997 that did not field a team the previous season, and made the Region Quarterfinals in just his second season. His 2000 team won 17 games, which was more than any Golden West team in 14 years.

Murphy also coached the girls varsity team at Pacifica HS in Garden Grove, CA from 1994-1997. In his one season as assistant and two as head coach, Murphy guided the Mariners to a 40-13 overall record with three Garden Grove League championships. He was also named the GGL Coach of the Year in his first season as head coach (1996).

Murphy earned a B.A. in Physical Education from California State University-Long Beach in 1997, and a M.Ed. in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University in 1999. Matt will be relocating to Portland with his wife Karen, and 2 children - Lucas age 4, and Sarah, age 2.

Kendrah Wick - Assistant Coach

Kendrah Wick enters her first season as an assistant coach for the T-Birds.

Wick has been a part of the coaching staff at Everett Community College for the past three seasons, helping coach Chet Hovde and the Trojans to back-to-back NWAACC North Division championships.

"I am very excited to join the Lady Thunderbird team!" said Wick. "I think Coach Murphy is a great coach, and I look forward to building a strong program with him - starting with the returners from last year and the new players coming in. I love the small community Cascade has to offer and I look forward to meeting the players, as well as the faculty and the staff."

Wick earned an A.A. from Skagit Valley College in 2000, and a B.A. in English from Washington State University in 2004.

"I feel very fortunate to have a bright young coach like Kendrah join our staff," said coach Murphy. "As we grow the program, she will be a huge help in recruiting and in developing our players."