NORTHRIDGE- CSUN Athletics is mourning the passing of former women’s golf coach Bonnie Murphy who lost her five-year battle with cancer on Saturday, June 17.

Murphy, 51, was CSUN’s longest tenured women’s golf coach who led the Matadors from the 2000-01 season through the 2011-12 season. She was also a four-year letterwinner as a player for the Matadors from 1996-2000.

imageAs head coach, she led CSUN to the only two conference championships in program history as the Matadors won back-to-back Big West Conference Championships in 2003 and 2004. Murphy was named Big West Coach of the Year following both championship seasons and CSUN advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the first time in program history.image

Murphy produced 18 all-conference golfers and 19 women were named to the Big West All-Academic team under Murphy’s watch. Beth Allen, who played for Murphy from 2000-04, is the most decorated women’s golfer in CSUN history and has since gone on to earn her LPGA Tour card and is currently competing on the professional tour.

After a playing career that saw her receive Big West All-Academic accolades in 1999 and 2000, Murphy became an assistant for head coach Stephanie Martin for the 2000-01 season before succeeding Martin who was hired as the head coach at Kentucky.

“I helped recruit Bonnie as a player in the early 90’s,” said CSUN head men’s golf coach Jim Bracken. “She was immediately a team leader and was excited to play college golf. As a coach, she did a great job and was very passionate about golf. She developed her team as players but on a personal level as well. She will most definitely be missed.”

A native of Chicago, Ill., Murphy earned her Bachelor’s Degree in liberal studies from CSUN in December 2000. She has also spent time running a non-profit caddy program for teens in 1998 and has also spent time in the LPGA Teaching and Country Club Professional Program.

Several former players paid tribute to the former coach on social media throughout the day on Sunday.