Katie Murphy's Soccer Career Will Continue

Katie Murphy began playing soccer in the third grade. She’s been hooked ever since.

Even though Murphy is in her senior year at , she can find solace in the fact that her playing days will not be over this spring. Murphy has committed to take her skills to Olivet College in Olivet, MI, after she graduates.

“It’s amazing,” Murphy said of knowing she will be able to play in college. “I love playing soccer. I’ve played my whole life, and going to continue in college is the best feeling ever. It’s a dream that I still get to be able to play as long as I can at a competitive level.”

Murphy was recruited off her travel soccer club – U18 Bloomfield Force Futbol Team – by a small handful of schools, but Olivet won out.

“They were watching most of my games, and the last game, they said they really liked me,” Murphy said. “I visited the school and fell in love with the campus.”

Come spring, Murphy will spend her fourth season playing forward for Berkley’s varsity soccer squad. 

In addition to soccer, Murphy is in her second varsity season as a point guard for the Bears’ basketball team.

Murphy said she might consider trying out for the Olivet women’s basketball team in the future, but at this point, she’s very much looking forward to continuing her soccer career at the Division III level. “It’s just amazing,” Murphy said. “I’m glad to be part of it and go to Olivet to show off my skills.”

Olivet College is coming off one of its best soccer seasons. The Comets finished 4-3-1 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and 13-5-2 overall.

The Comets have plans to see Murphy playing at the midfield or forward position come fall. “We’re hoping she can come in and have an impact right away,” Olivet coach Hans Morgan said. “Obviously, there’s a development curve from the high school and club teams to college soccer, but she’s talented enough that, hopefully, she can come in and have an impact right away.”

The Comets are losing eight players from last year’s team. They have five players committed so far for this fall, so the door for opportunity is definitely there for Murphy to earn significant playing time out of the gate.

“We had a great recruiting class last year, and it led to one of the best seasons in Olivet College history,” Morgan said. “We feel we have as good as or possibly a better recruiting class this year, and we’re very excited about that.

"Katie is a big reason why we’re excited about it.”