Portland State University Athletics

Portland State Head Women’s Basketball Coach Sherri Murrell enters her eighth season on the Park Blocks and has guided the Vikings to their most successful stretch at the NCAA Division I level.
 
Murrell has made her team a force to be reckoned with in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings have gone 118-98 overall and 65-55 in the Big Sky Conference in seven seasons under Murrell, giving them more overall and conference wins than they had in the seven seasons prior to her arrival (61-136, 34-68 Big Sky from 2001-02 to 2006-07). The Vikings have been particularly dominant at home under Murrell, going 71-32.

Murrell became the fastest coach in Portland State basketball history, men or women’s, to reach the 50-win plateau, doing so in just her 75th game. For her success, Murrell was given a contract extension through June 30, 2015 by Athletics Director Torre Chisholm in June of 2009.


The 2013-14 season was a struggle for Murrell and the Vikings as they again played through key injuries to the starting lineup. Angela Misa was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury for the second straight season. Emily Easom stepped up on the perimeter and emerged as the Vikings’ top scorer. Easom led the team with 12.4 points per game and was ninth in the league with 1.9 three-pointers per game.
 
Murrell led the Vikings to a big 83-80 win against Sacramento State on Jan. 16, 2014. The Hornets entered the game averaging 94.1 points and 14.4 three-pointers per game. Murrell changed the game plan to slow down the game and force the Hornets into bad situations. The Vikings shot .567 for the game and outrebounded the Hornets 43-to-27.
 
The Vikings finished the season 8-21 overall and 6-14 in conference play.
 
The Vikings struggled through injuries right out of the gate in 2012-13. Two starters, Kate Lanz and Angela Misa, both suffered season ending knee injuries while every other starter on the team missed at least one game due to injury. The Vikings got out to a quick start by winning five of their first six and seven of their first 11. After the injury bug hit, however, the Vikings struggled through the Big Sky season going 6-14 and finishing with a 12-17 overall mark.


Murrell surpassed the 100-career wins mark at Portland State just two games into the 2012-13 season with a 87-85 double overtime win at Oregon. She became just the second coach in Portland State history to eclipse the 100-win mark.

There were several bright spots for the Vikings during the season. Senior guard Courtney VanBrocklin became the 16th member of Portland State’s 1,000-point scorers club. VanBrocklin was the fifth Viking to surpass the milestone while playing for Murrell. Misa also became the first Viking to end the season averaging a double-double (10.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg). She was named the Big Sky’s Top Newcomer following the season.
 
The 2011-12 season was a bit of a struggle for the Vikings as they finished the season 15-14 overall and finished just outside the Big Sky Tournament finishing seventh with a 7-9 conference record.

In 2011-12, Murrell said goodbye to one of the most prolific three-point shooters the Vikings have ever seen, in Eryn Jones. Jones finished her career in the Portland State top five in three-pointers made, attempted, and three-point field goal percentage. She also became the 15th member of the 1000-point club finishing her career with 1,350 points, seventh all-time.

The season also saw the emergence of Kate Lanz as one of the top scorers in the Big Sky Conference. Lanz ended the season third in the Big Sky in scoring with 15.6 points per game and fifth in rebounding. She tallied a team-high six double-doubles on the season en route to being named the Big Sky Conference’s Top Newcomer and earning All-Big Sky Honorable Mention.

Jones joined Lanz on the All-Big Sky team earning second team honors after leading the conference in three-point makes and finishing second in three-point field goal percentage. Portland State also excelled in the classroom with six Vikings earning Big Sky Winter All-Academic team honors. Since Murrell took over, the Vikings have earned 26 Big Sky All-Academic honors.

During the 2010-11 season Murrell was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year. She led Portland State to its first ever Big Sky Conference regular season title and its third 20-win record in the past four years. The Vikings reached the conference tournament championship game for the fourth straight season before falling to Montana. They still advanced to the WNIT, marking the third consecutive postseason appearance for the Vikings.

Murrell’s efforts were rewarded when she was named the Big Sky Conference co-Coach of the Year on March 16. Her players also brought home some major hardware as Eryn Jones earned the Vikings’ first ever Big Sky MVP award and also became the school’s first player to be named to the WBCA All-Region VIII team.

The Vikings’ run to the Big Sky title was impressive considering they started 1-3 in league play. But they bounced back by winning 11 of their final 12 games to capture their first regular season crown. Portland State also accomplished another first during the 2010-11 season, sweeping the Montana schools on the road for the first time in school history

While the Vikings 18-15 record during the 2009-10 season might not look as impressive as their back-to-back 20-win seasons in Murrell’s first two years, it was undoubtedly another historic one. Murrell led her squad to the school’s first-ever Big Sky Tournament title and a subsequent NCAA tournament berth. In their first appearance in the “Big Dance” the Vikings were shipped to the Seattle Regional and gave ninth-ranked Texas A&M all they could handle over the first 20 minutes before eventually losing.

There were plenty of other accomplishments during the year, including Murrell earning career win number 200 against Montana State on January 8. In that game, PSU rallied from a 20-point first half deficit for the biggest comeback victory in school history. Murrell also guided the Vikings to three wins over Montana for the first time since 1998-99, including a 72-60 victory in Missoula that snapped a 12-game losing streak at Dahlberg Arena.

Murrell’s Vikings earned their way to the “Big Dance” by winning three games in the Big Sky Tournament. As the No. 5 seed, Portland State became the highest-seeded team to ever win the championship. Senior point guard Claire Faucher was named the tourney MVP after pouring in 26 points and knocking down eight three-pointers in the title game against Montana State.

The 2009-10 Viking squad set new school records for three-pointers made (238) and three-pointers attempted (728), and Faucher set new Portland State and Big Sky Conference career assist records. Faucher ended the year by being named a first team all-conference player for the third straight season.

In her first five seasons, Murrell’s players garnered numerous awards, including: two Academic All-American selections, 12 all-conference awards, 26 academic all-conference picks, five academic all-district honors and 20 Big Sky Player of the Week awards.

After leading the Viks to what was their best season ever at the DI level in 2007-08, Murrell and her staff one-upped themselves in 2008-09 by taking their squad to the NCAA Division I postseason for the first time in school history. The 2008-09 Vikings went 23-10 and reached the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

The 23 wins were the most for PSU since jumping up to DI play prior to the 1996-97 season, while Murrell’s .703 winning percentage is the best in Portland State women’s basketball history.

On Murrell’s watch, senior Kelsey Kahle became PSU’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, was named the Big Sky’s Defensive Player of the Year, and was also named a third team Academic All-American. Additionally, junior point guard Claire Faucher was chosen as a unanimous first team all-conference pick for the second year in a row, and sophomore Kelli Valentine garnered honorable mention All-BSC honors.

In the Big Sky, Portland State went 14-2 and 7-1 on the road to set new school records. The Vikings also went 7-1 at home in conference games, matching the 2007-08 squad for the best mark in school history. The Vikings ranked in the top 30 nationally in assists per game (19th), assist/turnover ration (23rd) and scoring offense (29th).

Murrell was hired as the 10th head women’s basketball coach in PSU history on July 1, 2007, and wasted no time in putting her mark on the program. Murrell guided the Vikings to a 22-9 overall record, making it then the most wins for PSU at the Division I level.

The Vikings finished the season 11-5 in the Big Sky Conference, tying with Montana State for third place, to post its first winning conference mark since going 8-6 in 2002-03. The Vikings were impressive in their conference victories, posting an average margin of victory of 16.7 points.

Murrell and her staff coached four players to all-conference honors, highlighted by sophomore guard Claire Faucher being named a unanimous first team All-Big Sky selection. Faucher also garnered honorable mention Associated Press All-America honors after leading the nation in assists per game.

For the third straight year, Portland State also produced the Big Sky Conference’s Outstanding Freshman. Freshman center Kelli Valentine averaged 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game to earn the award, following Kahle in 2005-06 and Faucher in 2006-07.

An Oregon native, Murrell returned to the Park Blocks after a nine-year absence, having served as an assistant coach on Jenny Yopp’s staff from 1996-98.

Murrell has an extensive coaching background, including head coaching positions at George Fox University, the University of the Pacific and Washington State. In her 13 years as a head coach at PSU and three other schools, Murrell has compiled a career record of 169-202.

She strung together seven consecutive winning seasons at George Fox and Pacific, while collecting two conference Coach of the Year honors. In addition, attendance at all three schools saw dramatic increases under her watch.

Murrell received her first career head coaching assignment at George Fox, then an NAIA school, in Newberg, Ore., in 1993. When she accepted the head coaching position, Murrell was just three seasons removed from her final year as a player at Pepperdine (1989-1990).

In three seasons at George Fox, she compiled a 52-33 ledger, with three straight NAIA Tournament appearances. In recognition, Murrell earned back-to-back Cascade Conference Coach of the Year honors following the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 seasons. During the 1994-1995 campaign, George Fox appeared in the NAIA Top-25 for the first time in school history.

Following the 1995-1996 season, Murrell spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Portland State before being named the head coach at Pacific, in Stockton, Calif., prior to the 1998-1999 season. Inheriting a program that had just posted consecutive 9-18 seasons, Murrell led the Tigers to a 14-13 record, including a 10-5 mark in the Big West Conference during her first season.

That would mark the start of four consecutive winning seasons for Pacific, its longest such streak since posting four straight winning campaigns from 1993-1996. Murrell’s final Tiger squad went 19-11 in 2001-2002, the program’s highest win total since 1994-1995, and she finished her time at Pacific with a record of 68-46.

Murrell then departed Pacific for the head coaching position at Washington State, spending five seasons at the school from 2002-2007. She inherited a program that had not had a winning season since the 1995-1996 season, and under Murrell’s watch the Cougars made significant strides.

On the court, the Cougars became more competitive as they competed in 24 games that were decided by six or less points in her final three seasons. Seven players would earn All-Pacific 10 Conference honors on the court during her time in Pullman, Wash. Among those seven players was forward Kate Benz, who earned two honorable mention all-conference awards. During the 2003-14 season, Benz would also become the first Washington State player to earn Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week honors in nine years.

Benz was one of 18 Washington State players to earn academic honors during Murrell’s tenure.

With the Cougars’ improved play on the court, Washington State’s home attendance increased by 86 percent during Murrell’s tenure. In addition, Murrell’s 2006 recruiting class at Washington State was ranked 39th in the nation by Blue Star Basketball.

After three successful years as the head coach at George Fox, Murrell joined Jenny Yopp’s staff as the operations assistant and recruiting coordinator for the Vikings.

Her two seasons at Portland State coincided with the school’s first two seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference and a return to the NCAA Division I level. The Vikings posted respectable marks of 11-14 and 11-16, including back-to-back 7-9 Big Sky records in their first two seasons in transition from the NCAA Division II level.

More importantly, though, Murrell as the recruiting coordinator laid a solid foundation for a breakout season in 1998-1999. While Murrell left for the head coaching position at Pacific prior to the season, the Vikings would post an 18-10 record using players she recruited to the Park Blocks. Portland State also went 12-4 in the Big Sky and reached the Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship Game in just its third year in the league.

Murrell, 45, was born October 17, 1967 in Redmond, Ore., and lists Portland as her hometown. She prepped at St. Mary’s Academy, located adjacent to the Portland State campus, and was a starter on the Blues’ 1985 Oregon Class 4A state title team.

She would then leave her home state to play on the NCAA Division I level. Murrell played two seasons for Louisiana-Lafayette before transferring to Pepperdine. In her final season with the Waves, she was named to the All-West Coast Conference team while playing point guard.

Murrell graduated from Pepperdine with a degree in public relations in 1991.
Following the completion of her playing days, Murrell stayed at Pepperdine as an assistant coach for the 1990-1991 season. She would then serve one-year stints as an assistant at BYU, in 1991-1992, and at George Fox, 1992-1993, before being elevated to head coach for the Bruins.

Murrell welcomed twins Halle Jane and Rylan Patrick into her family on February 24, 2009.

THE MURRELL FILE

PERSONAL
Born: October 17, 1967 in Redmond, Ore.
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Education: Pepperdine, 1991; B.S., Public Relations

COACHING EXPERIENCE
2007-Present Portland State, Head Coach
2002-2007 Washington State, Head Coach
1998-2002 Pacific (CA), Head Coach
1996-1998 Portland State, Assistant Coach
1993-1996 George Fox, Head Coach
1992-1993 George Fox, Assistant Coach
1991-1992 BYU, Assistant Coach
1990-1991 Pepperdine, Assistant Coach

HEAD COACHING RECORD