Oct. 17, 2007

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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University Director of Athletics Mark Murphy has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America, the Institute for International Sport announced Wednesday.

The list is the result of a three-year project by the Institute aimed at honoring sports educators who have "made a lasting impact on the lives of young athletes, and who are providing a blueprint to other sports educators to do likewise." The core criteria used for selection was the effective use of sport as a means to educate.

"In America and in many other countries, we honor elite athletes, winning coaches, wealthy team owners and media moguls. We praise sports educators yet we really do not honor them in a manner befitting their admirable impact on society," Institute Executive Director Dan Doyle said. "This project is aimed at honoring individuals and organizations who have creatively and effectively used sport in the very best way -- as a means to educate and shape positive values."

From the time the Institute announced the project in 2004, the organization received over 1,500 nominations for individuals and "teams". After reducing the list to 200 individual finalists and 30 "team" finalists, the Institute appointed a final selection committee made up of coaches, athletic administrators, journalists and academicians. David Bloss, former Sports Editor of the Providence Journal, chaired the committee.

Since his arrival in Evanston, Murphy has seen the Wildcats' 19 varsity sports capture nine conference championships, 34 individual Big Ten titles, 49 All-America honors, eight individual national championships and three NCAA team titles. All of these successes have helped the Wildcats receive a top-30 ranking in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings the last three years -- the highest NU has ever ranked in the Cup.

Murphy's student athletes have been just as successful off the field as on it. Since Murphy's arrival, NU has received 505 Academic All-Big Ten certificates, including 10 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards and 28 CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. All of these accolades have come while NU has maintained some of the highest graduation rates for student-athletes in Division 1 athletics.

Murphy's honor comes on the heels of a National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) AstroTurf Football Bowl Subdivision Central Region AD of the Year nod last year.

For more information on the Institute for International Sport and its 100 Most Influential Sports Educators program, visit internationalsport.com.