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Murphree accepts college coaching job
Vintage High coach to lead Missouri Valley

By MARTY JAMES.Monday, April 28, 2003
Executive Sports Editor

Carl Murphree has resigned as Vintage High's co-coach for boys and girls wrestling and as director of the Napa Valley Wrestling Club, and will start his new job as head coach of the Missouri Valley College women's wrestling team today.

Murphree, 43, will take over a Lady Vikings team that is ranked No. 2 in the country for NAIA schools and has two former Vintage wrestlers, Emilee Murphree and Christie Rafanan of Yountville, both freshman who wrestle on athletic scholarships. Murphree's hiring was announced by athletic director Tom Fifer.

"For me, it's a new challenge," said Carl Murphree, whose daughter, Emilee, is a former two-time California state meet champion. "When I saw the opportunity, the job posting, I thought about it for a few weeks, and then jumped on it.

"They were real encouraging when I let my interest be known. We talked for two or three months. I made it real clear that I had to finish the season at Vintage. They were willing to postpone their hiring date for that. I'm just real excited. It's a real strong program and I think I can make a difference. I'm looking forward to it."

Carl Murphree has been Vintage's co-coach with Jim Lanterman for 10 years, and has been with the NVWC for 15 years. The Crushers won back-to-back state titles in girls wrestling and this past year finished second. They also returned from the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association Championships with five All-Americans: Maika Watanabe, Nicole Mazzaferro, Kayla Chambers, Carina Valle-Santana, and Jessia Hsieh.

In addition, Murphree's son, Daniel, won a CIF State title, capping a 58-1 senior season, and the Crushers captured the Monticello Empire League Division II championship.

"He's got a personality that works with the kids," said Lanterman. "It's a magnetism type of thing that he has with these kids. The opportunity for him I think is tremendous, to go to a level like that. The program has already got a great reputation for itself.

"It's really going to be a good thing for him. We're losing a good guy, there's no doubt about it. But we're not going to lose track of each other, that's for sure."

Carl Murphree, a 1977 Vintage graduate who majored in PE at Cal State Sacramento, belongs to USA Wrestling, the American Coaches Effectiveness Program, and the National High School Coaches Association. He accepted MVC's full-time coaching offer April 17.

"People across the country who know about women's wrestling, know about Vintage High School," he said. "The hardest part is leaving the people, the friends I've made. There's some huge potential coming up at Vintage High in wrestling. It's hard to leave that.

"I like the people, the members of the boys team and the girls team," said Murphree. "That's the hardest part, leaving Jim (Lanterman) and Bob (Musante)," an assistant coach at Vintage.

Wrestling is a major sport at MVC, a small private school in Marshall, Mo., with an enrollment of 1,400 students. Murphree replaces Mike Machholz, who has been serving in a dual role as both men's and women's head coach. Machholz will remain as the men's head coach. The Vikings won an NAIA title this year.

There are 21 wrestlers on the women's team, several of whom are nationally ranked.

"I think people expect them to stay there or climb, so I feel that pressure," said Murphree. "The women's team at Missouri Valley is a source of pride for the school. There's a billboard coming into town.

"I think we'll become a stronger team. It's a big thrill to coach Emilee again. I'll see her more than once every two months. That will be nice."

Carl Murphree feels good about the work he's done at Vintage.

"I'm leaving with some steps accomplished," he said. "We had a state champion and we won a league title. The girls program I think is strong enough now, it's not going to falter. It's just going to keep growing and getting better."

Murphree has coached 16 wrestling USA All-Americans in the past five years. Murphree also started the Asics Napa Valley Girls Classic, the first National High School Federation tournament in the U.S.

"I will miss my many friends here in the Valley and throughout California, but I feel it is a good move for me and my family," he said.

Missouri Valley won the team title at the USGWA Can-Am Freestyle Nationals in Michigan and finished second in the USA Wrestling University National Championships.

Murphree was inducted into the Vintage High Hall of Fame in 1999.