The 2026-27 season will be the ninth for Murph McCarthy as the head coach of the Navy women's rugby team. The 2000 graduate of Navy was named head coach before the start of the 2019 spring season.
2025-26
Under McCarthy's leadership, Navy compiled a 4-5 record in 15s competition and registered the winningest 7s season in program history with a 14-5 mark during the 2025-26 campaign.
In 15s play, McCarthy led the Midshipmen to a 3-4 conference record in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA), highlighted by several milestone victories. Navy opened the season with a 58-7 win over Queens—marking the program's first-ever victory over the Royals—and set program single-game records for points (78) and tries (12) in a 78-5 win against Princeton. The Mids closed the fall by recording the second shutout in program history, a 53-0 Senior Day triumph over Penn State. Under McCarthy's tutelage, senior Ashley Spencer garnered All-NIRA Division I Honorable Mention accolades after tallying 22 points on four tries and a conversion. Junior Mia Young led the squad in overall scoring (30 points) and conversion kicks (10), while junior Caroline Shegogue paced the team with five tries.
The spring 7s season proved historic for McCarthy’s program, as Navy amassed 517 points on 88 tries and 47 conversion kicks across four tournaments. After leading Navy to a third-place finish at the season-opening Navy 7s (3-1), McCarthy directed the Mids to the West Chester 7s Tournament title with an undefeated 4-0 run, allowing just two tries all day and capping the performance with a 41-0 championship shutout of Penn State. Navy followed with a runner-up performance at the Quinnipiac 7s (3-1)—posting shutouts against Army (55-0), Sacred Heart (17-0) and New Haven (57-0)—before tying the program's best finish at the Collegiate Rugby Championship Premier Women’s Cup by placing third with three tournament victories.
McCarthy oversaw several standout individual player performances during the 7s campaign. Junior Catherine O’Hara led the team with 18 tries and 90 total points on the season—including a team-high five tries at the national championship tournament—while freshman Cecilia Izquierdo contributed 12 tries in a breakout spring. Junior Mia Young served as the primary kicker with 32 conversions in 7s play while pacing the team in scoring at the CRC with 26 points on two tries and eight conversions.
2024-25
During the 2024-25 campaign, McCarthy directed Navy to a 4-5 record in 15s competition and what was then the program’s winningest 7s season at 12-11.
In 15s action, the Mids posted a 2-5 mark in NIRA play with conference victories over Princeton (24-19) and Mount St. Mary’s (36-14). McCarthy oversaw a historic offensive performance in a 71-8 road victory over service academy rival Air Force in Colorado Springs, setting a program single-match record for points scored. Navy also earned a 59-5 win over Frostburg State, highlighted by a hat-trick from junior Ashley Spencer and a 20-point performance (two tries, five conversion kicks) from sophomore Megan Alvarez.
In the spring 7s season, McCarthy guided the Midshipmen through a campaign that opened with a 4-0 run at the Frostbite 7s in Landisville, Pa. Navy posted shutouts over Stony Brook, West Virginia and Virginia while allowing just one try all tournament (20-5 victory over Binghamton), with sophomore Catherine O’Hara scoring five tries. Navy also claimed a 28-12 home victory over Mount St. Mary’s at the Navy 7s and finished second at the West Chester 7s with wins against West Chester (25-12) and Princeton (17-10). The Mids finished the regular 7s season 2-1 at the Frostburg 7s with two victories over Mount St. Mary’s (38-0, 24-7), led by three tries from junior Kyndall Wyngaard.
Postseason play featured a seventh-place finish at the 7s Collegiate Rugby Championship, where McCarthy's squad registered shutout wins over West Chester (10-0, with tries from sophomore Mia Young and freshman Lara Olmsted) and New Haven (30-0). Navy concluded the campaign competing at the CRAA 7s National Championship in Indianapolis.
2023-24
The Mids posted a 2-5-1 record in 15s in their second varsity season. The 2023 fall campaign marked the first for Navy as a member of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA). The Mids claimed their first NIRA league win in comeback fashion against Long Island by a score of 19-18. Navy trailed, 18-8, at halftime, but outscored the Sharks, 11-0, in the second half.
Miracle Haynes, who scored the game-winning try against Long Island, garnered Second-Team All-NIRA honors for her efforts during the fall season.
McCarthy guided the Mids to one of their top 7s seasons in team history with an 11-3 record during the spring. After picking up a pair of wins at the 7s on the Hudson and placing eighth in the Tropical 7s, Navy continued its dominance at the Emperor 7s. The Mids won the title for the third-consecutive year and the fourth time since 2019. Navy placed first in the group A pool with a 3-1 record and claimed victories over Penn State (31-0), West Chester (24-5) and Princeton (22-17).
The Mids then placed second at the Frostburg 7s tournament with a 3-1 record. Navy won its first three matches against Mount St. Mary's No. 2 team (40-0), West Chester's No. 1 team (17-12) and Penn State's No. 2 team (33-5) before dropping a close match to Penn State's No. 1 team in the title match.
The Mids capped off their 7s campaign with a third-place showing at the 7s Collegiate Championship. Navy qualified for the semifinals by beating Virginia Tech (19-5) and Penn State (12-7). The Mids later rallied from a 10-point deficit in the third-place match to claim a 14-10 victory over American International College.
McCarthy's program continued to excel in the classroom. Team captain Charlotte d'Halluin was awarded a Marshall Scholarship, which provides up to two years of postgraduate study at a United Kingdom university. She is the 35th midshipman to earn the highly-competitive academic honor. Additionally, Abigail (AJ) Ward was one of 32 students nationwide awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for postgraduate study at Oxford University. She is the 56th midshipman to earn the prestigious honor.
2022-23
McCarthy guided the Mids to their second-straight CRAA Fall D1 Championship in the first varsity season for the program. Navy traveled to Colorado Springs to battle service academy rival Air Force in the quarterfinals and won a defensive battle over the Falcons, 12-3. Navy returned to Annapolis to face Northeastern the following week in the semifinals. The Mids scored eight tries and won the match handily, 52-5, to advance to the CRAA Fall DI Championship against Utah State. Navy's offense was unstoppable again, scoring a season-high 61 points with 10 tries to win the contest, 61-28. The Mids outscored their three playoff opponents, 125-36, and scored 20 tries in the three matches.
Navy registered a 7-5-1 overall 15s record. Along with its three playoff wins, the Mids claimed victories over Lander (44-0), West Chester (20-10), New Haven (25-5) and Virginia Tech (51-7).
Navy competed primarily in 7s during the spring season and posted a 10-9-1 overall record in five tournaments. Navy finished with a 2-2 record in the Frostbite 7s with wins against Rowan (15-5) and Bloomsburg (15-5). The Mids followed up with a 1-2-1 record in the West Chester 7s to place third overall. Navy posted a 3-1 record the following week to win the Emperor 7s in Princeton, N.J. The Mids defeated Penn State (26-5) and Princeton (20-5) to advance to the title match against West Chester. Navy won the contest, 24-7, to claim the tournament title for the second-straight year. The Mids ended the regular season by placing second in its home tournament, the Legacy 7s, with a record of 2-2.
McCarthy's squad earned the No. 2 seed in the east bracket in the Collegiate Rugby 7s Championship. Navy finished in fourth place with a 2-2 record and defeated Texas A&M (24-0) and Michigan (31-0).
Prior To Varsity
McCarthy's first spring with the program saw the team win a pair of 7s tournaments, the Emperor 7s hosted by Princeton and the Legacy 7s hosted in Annapolis. The team also reached the Division I final in 15s in the fall of 2019.
After a lengthy pause in competitive opportunities due to COVID-19, the team returned to action in the spring of 2021 to win the Division I national title in 15s.
The Mids posted the program's best 7s season in the spring of 2022. Navy tallied undefeated records in winning both the Queen's Cup 7s and Emperor 7s and reached the Division I final at the College Championship Rugby 7s.
McCarthy began his coaching career in 2008 with the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club. He then served as an assistant coach for the Navy men's team from 2011-19 when he became the head coach of the women's team. McCarthy also coached with the All-Marine Corps Rugby 7s from 2015-18, a span that included him serving as the head coach for the last two years.
As a player, McCarthy has played for many military and club sides over a career that started with the Camp Lejeune Misfits in 1995. He was selected to play for the Potomac Rugby Union Select Side during his senior year at Navy. Other honors include competing on the All Marine Corps and Combined Services Selections teams. He still plays for The Old Breed Rugby Club on their 45+ team and volunteers on their board.
McCarthy is a retired Marine Corps CH-46E helicopter pilot.
