Among the high points: Being a two-time California high school state champ ... and a two-time Junior National titlewinner. Ranked as one of the top five high school recruits at any weight in the entire country by RevWrestling.com in 2006. Offered the opportunity to wrestle for Tom Brands, first at Virginia Tech ... then at the University of Iowa. Going undefeated his redshirt freshman year, winning titles at some major tournaments.
Billy MurphyNow Billy Murphy is enrolled at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, wrestling for head coach Luke Moffitt (a Hawkeye alum and Big Ten champion) and focusing on his studies, with the hope of someday competing successfully on the mat and in the classroom at a Division I school.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
Billy Murphy doesn't like to dwell on the past. All during the interview for this article, when asked about his past wrestling accomplishments, or the incredible life challenges he's battled along the way, more than once he used phrases like, "That was in the past" and "I've turned a new leaf."
However, Billy Murphy's impressive mat resume -- and his life struggles -- are too significant to ignore.
Growing up in California southeast of Sacramento, Murphy was introduced to wrestling at age five. "I was a little hoodlum," Murphy discloses. "My older brother was a high school wrestler. He took me to a wrestling academy. I loved it from the start."
In April 2001, Billy Murphy's mother, Kathy Lederle, who had battled numerous health problems, died of a stroke. The thirteen-year-old moved south to the Palm Springs area to live with his father, William Murphy, wrestling at Cathedral City High School, where he had a perfect 16-0 record at 119 pounds. Then his dad was arrested for grand theft, and, because of the state's "three strikes" law, is now in prison ... so the younger Murphy moved back to Ceres, California to live with his aunt and uncle. However, because of transfer rules, he was not able to compete the rest of his freshman year. But that was the least of Murphy's worries. He could not stay with his aunt and uncle because there were already five children living there, so he moved in with his brother and guardian, Charlie Loudermilk. But he and his wife were expecting a baby ... so it didn't work for him to live there, either.
Billy Murphy (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)It was at Hughson where Billy Murphy's mat career really took off. In his sophomore year, he placed third in the state. His junior year, Murphy was undefeated at 55-0, winning his first CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) state title. A few weeks later, he won the 130-pound crown at the Junior National Championships, and claimed the Champion of Champions honor (akin to an Outstanding Wrestler award).
Senior year was more of a good thing. Billy Murphy went 48-0, won his second CIF title, and yet another championship at the Junior Nationals. He capped his prep career in the Golden State with a good-as-gold 168-3 record.
"People around me helped me a lot in so many ways," Murphy said in this interview. "My assistant coach (Doug Porter) was also my caregiver. I really didn't have any other family, but felt at home with them. My main coach, Kyle Porter, is one of the great technicians anyone could work out with." (Kyle Porter was a two-time California state champ for Hughson in the early 1990s.)
From California to Virginia Tech to Iowa ...
Thanks to his considerable accomplishments in high school -- and national ranking -- Billy Murphy found himself on the recruitment wish list of numerous college coaches throughout the country. But he had one coach who was on his wish list to wrestle for -- Tom Brands.
"In high school, I watched a lot of Gable/Brands videos," says Murphy, whose aggressive wrestling style as a prep has been compared to Tom and Terry Brands. "I set up five college visits. My first was to Virginia Tech, where Brands was coaching at the time. After that trip, I immediately cancelled the other visits."
Billy Murphy signed a letter of intent to wrestle for the Virginia Tech Hokies. However, when Tom Brands accepted the head coaching position at the University of Iowa, Murphy wanted to follow.
Murphy's situation was different than the Iowa high school wrestlers like Joe Slaton, Jay Borschel, Dan LeClere, Brent Metcalf and T.H. Leet who had gone to Blacksburg to compete for Tom Brands in the 2005-2006 season. The Californian was a year behind the Iowans. "I never went to school at Virginia Tech, or wrestled there," explains Murphy. "I signed a letter of intent, but, thanks to a loophole, got out of that because my official, legal guardians had not signed it."
So, unlike the Iowa natives who lost a year of eligibility and went through months of legal battles, Billy Murphy was free to follow Tom Brands to the University of Iowa. His first year in Iowa City -- the 2006-2007 season -- Murphy was a redshirt freshman at 133 pounds. Wrestling unattached, the Californian was undefeated at 15-0, winning three major tournaments: the Spartan Classic, the Kaufman-Brand Open, and the Northern Iowa Open.
... then from Iowa to Iowa Central
When asked if he wanted to redshirt his first year at Iowa, Murphy replies, "I wanted the break. I wanted the chance to get a year ahead and get used to college wrestling."
"(Coach) Brands wanted me to pull out of my redshirt and compete at the Big Tens, but didn't say anything about that to me until after the NCAAs -- after the fact," asserts Murphy. "He didn't think I was ready to compete at the Big Tens, but he said, 'We could've used you.'"
As high school wrestler, Billy Murphy's aggressive wrestling style was compared to Tom and Terry Brands' style (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)"I was struggling. My grades weren't as good as they should've been. I partied too much."
"I lost my scholarship," Murphy continues. "I got hit with a bill for second semester that I just couldn't handle. So I left."
"It was a matter of timing and immaturity. In Iowa, I got ahead of myself."
"(After leaving University of Iowa,) I had stayed in touch with (Coach) Brands. I told him I wanted to go to community college, and, if possible, keep wrestling. He referred me to Iowa Central and Luke Moffitt."
Billy Murphy arrived at the community college in Fort Dodge, Iowa located about 90 miles northwest of Des Moines in 2008, in time for spring semester. According to Murphy, he completed four classes his first semester at Iowa Central, earning a 3.24 GPA. He took some courses over the summer, and, at this point in the fall semester, he reports having "all B's except for one A."
"Academically, Billy needed some help," according to Luke Moffitt, his head coach at Iowa Central. "He's getting caught up on his credits. He's working hard in the classroom, in the wrestling room, and on his weight. He wants to win a national title for us."
"He hasn't competed in a year. But he enjoys competing in the room ... Wrestling-wise, he's getting stronger. He built himself up over the summer, working construction. He's hungry to compete."
Billy Murphy agrees with coach Moffitt: "I'm hungry, ready to get back on the mat. I'm healthy, my weight's down. I'm excited."
"His first dual meet for us will be against Iowa November 21," Moffitt continues. "He wants to do well."
"I look forward to wrestling Iowa. I wrestled (Daniel) Dennis twice and beat him. I know I can go with Joe Slaton, too."
Coach Moffitt backs up his wrestler's statements. "I know he can compete with guys at that level. We compete in big open tournaments here, so we'll help him realize those goals."
"You've got to surround yourself with good people. He's living on campus, with other wrestlers. They hold each other accountable ... At Iowa, being a redshirt, I think he kinda got lost in the shuffle."
Where Murphy sees himself today ... and tomorrow
Ask Billy Murphy to describe his wrestling style, and he immediately responds, "I've been called a bull in a china shop. A go-getter. Never stop, constant scoring. I'm pretty fast on my feet. I want someone to battle me."
Luke Moffitt"He's almost like having another coach in the room," adds Moffitt. "He helps the other guys in the room." (In fact, immediately before this interview, Murphy had been working out with a high school wrestler from Webster City, Iowa, helping the younger wrestler prepare for an upcoming event.)
"He's a good asset to have on the team."
What are Billy Murphy's plans? Right now, he's focused on his coursework and getting ready for the upcoming wrestling season. "I want to finish up with good grades, and get a national title here at Iowa Central," says the California native. "Then I want to go to a Division I school and continue my wrestling career." Ask him if he has any particular schools in mind, and he responds, "My options are open."
Murphy's ultimate career goal: "I want to build a (wrestling) academy and be a coach. I love coaching. I love teaching. When someone understands a technique you've just demonstrated, I love that."
"He'll be an excellent coach someday," weighs in coach Moffitt.
Billy Murphy has experienced incredible highs and lows in his life and mat career. He believes he's put the challenges of the past behind him, and that the wrestler who made a name for himself in high school will fulfill that promise in college and beyond.
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