Joe Murtaugh, the highly successful head coach of Princeton men's lightweight crew, will resign following the 2005 season, it was announced today by Princeton director of athletics Gary Walters.
'My wife and I are expecting our first child soon. Both of our careers involve long hours, so after considering all of our options, it made the most sense for me to stay home,' Murtaugh said. 'I can't imagine a better coaching environment than Princeton. I received unwavering support and guidance from the administration, alumni and especially my colleagues at the boathouse, who I count among my very best friends.'
'Joe is respected by his student-athletes, our staff and alumni and by his coaching peers,' Walters said, 'for both the personal qualities he brings as a coach and for his technical knowledge of rowing. He has done a great job, not only coaching the lightweight team, but also serving as the chief administrator for the boathouse. Joe is a person with tremendous integrity, and he will be sorely missed.'
This is Murtaugh's 18th year at Princeton and his 17th at the helm of the Tiger varsity lightweights, and he will leave with the second most wins in program history. He has put together a career record of 87-33 and has led Princeton to both four national championships ('89, '94, '96, '98) and four Eastern Sprints titles ('96, '98, '99, '03). In 1998 and 1999 his first, second and third varsity crews had perfect regular seasons and won the EARC Sprints championships.
'I had the opportunity to coach student-athletes that inspired me daily,' Murtaugh said. 'I consider myself lucky and I will always be grateful for the time I spent with Princeton athletics.'
Murtaugh is a 1983 graduate of the University of Virginia, where he coached women's crew for four years prior to his arrival at Princeton.
Murtaugh coached the U.S. lightweight eight from 1997 until 2001. In 1999 his lightweight eight won a gold medal at the World Championships in St. Catharines, Ont. - the first victory in that event for the U.S. in 25 years. Murtaugh then led a young crew to gold in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2000 and bronze in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2001. In 1998 Murtaugh's lightweight eight won the silver medal at the World Championships in Cologne, Germany.
'Joe's contributions to Princeton rowing will have a lasting impact on our boathouse,' Walters said. 'He has left a lasting legacy in the history of Princeton crew and we wish him well for whatever the future holds.'
A national search for Murtaugh's successor will begin immediately.