Head Coach

Steve Murphy

Since taking over as Buffalo State's head coach in 2015, Steve Murphy has led the Bengals to five SUNYAC playoff berths in six seasons, and his 78-65-12 overall record (.542) gives him the highest win percentage in program history.

Murphy took the reins as interim coach in the summer of 2015 when Nick Carriere left Buffalo State for an assistant coaching position with the St. John Ice Caps of the American Hockey League.  During his interim season, Murphy guided the Bengals to a school-record for wins in a season with an overall record of 15-7-4.  Buffalo State also finished 11-4-1 in SUNYAC play and posted its highest-ever finish in the conference standings, placing second. Murphy shed the interim tag prior to the 2016-17 season and led the Bengals to another record-setting season with 18 wins and a sixth-straight appearance in the SUNYAC semifinals. The Bengals were ranked a school-best ninth in the nation during the season and posted three victories over teams ranked in the top-10.  Murphy's teams have continued to be a mainstay in the SUNYAC playoffs.

In his tenure, Murphy has coached a pair of third team AHCA All-Americans in Mike DeLaVergne (2016-17) and Michael Anthony Guerrera (2017-18), as well as 13 All-SUNYAC selections, two SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, and three SUNYAC Goaltender of the Year winners.

Murphy joined the Bengals’ staff as an assistant in 2013 with multiple years of combined experience coaching, scouting, officiating and playing. In his last stint before coming to Buffalo State, Murphy was the assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

He was also a head referee in the NAHL for the 2011-12 season and spent two years as a head scout for Kenai River.  His other coaching experience includes stints as the head coach of the Alaska All-Stars U-16 team, as well as the assistant coach and director of player personnel for the Steele County Blades in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL).

Murphy was a four-year Division III hockey player at both Curry College in Massachusetts and Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. Prior to college, Murphy played in the NAHL for the Toledo Ice Diggers and the Wasilla Spirit.

A native of Alaska, Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from Saint Mary’s University in 2011.