Maxine Murphy

Maxine Murphy trades the racquet for a clipboard, joins Cougar Tennis staff

Maxine Murphy is swapping the racquet for a clipboard, and that says something about the kind of program Jaymie Nelson is building. Murphy joins the Cougar Tennis staff as an assistant coach, coming off a solid playing career at UCLA. She knows the Pac-12, she knows the level, and now she gets to help pass that on. We like this hire. It feels intentional. Murphy played at a high clip, and bringing in someone who just finished competing means she gets what today's players are going through. That matters in Pullman, where you're not just coaching the forehand, you're helping someone adjust to a town that doesn't have a Nordstrom. If you missed it, the Cougs kicked off fall right at home in the "Cougar Classic." That tournament gave the team a chance to settle in before conference gets real. Murphy stepping in now means she'll have a full fall to build relationships and figure out who does what in doubles. That's the kind of head start you want. We don't need to oversell this. Murphy is a good addition. She knows the league, she knows the work, and she chose to come here. That's enough. Go Cougs.