Arizona State baseball coach Murphy resigns

No reason was given for the surprise move, which was announced by the university in a brief news release on Friday.

The colorful and often outspoken Murphy led the Sun Devils to the College World Series four times — 1998, 2005, 2007 and 2009. The program has produced several major league players, including Andre Ethier of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox, who appeared along with Muhammad Ali at a recent Murphy fundraiser.

He took over the historically successful Sun Devil program in August 1994 after seven seasons at Notre Dame. Under Murphy, Arizona State compiled a 629-284-1 record.

"Coach Murphy has an outstanding record of success on the playing field," athletic director Lisa Love said in a prepared statement. "I thank him for 16 years of hard work and service to the university and the sport."

The Sun Devils had won the last three Pac-10 titles, with Murphy named conference coach of the year each time. Murphy, 50, had offered no hint publicly of his impending resignation in recent interviews.

The move creates a vacancy in one of the most attractive jobs in college baseball. The university said an interim coach would be named, and a national search for a permanent replacement would begin immediately.

Murphy was just the third coach in Arizona State's modern baseball history, following Jim Brock and Bobby Winkles.

Murphy could not be reached for comment. The university said his cell phone was broken.

His overall record at Maryville, Tenn., Claremonte-Mudd Scripps, Notre Dame and Arizona State is 1,000-457-4. Murphy's final Arizona State team finished 51-14.