VANCOUVER — Kathy Murphy-Carey of Port Angeles was honored for 39 years of service and officially inducted into the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Hall of Fame at the conference’s annual Hall of Fame Banquet last week.
The recently retired Peninsula College counselor and women’s athletic commissioner spoke to an audience of about 250 at the awards event where she thanked her family, her co-workers, and the members who make up the NWAACC’s North Region for supporting her in her journey.
“Kathy retired last December from a brilliant career as a coach, a counselor, a faculty member and commissioner, where she changed the lives of thousands of student athletes, and students at large,” Peninsula College director of athletics Rick Ross said.
“This honor was very deserved. Peninsula College, the North Region, and the NWAACC will deeply miss her.
“She was instrumental in our many NWAACC championships, and she was also there, with the same zeal, in all the years we didn’t bring trophies home.
“I am very proud of what Kathy did for this college, and this community, and our region, and am glad I was able to be there to see her receive that honor.”
Murphy-Carey was hired at Peninsula College in 1975 as a counselor, volleyball coach and tennis coach — and she became the first women’s athletic commissioner in the history of the college, serving the NWAACC in that role until Peninsula dropped sports in 1982.
She continued to serve the college as a faculty member in the counseling department, including a 10-year stint as associate dean of counseling and as the first female president of the Faculty Union.
Further, she served Peninsula College as a department leader, role model, student advocate, co-worker and friend to hundreds of employees over those years — and thousands of students, Ross said.
The Gonzaga alum also played a supportive role when the college brought athletics back in 1997.
She accepted the role of women’s athletic commissioner bestowed upon her by the late Dr. Wally Sigmar, and she has served Peninsula College, and the NWAACC, in that role for 16 years, in addition to the seven she served from 1975-1982.
As a women’s commissioner, she served as North Region Chair, Women’s Basketball Chair and executive board member.
“Kathy made Peninsula College, and the NWAACC, a better place for 39 years,” Ross said.
“It’s very fitting that she’ll be in both Halls of Fame.”
