As Michael Murphy prepared to graduate from Enosburg Junior-Senior High School in 2025, he wasn’t sure if his soccer games with the Enosburg Hornets varsity team would be his last opportunity to play competitively. After doing some research, he decided to explore his options and found a perfect fit at Vermont State University – Randolph.
Q&A with Michael Murphy
Why did you choose Vermont State University – Randolph? My cousin went through the mechanical engineering program, which is what I also wanted to do. Randolph looked like the best opportunity for what I wanted. I had no idea about playing soccer, but I was on the website and filled out a recruitment form. I received an email from their athletic director, followed up with a call to him and the coach, and committed over the summer.
What have you enjoyed about playing soccer at Vermont State University – Randolph? I’m meeting kids from all over, so it’s not just Vermonters. They recruited more people for soccer this year. Our AD Jamal played for Randolph during his college years. He’s been working to build the program and is an amazing athletic director. He’s ready and wants to win.
I’ve enjoyed playing with people who have the same focus. We’re all playing at the same level, thinking alike–they’re doing what you would do, and the team flows really well.
It’s also much more competitive, and the players are much bigger, since you’re playing against 20-year-olds.
This style is more of a European style of play than I was used to in Enosburg, and requires that you possess the ball as long as you can and capitalize on the opportunities that open up. It’s a little faster, but it’s more focused; you’re talking more and planning more at this level.
Maintaining a routine over the summer and staying in shape is crucial if you want to be prepared for college soccer.
What are your goals for your freshman season? I want to have fun and get out there and play. We have a skilled team that can work together, show up, and play.
Do you have a memorable moment from the season so far? It was fun seeing my cousin Oakley Francis on the field. He played for Vergennes and now plays at the University of Vermont – Johnson. We caught up and got to play against each other.
When we went to Boston, it was my first time walking around the city. We played on a full turf field in Roxbury, which was really fun.
It was fun looking out the window and seeing all that was going on while riding on the bus. It was almost 11 p.m. It was fun seeing the city lit up at night.
There’s a lot of travel, which I haven’t minded, and it’s fun seeing the colleges. It’s fun to see the new stuff I haven’t seen before.
What do you enjoy about your coaches? It’s our head coach, Gabe Drown’s, first year, and he’s very good. He’s in it to win it, and he doesn’t want to waste anything. He has a good mindset. He’s also very open to suggestions.
How did your time at Enosburg prepare you for your college team? It definitely helped. The pre-season was pretty comparable. I talked with my Enosburg coach, Randy Swainbank, over the summer, and he told me to keep an open mindset about where I’d play — everything would be new and to tackle every opportunity.
He ran a great high school soccer program and produced a lot of well-prepared college soccer players. It was a privilege to play, and you had to put in the work — and then you put more work in. Nothing was free.
What will you remember most about the support of the Enosburg community? Everyone is very into it, and when you play on the team, you’ve got an expectation to show up and play well. I was on a team with two 50-goal scorers, so I was very fortunate to be on a team with people who wanted to show up and play.
What will you remember about winning a state championship with Enosburg? I made varsity my freshman year and won the championship with that group. I got a couple of minutes in the championship game, and that was fun.
What do you feel is your most consistent quality on the field? I think my ability to communicate what I can see is my most consistent quality on the field. Communication is a big part of soccer.
The whole time I was on the field, I was calling out and encouraging us to do everything as one unit. At the college level, having someone to guide you, whether behind the scenes or directly, is crucial for playing a smart game.
Do you have any wise words for younger athletes? When it comes to playing sports in college, it doesn’t hurt to ask. If you want it, you’ll have to work more than you think, both in season and out. I received a comprehensive training packet over the summer, but I went beyond that to avoid starting at a disadvantage.
What do you love about soccer? I like the freedom, even taking shots or working with the ball on the field. Nothing is ever the same twice. I love the flow of the game–when it’s going well and you’re with guys you’ve played with for a while, it’s amazing.
Do you have some important thank yous? I want to thank anyone who helped me play soccer and helped me find opportunities to grow with the game while I was growing up, especially my coaches and my parents.
