John Murray, enters his seventh season as an Assistant Coach of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams coaching the women’s cross country team and women distance runners.
John Murray by the numbers
• 62 Northeastern All-time top 10 performances coached
• 25 Northeastern School record performances coached
• 20 CAA champions coached
• 7 NCAA first round qualifiers coached
• 4 NCAA Northeast Cross Country All-Region athletes coached
• 3 CAA Event Records
• 2 CAA Meet Records
• 1 NCAA Cross Country National Championship qualifier coached
John Murray through the seasons at Northeastern
2023-2024
Cross Country: In his sixth season the Northeastern Huskies, Murray coached Abby Hassman to a second consecutive CAA Individual title, leading her team to a 3rd place team finish. This was the first time in program history an athlete as defended their individual title at the CAA Championships. Both Azza Borovicka-Swanson and Abby Hassman earning all CAA honors (top-14) Hassman went on to place 4th individually at the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Championships qualifying her for the NCAA championships. Hassman was the first American finisher at the Northeast Regional Championships and was the first time in program history a women’s cross country athlete advanced to the National Championships. Hausman went onto win the CAA runner of the year award. and the women’s cross country team earned the highest GPA average out of all the women’s varsity sports teams at Northeastern.
Indoor Track: Murray coached Abby Hassman to a school record in the 5000m at the BU Opener the first ever sub-16 women’s 5k in program history with a time of 15:56.99. Hassman went on to break the school record in the Mile 4:41.30 at the Collegiate Showdown, and 3000m school record with a time of 9:09.68 at the Valentine Invite. Murray also coached Azza Borovicka-Swanson to a school record in the 3000m with a time of 9:27.20 at the Scarlet & White Invite. Murray coached Ava Duggan to a school record in the 1000m at the John Thomson Terrier Classic with a time of 2:43.70 which was the 14th fastest time in the NCAA in 2024. A week later Duggan broke the Mile school record at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invite with a time of 4:38.87, this was the first time in women went under 4:40.00 for the mile in program history. At the CAA Indoor Championships Hassmen won both the 3000m & 5000m wire-to-wire setting meet records in both events. Ava Duggan won the Mile and came back in the 800m to place 3rd overall setting a school record of 2:08.49 in her fourth race of the championship. The women’s 4x800m crossed the line in first place setting a school record of 8:57.00 with the team made up of Brittani Westberry, Sarah Petersen, Lucy Abdow, anchored by Nicole Dunbury. Murray’s athletes scored 69 points out the 119.5 team total at the Championships and was the first time in Program history the women’s team won the CAA team title.
Outdoor Track: Murray coached Hassman to a school record in the 5000m at the 2024 Raleigh Relays where she clocked a time of 15:41.40. At the same meet Ava Duggan ran a school record time of 4:20.70 in the 1500m coming back the next day and running a school record for 800m running 2:07.65. At the Penn Relays Duggan broke the school record again being the first athlete in program history to break 4:20 in the 1500m clocking a time of 4:15.37, she came back two days later and broke the school record in the 800m with a time of 2:07.09. Also at the Penn Relays Isa Meyers broke the school record in the 10000m with a time of 33:59.48, being the first athlete in program history to break the 34 minute barrier. Azza Borovicka-Swanson broke the school record in the 3000m steeplechase at the Penn Relays running a time of 10:05.90. At the CAA Championships Murrays athletes took individual titles in the 1500m and steeplechase, and runner up finishes in the 800m and 1500m. Murray athletes scored 52 points out of 127.5 total team points scored to help secure first women’s team title since 2018. Azza Borovicka-Swanson secured Olympic Trails B standard in 3000m steeplechase and Abigail Hassman secured Olympic Trials B standard in the 5000m.
2022-2023
Cross Country: Murray coached the Northeastern Women’s cross country team to a runner up team finish at the Coach-to-Coast Battle in Beantown behind Virginia. The women’s team went on to earn a podium finish at the Penn State National Open finishing behind Penn State & West Virginia. In the postseason Murray coached Abigail Hassman to the CAA Cross Country Championship individual title which was the first ever individual title in Northeastern women’s cross country program history. Hassman’s effort lead the team to a second straight runner up team finish at the CAA Championships, and four athletes earned all CAA honors, Tessa McClain, Azza-Borovicka Swanson, and Ava Duggan. At the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships at Van Cortland Park the Huskies placed 5th which was the first top-5 team finish in program history for the women’s cross country team. Abby Hassman and Isa Meyers both placed in the top-25 earning them All-Region Honors. Hassman went on to win her first CAA Runner of the year award.
Indoor Track: Murray coached Abby Hassman to a school record in the 3000m at the Terrier Classic, two weeks later Hassman broke the 5000m school record at the Valentine Invite. Hassman went on to win the 5000m title at the CAA Indoor Championships setting a meet record of 16:17.59. At the CAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Murray’s athletes scored 46 points out the 93 points scored for the Northeastern 3rd place team finish.
Outdoor Track: Murray coached Abby Hassman to a school record in the 5000m at the 2023 Raleigh Relays. Hassman Went on the break the school record on the Mile two weeks later at the Friar invite running a time of 4:43.91. Murray’s athletes score 26 points out of the 72 points scored for the team’s 7th place finish.
2021-2022
Cross Country: Murray coached the women’s cross country team to a second consecutive runner up team title at the 2021 CAA Cross Country Championships at Historic Franklin Park. Tessa McClain Azza Borovicka-Swanson, and Abby Hassman all earning CAA Honors.
Indoor Track: Murray coached Tessa McClain to a school record in the 1000m at the Valentine Invite, McClain then went on to break the school record in the Mile at the BU Last Chance invite. Abby Hassman broke a 36 year school record at the Valentine Invite in the women’s 3000m running 9:29.40, and went on to break it again at the ECAC Championships running 9:28.12. Murray’s athletes also broke the school record in the women’s distance medley relay running 11:28.28 at the Valentine invite the team made up of Ava Duggan, Mariah Fede, Lucinda Shotts, and Tessa McClain. Murray’s athletes helped contribute to the runner up team finish at the 2022 ECAC Indoor Championships.
Outdoor Track: Murray coached Abby Hassman to a school record in the 5000m at the 2022 Raleigh Relays. Murray’s athletes scored 41 points out of 104 total points at the 2022 CAA outdoor Track & Field Championships for the team’s 5th place, with Madison Neuner earning a podium finish in the steeplechase and Ava Duggan earning a podium finish in the 1500m.
2020-2021
Cross Country: In his third year Murray began to coach the women’s cross country team and all women’s distance & middle distance runners. This was the first time in school history the team finished runner-up at the CAA Cross Country Championships at UNCW.
Indoor Track: Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
Outdoor Track: Murray coached Tessa McClain to a podium finish at the CAA Championships, and a school record in the Mile, in addition Murray also coached Abigail Hassman to a top-10 all-time mark in the 5000m, and Azza Borovicka-Swanson and Madison Neuner to an All-time top-10 marks in the steeplechase.
2019-2020
Cross Country: In his second year, Murray began coaching with women’s middle distance runners and assisted with the men’s & women’s cross country teams. The men’s CAA runner up team finish and women’s 4th place finish at the 2019 CAA Cross Country Championship.
Indoor Track: Murray coached Amy Piccolo to a New England Championship title in the 800m, and also coached Amy to a School Record in the 1000m at the Valentine Invite.
Outdoor Track: Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2018-2019
Cross Country: In his first year Murray assisted with the men’s & women’s cross country teams as well as men’s & women’s distance and middle distance runners on the track team. During the cross country season the men’s team earned a runner up team finish, and women’s 4th place team finish at the 2018 CAA Championships. Murray also helped assist with the Men’s first ever NCAA Northeast Regional Top-10 team finish.
Indoor Track: Murray assisted with the numerous all-time top 10 performances.
Outdoor Track: Murray helped assist with the 2019 men’s CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Team Title and help assist Alex Korczynski to his first CAA Steeplechase Individual title as well as helping assist Kerri Ruffo’s double victory in both the 5000m & 10000m at the 2018 CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Both Ruffo & Korczynski went on to qualify for the NCAA First Round for the first time in their careers
Athletic Career:
• 4x letterwinner at Georgetown University
• 3x qualifier for the NCAA Cross Country National Championships
• 2x qualifier for the NCAA East Preliminaries
• 1x Penn Relays in the 5000m Runner up
• 1x IC4A Cross Country Champion
• 1x USTFCAAA All-Academic Honoree
• 2x Massachusetts High School State Champion (Cross Country & 2-Mile)
• 2x Footlocker High School National Cross Country Championship qualifier
• 1x Massachusetts High School Cross Country Gatorade Athlete of the Year
Personal:
A Central Massachusetts native, Murray grew up in Shrewsbury and was raised in a large family of eight. He is son to Mark & Cheryl, and brother to Luke, Mark Jr, Elizabeth, Julianna and Olivia. Murray was coached and developed throughout high school by both his Father, Mark Murray, the school record holder for 5000m at Holy Cross College, and late coach Jim Smith. Through their guidance, Murray quickly rose through the ranks at Shrewsbury High School, in the state of Massachusetts, the region of New England and before finishing high school he had developed into one of the top runners in the country. Murray went on to be coached and mentored by some of the greatest middle distance and distance minds in the United States training under Patrick Henner, Brandon Bonsey, and Mike Smith at Georgetown University. They helped develop him into one of the top distance runners in the NCAA where he competed in multiple national championships for the Hoyas, and helped him further his passion for the sport as well as for coaching, teaching and leadership while he earned a B.A. in Government & Political Theory.
