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Tuesday, February 27, 2001

For Murphy, it’s
an awkward time
to talk about
UH job

The Arizona State coach has
plenty on his plate, including a
series against No. 2 LSU

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By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

Arizona State head baseball coach Pat Murphy did not make a decision yesterday on whether to pursue the same position at the University of Hawaii.

Rainbow athletic department officials are seeking a replacement for Les Murakami, who retires at the end of this season.

Pat Murphy
SUN DEVILS' COACH
Not quite ready to talk about
the UH baseball job.

"Coach Murphy did not make a decision today and I don't expect one tomorrow or this week," ASU baseball sports information director Jeff Evans said.

This week would be an extremely awkward time for Murphy to say he wanted the Hawaii job.

The Sun Devils (13-2), ranked third by Baseball America, are hosting defending national champion and current No. 2 Louisiana State for single games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This also is the weekend many former ASU stars will be on campus for the naming of the field at Packard Stadium after the Sun Devils' first coach, Bobby Winkles.

Winkles (1959-1971) founded and helped build the tradition and legacy that ASU plays under today. He was 524-173 with three national championships.

Evans said Murphy is happy at ASU, and that a decision, either way, would be a family decision.

In his seventh season with the Sun Devils, Murphy has compiled a 245-125 (.662) record. In his career, which includes stints at Notre Dame, Claremont-Mudd Scripps (Calif.) and Maryville (Tenn.), Murphy is 618-296-3 (.676).

The Sun Devils are defending co-champions of the Pacific-10 Conference. ASU has been to the NCAA tournament three of the past four seasons and finished third in the 1998 College World Series.

"Maybe he still has the itch to see if he can build a program like he did at Notre Dame," said Evans.

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii