Casey Murphy Bio
Casey Grace Murphy is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Boston Legacy FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall, Murphy has built her reputation on commanding shot-stopping, clean-sheet consistency, and big-match composure.
A former Rutgers Scarlet Knights standout, she was twice named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year and earned All-American recognition before turning professional in 2018. She made her senior debut for the United States in 2021 and was part of the squad that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Early Life and Background
Murphy was born on April 25, 1996, in Bridgewater, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Michael Murphy and Jill Murphy and grew up in Bridgewater Township with a brother. She started playing soccer at the age of five and gradually worked her way through local youth teams in central New Jersey.
Around the age of 10, she committed fully to the goalkeeper position, a decision that shaped the rest of her career. As a teenager, she trained with the Players Development Academy (PDA) Slammers, where she helped the program win a U-17 national championship. TopDrawerSoccer.com rated her as the No. 18 overall youth player in New Jersey and a four-star recruit.
Murphy attended Bridgewater-Raritan High School, where she played both soccer and basketball. Her strong frame, reflexes, and willingness to communicate from the back made her one of the most sought-after goalkeeping prospects in the region.
Path to Soccer
Murphy joined Rutgers University in 2014 and played NCAA Division I college soccer for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights through 2017. She quickly emerged as the program’s anchor in goal, breaking into the starting lineup as a freshman and earning Big Ten recognition in her first seasons.
Across her college career she collected 45 clean sheets, the most in Rutgers history and the second-most in Big Ten history. She was a two-time Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection, and a two-time All-American. She was also named a 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and received the Female Big Ten Medal of Honor in May 2018.
She redshirted her senior season to represent the United States at the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. On January 18, 2018, Sky Blue FC selected her with the 13th overall pick in the NWSL College Draft, but she chose to begin her professional career abroad.
Casey Murphy Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
The day after the NWSL College Draft, Murphy signed a professional contract with Montpellier HSC of France’s Division 1 Féminine. She made her professional debut against Fleury on February 21, starting 11 games as Montpellier finished third in the 2017-18 season. Her play earned her the Division 1 Best Keeper Award and a place in the French media’s Best XI, and she also featured in the Coupe de France Féminine and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
She played every minute of the 2018-19 season as Montpellier again placed third behind Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, further sharpening her tactical reading of European attacking play.
Reign FC Era (2019-2020)
On May 15, 2019, Murphy signed with Reign FC, later known as OL Reign. She made her NWSL debut on May 27, 2019, recording four saves in a 2-1 win over the North Carolina Courage, the Reign’s first victory over that opponent. She finished her first NWSL season with six clean sheets across 19 starts as the Reign placed fourth in the standings, and she was one of three finalists for NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
The following year, the pandemic-shortened 2020 season limited her to six club appearances.
North Carolina Courage Era (2021-2025)
On October 22, 2020, the Reign traded Murphy to the North Carolina Courage along with $140,000 in allocation money in exchange for Crystal Dunn. She signed a two-year contract and started all but one match in 2021, keeping 11 clean sheets in 23 games. In her first playoff start she made a season-high 12 saves in a 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit.
In 2022 she recorded six clean sheets in 18 games as North Carolina finished seventh and missed the playoffs. After the season she signed a three-year extension. In 2023 she helped North Carolina beat Racing Louisville 2-0 in the Challenge Cup final and added nine clean sheets in 20 league games as the Courage rose to third. In 2024 she played every minute of the season for her first iron woman campaign with the team, highlighted by saving Alex Morgan’s penalty kick in the final game of Morgan’s career during a 4-1 road win over the San Diego Wave.
She became a free agent after the 2025 season.
Boston Legacy FC Era (2026-Present)
On December 15, 2025, Boston Legacy FC announced that they had signed Murphy through the 2029 season, with a mutual option for 2030. The deal positioned her as the face of the expansion club’s goalkeeping unit for its inaugural NWSL campaign.
Driving Style and Strengths
Murphy’s strengths include shot-stopping, command of her penalty area, and reliability over full 90-minute stretches. She is comfortable playing behind a high defensive line and has shown a steady temperament in one-on-one moments, including penalty kick shootouts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key moments include her 12-save playoff performance against the Washington Spirit in 2021, her penalty save against Alex Morgan in 2024, and her selection to the 2024 Summer Olympics roster, where she won gold with the United States.
Casey Murphy Career Wins
Across club and country, Casey Murphy’s verified trophy case is led by an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2024 Paris Games, the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup with the North Carolina Courage, the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, and the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship. She has also earned league-best honors in France and major individual recognition in both college and the NWSL.
NWSL and International Highlights
Her NWSL honors include the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup, while her international honors include the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship, the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, and the 2024 Olympic gold medal. Murphy made her senior United States debut on November 26, 2021, recording a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Australia and earning player of the match honors. She went on to share starting duties with Alyssa Naeher through the lead-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Other Wins and Performances
Her other notable performances include the Division 1 Best Keeper Award and a Best XI selection during her time at Montpellier, along with Rutgers’ U-17 national championship while in the PDA Slammers pipeline.
Casey Murphy Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Murphy is the daughter of Michael Murphy and Jill Murphy and has a brother. She grew up in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, in a family that supported her early commitment to goalkeeping.
Personal Life
While at Rutgers, Murphy began dating track and field athlete Chris Mirabelli. The couple became engaged in 2021 and married in December 2023 in Philadelphia.
2025 Season Performance
Murphy entered 2025 as the North Carolina Courage’s established starter following her three-year extension and her first iron woman season. Her campaign focused on steadying a Courage side looking to climb back into the NWSL playoff picture after missing the postseason in 2022.
After the season concluded, Murphy did not re-sign with the Courage and became a free agent. In October 2025, reports surfaced that she had signed with new NWSL expansion team Boston Legacy FC ahead of its 2026 debut.
On December 15, 2025, Boston Legacy FC confirmed the signing through the 2029 season with a mutual option for 2030, giving her long-term security as the franchise’s first senior goalkeeper and a foundation piece of its inaugural roster.