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Brown Athletics Honors John and Phoebe Murphy '82, Paul Cooke '89 for Crew Excellence
9/24/2025 5:14:00 PM | Men's Crew, Women's Crew
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - On Saturday night, Brown Athletics and Recreation and over 400 students, alumni, parents, and friends honored three of the most accomplished coaches in Brown history. John Murphy and Phoebe Murphy '82 were honored in their retirement after 40 years leading the women's crew program, and Norman W. Alpert '80 Head Coaching Chair Paul Cooke '89 was recognized for his 25 years (and counting) at the helm of the men's program.
"The Brown Rowing community is a special group, and I am grateful to be a part of it," Cooke said. "It meant a lot to have President Paxson and Dr. Grace Calhoun there speaking at the event. I was touched by the return of so many alumni and to share the evening with John and Phoebe Murphy who have done so much for rowing at Brown. I've enjoyed working with them and I've admired their competitive spirit and their incredible success."Â
Cooke, the 2022 Ivy League and EARC Heavyweight Coach of the Year, has guided the Brown's Varsity Eight crew to four Ivy League titles (2008, 2009, 2012, 2024) during his tenure. He was again named Ivy League Heavyweight Coach of the Year in 2024. The Bears have also qualified for the IRA Rowing Championship in each of Cooke's 25 seasons, including the Varsity Eight's silver medals in 2012 and 2014. In 2012, Cooke was named the 2012 Fan's Choice Collegiate Coach of the Year, an honor chosen by the rowing community, as well as the 2012 EARC Coach of the Year. Early in his tenure at Brown, Cooke led the freshmen to an undefeated season in 2000. Cooke's 1999 freshmen crew won the IRA title, setting a course record at the time.
In addition to his sustained success at the collegiate level, Cooke has coached four Olympic athletes who went on to row for Team USA in 2016 (Anders Weiss '15), 2020 (Alex Miklasevich '19 and Anders Weiss '15), and 2024 (Henry Hollingsworth '22 and Gus Rodriguez '22).Â
"I am thankful for all the loyal alumni who support the team, who come back and get out on the Seekonk for the Alumni Row and who cheer our crews on to victory," Cooke said.Â
On Saturday, it was announced that current women's head coach Tessa Gobbo-Zimmerman '13 would henceforth be the very first John and Phoebe Murphy Loyalty Head Coaching Chair for Women's Crew. Gobbo-Zimmerman, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist and First Team All-American under the Murphys, rowed for their crew from 2009-13 and coached with them as an assistant from 2021-24.Â
"Rowing and coaching with the Murphys was always about racing," Gobbo-Zimmerman said. "There was always a lesson to be learned about racing. At the moment it felt like we were only rowing, but after graduation, many BWC alums realized that it was actually lessons they could take onto their lives after rowing and after Brown."
Over 40 years, John and Phoebe Murphy turned Brown Women's Crew (BWC) into the premier program of the NCAA Rowing Championship era, winning a record seven national championships (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011) since the inaugural event in 1997. The legendary Murphys also include the 1996 Collegiate National Championship and the 1993, 1994, and 1996 IRA Regatta titles on their extraordinary career resume. From 2004-22, "the Murphys" coached an astounding 25 First Team All-Americans, with 17 Bears also being named Second Team All-Americans in the same time frame. Brown is one of three programs in the nation that has qualified for every NCAA Rowing Championship since 1997.Â
The Murphys' sustained success on the water has not only solidified them as two of the most accomplished coaches in the history of Brown University, but as the national standard-bearers for excellence in women's collegiate rowing. They have blazed an unrivaled championship trail, but more importantly, they have impacted the lives of generations of grateful Brown alumnae.
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