Iowa State Baseball Coach Lyle Smith recently named Jim Murphy to the Cyclone assistant coaching staff.

Murphy served as the head baseball coach at Davenport Assumption for the last 12 seasons.

He said Smith, opportunity and the level of competition were the three things that brought him to Cyclone country.

“I chose Iowa State over other opportunities because of Lyle Smith,” said Murphy. “I was very interested in working under him and felt it was time to move on to the collegiate level.”

During Murphy’s tenure at Assumption, the Knights won three state titles, posted on runner-up finish and claimed eight conference championships. Assumption also won seven consecutive conference titles from 1991-1997.

In 1992 and 1993, Murphy won back-to-back Iowa High School Coach of the Year awards.

“We are very pleased to have Jim join our staff,” Smith said. “He is well-respected and has excellent connections with Iowa high schools, which will always be our primary recruiting base. In addition, Jim has excellent experience in scouting and has numerous connections throughout the Midwest.”

Murphy’s role in the team in practice will be as infielder coach and instructor. However, his greatest contribution to the team may actually be off the field as a recruiter.

“I hope to be able to help Iowa State out very much through my connections throughout the Midwest and pro baseball,” Murphy said.

A native of Moline, Ill., Murphy attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport where earned a bachelor’s degree in 1973.

He coached at St. Ambrose for two seasons before he moved on to coach at Assumption.