After opening her sophomore season at Wayne State College with a career-best 8.79 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor track and field season, Reagan Murphy proved she can compete at a high level. That breakthrough didn’t come with just physical practice but also mental training.
“I couldn’t be worried about anyone else,” Murphy said. “It’s just me, my hurdles, my lane, my race.”
That mindset has become a key piece of her consistency, something assistant track coach Preston Davis has noticed as her performances continue to improve.
“She takes everything seriously, day in and day out,” Davis said. “She wants to be on top.”
Murphy’s path to becoming a hurdler wasn’t always clear. When she first expressed interest in seventh grade, she was told she wouldn’t be good at them.
“I wanted to try hurdles, and my coach actually told me that I wasn’t fit to do them,” Murphy said.
After limited opportunities as a high school freshman, Murphy dedicated herself to improving, spending extra time working on technique and her form. By the time she reached getting to run the 400-meter hurdles, everything began to shift her way.
“I got thrown into the 400 hurdles, and did not want to do those,” Murphy said. “But that’s kind of where everything started.”
Now, the 400m hurdles have become her main focus at Wayne State.
“We’re putting more of an emphasis there for her,” Davis said.
While Murphy continues to compete in the 100m hurdles, much of her work has shifted toward building endurance for the longer race and perfecting the details between hurdles.
“We’re trying to clean up her quickness and frequency between the hurdles,” Davis said. “Minimize the amount of time she’s in the air. The faster we can get back on the ground the more we can keep that speed going.”
Murphy has embraced the challenge of the longer race even as it pushes her mentally and physically.
“The 400 hurdles are clicking more right now,” Murphy said. “It’s definitely harder when you add more distance and more hurdles but I’m starting to figure it out.”
Her progress hasn’t come without extra challenges. Murphy has torn her meniscus twice, forcing her to fight through both recovery and mental barriers.
“After I tore it the first time, it was really hard to get over that mental block,” Murphy said.
She returned this indoor season with a personal best and surprised everyone, including herself.
“My first meet back, I ran 8.79, and that was a PR,” Murphy said. “That completely came out of the blue.”
Her coach saw that performance as a sign of what is possible moving forward in her career.
“Based on where she’s at, it’s typical to see a .3 to .5 second drop year to year,” Davis said. “So getting down to that 14.2 or 14.3 range in the 100 hurdles is definitely within reach.”
Beyond track, Murphy has a background as a multi-sport athlete at Algona Bishop Garrigan High School and says that shaped her into a teachable and determined athlete.
“I’ve been told I’m very coachable and open-minded,” Murphy said. “I’ll do what you need me to do.”
That mindset goes beyond sports and into the classroom as an applied human and sports physiology major. Murphy earned NSIC All-Academic honors, something her coach sees as a critical part of athlete development.
“We’re here to get a degree first,” Davis said. “It’s about balancing academics, athletics, and even a social life. That balance is huge.”
As just a sophomore, Murphy is also beginning to grow into a leadership role on the team.
“She’s not afraid to speak her mind,” Davis said. “She cares, and wants to see her teammates do well. That goes a long way for team culture.”
Looking ahead, Murphy’s goals for the outdoor season are centered on the conference meet and continuing growth.
“My goal is to place at conference,” Murphy said. “I’d love to hit around a 62 in the 400 hurdles”
The team will travel to Mount Marty on April 22 and Drake Relays April 23-25.
