DUBLIN, Ireland - One of the legendary names in Villanova track & field history passed away on Thursday afternoon in his native Ireland. Frank Murphy, 69, died following a long illness. He was a noteworthy member of the “Irish Pipeline” of Wildcats track & field athletes, and was a three-time NCAA champion and a two-time Olympian during his career.

Murphy was born in the Dublin suburb of Drumcondra and became one of the country’s stars in middle distance running. He won two silver medals at the European Athletics Championships, and his 1500 meters time of 3:39.51 in 1969 was then an Irish record. Murphy memorably defeated John Whetton in the 1500 meters at the 1969 British AAA Championships, before finishing second to him at the European Athletics Championships later that year in Athens. Murphy also won silver at the 1970 European Indoor Athletics Championships in Vienna.

The pinnacle of Murphy’s international racing career came when he represented Ireland at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He came in 10th in his first round heat of the 1500 meters in 1968 with a time of 3:54.85, and placed fifth in his opening heat of the 1500 meters in 1972 with a time of 3:42.4.

Murphy competed at Villanova from 1966-69 and was a part of relay teams that twice set world records in the two mile relay. On February 17, 1968, the relay team of Ian Hamilton, Charlie Messenger, Murphy and Dave Patrick ran a time of 7:23.7 at the Mason-Dixon Games. One year later, Andy O’Reilly, Chris Mason, Marty Liquori and Murphy lowered that time to 7:23.5 at the same meet on February 15, 1969. Murphy also remains the school record holder as part of the two-mile relay squad which posted a time of 7:17.8 on May 25, 1968 at the Modesto Relays.

During his collegiate career, Murphy won three NCAA indoor titles. Two of his championships came in 1969 when he won the 880 yards individually and anchored the Wildcats champion distance medley relay squad. He had also run the anchor leg of the championship DMR team in 1968. Murphy was a five-time All-American overall, including twice each in the 880 yards and the DMR indoors as well as the Mile outdoors in 1969. He was also the indoor IC4A 1000 yards champion in 1969.

Murphy won eight Championship of America relays with the Wildcats and was named the Penn Relays Athlete of the Meet for the relay events in 1968. He anchored the champion 4xMile relay that year and also ran the third leg of both the two mile relay and the distance medley relay which won titles. Murphy was a part of winning Penn Relays squads in the DMR and the 4xMile relay in 1967, and won the sprint medley relay, two mile relay and DMR in 1969. He was inducted to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame as an individual runner in 2008, and the 1969 two mile relay squad was inducted in 2013.

A member of Villanova’s distinguished sub-four minute mile club, Murphy ran three sub-four miles and six metric equivalents in the 1500 meters during his career. He had personal best times of 3:58.10 (June 7, 1969) in the Mile and 3:38.50 (June 14, 1972) in the 1500 meters.