STORRS, Conn.—It has been a record-setting season for fifth year Villanova distance runner Liam Murphy (Millstone, N.J.), who earlier this year became the NCAA record holder in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:33.02. Murphy competed in his final conference meet this weekend and it was a record-tying performance of his which was one of several noteworthy storylines for the Wildcats as the 2025 BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships presented by JEEP wrapped up at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
Murphy defended his 1500 meter BIG EAST title with a winning time of 3:44.58, holding off runner-up Austin Gabay from Butler by just over a second at the finish line. It is the 12^th career BIG EAST gold medal for Murphy, tying the all-time Villanova record for most conference championships by a men's athlete. The dozen BIG EAST titles Murphy has won include six indoors, four outdoors and two in cross country. He is now linked in the program record book with Martin Booker (1983-86), a sprinter whose 12 gold medals came in the hurdles and sprint relays. Booker has nine outdoor titles to Murphy's four, while Murphy has a 6-3 edge indoors to go along with his cross country medals.
 
"It's pretty cool," Murphy said of sharing the record with Booker. "I remember hearing indoors that I was one away. It is pretty cool knowing how many great Villanova athletes came before me and how many wins some of the other guys had. To be up there with Martin is something I'll look back on after a while."
 
Four of Murphy's titles have come in relays, all of which he anchored. He has led the distance medley relay squad to first place finishes in each of the past three years (2023-25) and also was part of a BIG EAST and Villanova Stadium record performance in the 4x800 meter relay two years ago. Murphy gave the 4x800 relay one more go Saturday afternoon with a chance at a 13^th overall BIG EAST title. He ran the second leg of the relay this year in an eventual fourth place finish, but there was never any question that it was the 1500 meter race that was taking center stage for the day.
 
The BIG EAST meet is both a championship event and a precursor to the rest of the collegiate season which remains. Next up for Murphy is the NCAA East Preliminary in Jacksonville, Fla. later this month, where he will attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 1500 meters for a third straight year. As he prepares himself for the races to come, Murphy is a veteran enough competitor to know that winning a BIG EAST title is not something he takes for granted.
 
"The goal talking to my coaches was just to try and treat these two races (1500 meter prelims and final) as a prelim to the bigger ones," Murphy said. "With that said, like I said indoor you can't come in and expect you're going to win. This is a talented conference with some good teams, and good runners who made the final. As much as I wanted to do the least I could, it was still going to take a good effort to win. I'm excited I was able to get it done and finish on a high note."
 
Murphy joins former Villanova runners Tom Parlapiano (2002-2003) and Jordy Williamsz (2014-2015) who also won BIG EAST titles in the 1500 meters in back-to-back outdoor seasons. All three were coached by Wildcats head coach Marcus O'Sullivan, who won three career indoor BIG EAST titles in the 1500 meters in 1981, 1983 and 1984.