Buffalo State College Men's Ice Hockey

Hired at Buffalo State: Summer 2015 Prior to Buffalo State: Assistant Coach - Buffalo State (2013-15) Assistant Coach - Kenai River Brown Bears, NAHL (2012-13) Head Referee – NAHL (2011-12) Alma Mater: St. Mary's University '11  Since taking over as Buffalo State's head coach in 2015, Steve Murphy has led the Bengals to a constant contender in the SUNYAC. After completing his tenth season leading Buffalo State in 2024-25, Murphy passed Nick Carriere for the most wins in program history (117) and earned SUNYAC Co-Coaching Staff of the Year honors.   Murphy took the reins as interim coach in the summer of 2015 when Nick Carriere left Buffalo State for an assistant coaching position with the St. John Ice Caps of the American Hockey League.  During his interim season, Murphy guided the Bengals to a school-record for wins in a season with an overall record of 15-7-4.  Buffalo State also finished 11-4-1 in SUNYAC play and posted its highest-ever finish in the conference standings, placing second. Murphy shed the interim tag prior to the 2016-17 season and led the Bengals to another record-setting season with 18 wins and a sixth-straight appearance in the SUNYAC semifinals. The Bengals were ranked a school-best ninth in the nation during the season and posted three victories over teams ranked in the top-10.  Murphy's teams have continued to be a mainstay in the SUNYAC playoffs. In his tenure, Murphy has coached a pair of third team AHCA All-Americans in Mike DeLaVergne (2016-17) and Michael Anthony Guerrera (2017-18), a second team AHCA All-American in Nikita Kozyrev (2022-23), as well as 22 All-SUNYAC selections, a SUNYAC Herb Hammond Player of the Year, three SUNYAC Rookies of the Year, and three SUNYAC Goaltender of the Year winners. Murphy joined the Bengals’ staff as an assistant in 2013 with multiple years of combined experience coaching, scouting, officiating and playing. In his last stint before coming to Buffalo State, Murphy was the assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).   He was also a head referee in the NAHL for the 2011-12 season and spent two years as a head scout for Kenai River.  His other coaching experience includes stints as the head coach of the Alaska All-Stars U-16 team, as well as the assistant coach and director of player personnel for the Steele County Blades in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). Murphy was a four-year Division III hockey player at both Curry College in Massachusetts and Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. Prior to college, Murphy played in the NAHL for the Toledo Ice Diggers and the Wasilla Spirit.  A native of Alaska, Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from Saint Mary’s University in 2011.    SUNYAC Tournament Appearances 8: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26   SUNYAC All-Conference Selections: 22 SUNYAC Herb Hammond Player of the Year: 1: Nikita Kozyrev (2022-23) SUNYAC Goaltender of the Year: 3: Mike DeLaVergne (2016-17), Ian Sylves (2017-18), Emil Norrman (2019-20) SUNYAC Rookie of the Year: 3: Andrew Husted (2018-19), Nikita Kozyrev (2019-20), Lucas Signoretti (2025-26) AHCA All-Americans: 3: Mike DeLaVergne - 3rd (2016-17), Michael Anthony Guerrera - 3rd (2017-18), Nikita Kozyrev - 2nd (2022-23)    Buffalo State Overall Record SUNYAC Record Year-End Finish 2025-26 9-16-1 6-11-1 (7th) SUNYAC Quarterfinalist 2024-25 16-11 9-5 (3rd) SUNYAC Semifinalist 2023-24         9-14-2 4-10-2 (7th) 2022-23     14-13 8-8 (5th) SUNYAC Semifinalist 2021-22 5-18 3-12 (8th) 2020-21 0-0 0-0 NO SEASON – COVID-19 2019-20 12-12-2 8-7-1 (3rd) SUNYAC Quarterfinalist 2018-19 11-13-2 8-6-2 (4th) SUNYAC Quarterfinalist 2017-18 17-7-3 9-4-3 (3rd) SUNYAC Semifinalist 2016-17 18-8-1 9-6-1 (4th) SUNYAC Semifinalist 2015-16 15-7-4 11-4-1 (2nd) SUNYAC Semifinalist Overall at Buffalo State (11 years) 126-119-15 (.513) 75-73-11 (.506) - - (UPDATED 3/30/26)

Therrien joined the men's ice hockey program as an assistant coach for the 2015-16 season.   Therrien, a former standout goalie at Utica College, spent last season as an assistant coach at Plymouth State, helping the Panthers win a MASCAC Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.  He has also served as a head instructor at Puckstoppers Goaltending School throughout New England over the past five summers.   As a player, Therrien compiled a record of 46-17-3 (.720) between the pipes at Utica and was a two-time All-ECAC West honoree, including first team as a senior.  During his junior season, he backstopped the Pioneers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament and Frozen Four appearance while earning a program-record 19 wins.    A native of Rochester, N.H., he currently resides in Buffalo.