Chanel Murchison

Chanel Murchison is in her third season as the head coach of the CMS women's basketball program, after leading the Athenas to a narrow runner-up finish in the SCIAC in her debut campaign in 2019-20, resulting in an overtime defeat to Redlands in the league championship game.

Murchison came to CMS with six years of coaching experience since her 2013 graduation from William & Mary, where she was a student-athlete with the Tribe women's basketball program. She spent four seasons on the coaching staff at Division III John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, the first two as a graduate assistant before earning an assistant coach position in June of 2015. She then returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2017, a position she has held for the last two years.

Murchison's efforts on the coaching staff helped William & Mary to 16 wins in her first season, matching the fourth-highest total in program history. She helped Tribe players earn five All-Colonial Athletic Association awards, including a first-team All-CAA selection from Bianca Boggs, the first such honor for the program in a decade. Murchison also worked closely with the post players, helping William & Mary set a school record with 7.3 blocked shots per game in 2017-18, which ranked third in the nation.

In addition to her coaching tasks, she also served as the academic and career center liaison for the Tribe, organizing student-athlete academic schedules and assisting in career development endeavors. As the program's recruiting coordinator, she managed the recruiting budget and oversaw all aspects of the recruiting process.

As an assistant at John Carroll from 2013-17, Murchison helped the Blue Streaks to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history. Her teams compiled a 64-41 record over her four seasons, including a pair of 22-win campaigns, and had nine players earn all-league honors, including one Player of the Year and one Rookie of the Year.

Murchison also served as a physical education instructor at John Carroll, while holding the role of academic and career advisor for the women's basketball program, creating academic plans for players to help monitor their personal and professional growth in preparation for graduation. In addition, she served on the John Carroll Diversity and Inclusion Committee, before assuming a similar role at William & Mary.

During her playing days at William & Mary (2008-13), Murchison appeared in 88 games, including 45 starts, over three seasons with the Tribe. She was also involved in the athletic department off the court as an undergraduate, working with the marketing and sports information departments.

A native of Stafford, Virginia, Murchison graduated from William & Mary with a degree in economics, and earned her MBA from John Carroll in 2016.