WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Dunmore native Murray headed to University of Florida

After nearly giving up the sport she had been devoted to because of a health scare, Moriah Murray rejuvenated her basketball career at Penn State. Now, she is ready for the next challenge in her journey.

A former four-time, all-state guard from Dunmore, Murray entered the transfer portal following last season, and recently announced her next stop is in Gainesville and at the University of Florida.

“I am definitely relieved,” Murray, 22, said. “It was a lot to deal with. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do: stay at Penn State or enter the portal. It was a hard decision, but I felt that I needed a change for one year. I was so stressed, but I had (Coach) Kevin (Clark) helping me through the process. I was struggling with staying close to home so my father (Joe) could still see me play, or making a move farther away.

“It happened really fast. When I visited Florida, I was on campus and had a feeling it was the right place. The head coach (Tammi Reiss) and staff were great, and I just got a gut feeling about the school. I decided that I am all in on Florida. It is beautiful, and I committed.”

During her high school career, Murray was a flashy, gritty sharpshooter. Initially, she intended to play at Drexel University. However, before her freshman year, a nagging knee injury led to an MRI, where a lesion on her femur was discovered. Doctors originally diagnosed it as cancer, which led to an anxious few months.

During that time, Murray leaned heavily on her family and friends for love and support. She withdrew from Drexel and shifted her focus to her recovery. Basketball moved to the background.

Ultimately, the lesion was not malignant and she did not have cancer. Relieved and energized, she committed to Penn State University to restart playing basketball.

“That was scary stuff,” Murray recalled. “I know that I didn’t even want to play Division I basketball anymore. But once I was good, I got back into it, and Penn State was great. I had tests throughout, and everything has been cleared since. I have had no problems.”

At Penn State, Murray, a 5-foot-8 guard, had an impact. She sat out her freshman season after enrolling midseason, then played 35 games as a sophomore, averaging 4.3 points and shooting 88.2% from the free-throw line.

Murray started 27 games as a junior and had a career-high 28 points with nine 3-pointers against Bucknell. She averaged 10.4 points per game and had 71 3-pointers.

Last season, she scored 25 points with eight 3-pointers against Ohio State, averaged 9.4 points per game, and had 76 3-pointers. She shot 38% from beyond the 3-point line in her career and was a steady free-throw shooter at 92.6%.

Penn State had a coaching change with Tanisha Wright succeeding Carolyn Kieger, who departed after seven seasons and an 11-18 record overall and a 4-14 record in the Big Ten.

“I feel like that in my years at Penn State, redshirting and with my health scare, everything, I had a great opportunity,” Murray said. “I got a chance to play big-time college basketball. Penn State was amazing; Coach Kieger was great. She trusted me, and she and the staff really transformed me into the player that I am today.”