Rebecca Marie Murray (born March 15, 1990) is an American wheelchair basketball player and member of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team. She is a three-time Parapan American Games gold medalist in 2007, 2011 and 2023. In 2010, she won two more gold medals at IWBF World Championship and at U25 World Championship in 2011.
.jpg) Murray at the 2024 Summer Paralympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rebecca Marie Murray |
| Nickname | Becca |
| Born | March 15, 1990 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Wheelchair basketball |
| Disability class | 2.5 |
| Coached by | Christina Schwab |
Medal record | |
Early life
editMurray was born on March 15, 1990, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to parents Richard and Linda Murray.[1] She was born with spina bifida which paralyzed her from the waist down.[2] She first started playing wheelchair basketball at the age of six through the assistance of the IndependenceFirst organization.[3] Murray remained with the sport and began attending a University of Wisconsin–Whitewater wheelchair basketball camp[4] before joining the Milwaukee Wizards at the age of 12.[1]
Murray graduated from Germantown High School in 2008 and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater for a degree in special education.[1]
Career
editAt the age of 18, Murray made her Summer Paralympic Games debut at the 2008 Summer Paralympics where she helped the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team win a gold medal.[4] Following this, she became a IWBF World Championships gold medalist in 2010 and a Parapan American Games gold medalist in 2011.[5]
During the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Murray was the leading scorer in both games leading up to the gold medal round. She scored 31 points in the semi-final win against Great Britain and 33 points to win the gold medal over Germany.[6] As a result of her play, she was named a finalist for Team USA's Female Athlete of the Paralympic Games.[7] Following the Games, Murray took a break from competition but returned for the qualifications for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.[8] However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Murray chose to quit the sport before the Games began.[5]
She represented the United States at the 2022 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships and won a bronze medal.[9]
In November 2023 she competed at the 2023 Parapan American Games in the wheelchair basketball tournament and won a gold medal.[10] As a result, the team earned an automatic bid to the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[11] On March 30, 2024, she was named to Team USA's roster to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Becca Murray". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Mintz, Hillary (January 4, 2017). "'You can do whatever you want,' Germantown paralympian tells students at her former schools". WISN. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ "USA'S BECCA MURRAY: WHO I AM AS A PERSON WOULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT IF IT WEREN'T FOR WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL". International Wheelchair Basketball Federation. May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Janik, Erika (August 1, 2016). "Three-Time Paralympian Becca Murray Is Team USA Veteran". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Palmer, Dan (May 20, 2020). "Double Paralympic champion Murray confirms wheelchair basketball retirement". Inside the Games. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ "'Pressure' brings out the best of US star Rebecca Murray". Olympics. May 12, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ "Finalists for Team USA Awards announced". Paralympics. September 21, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ "Rebecca Murray returns to wheelchair basketball". Paralympics. January 29, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Goldberg, Steve (June 9, 2023). "U.S. Squads Enter Postponed Wheelchair Basketball Worlds With Medal Hopes". teamusa.org. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "Parapan American Games Roster Selected for 2023 USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team". nwba.org. July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ^ "Ticket Punched: We're Going to Paris! Team USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Defeats Rival Canada, 62-56, to Secure Gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games". nwba.org. November 24, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ^ "Paralympics Games Roster Selected for 2024 U.S.A Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team". nwba.org. March 30, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
External links
edit- Becca Murray at Team USA (archived)
- Becca Murray at the International Paralympic Committee
- Rebecca Murray at the International Paralympic Committee