BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Gannon University alumnus/former men’s and women’s head water polo coach Sean Morphy was inducted as part of the 2024 Erie County Aquatic Hall of Fame class.
Morphy’s career in water polo began at Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pa. His accolades as a goalie are numerous. He was a four-year player and a three-year letterman. He earned the Cathedral Prep Water Polo “Best Defensive Player” award and was named to the Pennsylvania All-State Second Team in 1998. He made All-State again in 1999 on the First Team. His career culminated with him serving as captain of the 1999 State Championship Runner-up team and being named to the 1999 All-America Second team. He earned the Cathedral Prep Water Polo “Most Valuable Player” award in his senior year as well. Morphy graduated from Prep in 2000 holding the first and second spots on the Cathedral Prep Top 10 all-time listing for season save5. He was also number two on the all-time career list for saves. Sean still holds the single-game save record for Prep.
His talent and dedication continued to shine at Gannon, where he left an indelible mark during the program’s first years as a varsity-level sport. During his four-year career, he set the all-time steals and saves records. The steals record still stands today, and his saves in goal remain the second most in program history, 20 years after his graduation in 2004.
Morphy’s transition from player to coach was a significant milestone in his career, and his leadership was a game-changer for Gannon University. From 2015 to 2018, he steered the team to unprecedented success, winning the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Eastern title three times and maintaining an undefeated record in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)-West competition. Under his guidance, Gannon’s team achieved its longest undefeated streak of 19 games. His remarkable achievements earned him three Mid-Atlantic West Coach of the Year honors and several student-athletes earned individual accolades under his leadership, including a pair of Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America Awards.
Sean is still affiliated with Gannon as their Media Center Director. He lives in Erie with his wife, Meghan, and his two sons, Leo and Newson. Sean’s passion for water polo extends beyond the pool. The legacy continues as Newson follows in his father’s footsteps, playing water polo at Gannon University.
