SAN FRANCISCO – After closing out his undergraduate career with two more NCAA championships in the backstroke, Cal men's swimmer Ryan Murphy can add another postseason award to his trophy case as the senior from Ponte Vedra, Fla. has been named the Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year for the third time.
 
Murphy is a four-time Pac-12 award winner, having won the conference's Freshman/Newcomer of the Year honor in 2014. Ever since then, the three-time Olympic gold medalist has maintained his grip on the conference's top honor and with Monday's announcement, Murphy becomes the third Pac-12 swimmer to win the award three or more times, joining Arizona's Ryk Neethling (1997-2000), USC's Dave Wharton (1988-91) and UCLA's Bill Barrett (1980-82).
 
Swimming his final season as an undergrad at Cal, Murphy returned to Berkeley for the 2016-17 season after a summer spent establishing himself as one of the sport's biggest stars. With wins in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke as well as the 400 medley relay, Murphy not only brought three gold medals home from the Rio Olympics but also a world record in the 100 back.
 
Returning to short course swimming after the Olympics, Murphy demonstrated his competitiveness and leadership as he helped guide a strong California team as one of its senior leaders. At the Pac-12 Championships in Federal Way, Wash., Murphy won conference titles in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke, 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay.
 
That set the stage for the NCAA Championships and the Cal star didn't disappoint. Competing at the historic IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind., Murphy claimed wins in both the 100 and 200 back to finish a career sweep in both events. He is the fourth swimmer in NCAA history to win both distances of one stroke four years in a row, joining John Naber (USC), Pablo Morales (Stanford) and Brendan Hansen (Texas).
 
"My goal coming into this (season) was to help lead my team to be the best it could be. I think our senior class as a whole did a good job of setting the foundation for next year," Murphy said after the NCAA Championships. "Out of my four years, this is the closest my team's ever been. This year was the most fun I've ever had with a team. Having a lot of guys that genuinely care about each other, I think it's pretty cool to see how all these guys move through our program. They become smarter, they become better swimmers, they become better people. In terms of all-around balance, Cal has the best program in the country."
 
Murphy's accomplishments also extend past the pool. Just before the Pac-12 Championships, he was awarded the prestigious Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor for his combination of athletic and academic excellence. A Business Administration major studying at the Haas School of Business, Murphy owns a cumulative GPA of 3.54 as he works toward finishing his undergraduate degree.