Rob Murphy started his wrestling career in sixth grade at Shabbona Middle School in Morris. He moved to Coal City when he was in eighth grade and was a state qualifier. At Coal City High School. he was a three-sport letterwinner and all state linebacker. He was also a two-time IHSA wrestling state qualifier with a record of 96-14, finishing third in state his senior year and helping his team earn their first state wrestling trophy with a runner-up finish. 

After graduation in 1981, Rob started college that summer at Joliet Junior College to wrestle for the National HOF Lifetime Service award winner Henry Pillard, but with a heavy heart, having to leave college because of lack of money, Rob worked pipeline construction for three and a half years. After saving money, he returned to the junior college in 1985, where he became a Juco national qualifier and an Academic All-American. In 1996 he transferred to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, where he received wrestling, football and ROTC scholarships. 

Rob became a three-time National Christian College Association champion and a three-time NAIA national qualifier. He also captained the 1987 and 1988 NCCAA team champions. Also in 1987, he wrestled with Athletes in Action in Japan and South Korea. At the end of his junior year in college, Rob was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. From 1988 to 1994, he taught at Lincoln Community High School and coached wrestling with National HOF Lifetime Service Award winner Floyd Bee. 

Rob’s first head wrestling coaching position was at Wilmington High School in 1994, and he continued teaching and coaching there until he retired in 2022. At Wilmington, he posted 570 career dual meet wins. His team won three IHSA Class “A” Dual Team state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009, becoming the first Illinois public school to win three in a row. His Wilmington teams qualified for dual team state nine times and brought home six state trophies, 10 conference team titles and 12 regional championships. He coached 129 IHSA individual state qualifiers, 52 state place winners and 10 state champions including his two sons, Robbie and Jake. 

Rob has been an active IWCOA executive board member for 25 years and co-chairman of the fundraising committee, as well as co-chairman for the Illinois/Indiana Duals. He has also served on the Hall of Fame committee since 2016 and is a Past President. In 2021-2022, he served as the sports chair for wrestling for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Rob was a 10-time conference Coach of the Year, IWCOA Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2010  and a National High School Coaches Association finalist in 2010 and 2018. He was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the Silver Service Award in 2014, Man of the Year honors in 2015 and Gold Service award in 2018. Also in 2019, Rob served as a Grand Marshal in the IHSA Wrestling State Finals.  

Rob and his wife, Tina have three children -- Robbie, Jake and Erin -- and seven grandchildren.