In just three seasons, Murphy (Newman) Liggio '17 established herself as one of the most talented women's lacrosse players SUNY Potsdam has ever had. 

Growing up just South on Route 11 in Canton, Newman participated in many sports. She played softball and figure skated until she was about 13. She then focused on soccer, hockey and lacrosse through high school. Newman didn't have a favorite sport but was recruited by the Berkshire School to play soccer. At the Sheffield, Mass. prep school she continued to compete in the three sports, but lacrosse began to move to the forefront. 

"There were just so many good lacrosse players there," said Newman. "I love playing lacrosse and I had a great time (at Canton's Willams High School), but when I left and went to Berkshire, the level of play was just so different, and so much more competitive. I just remember playing with girls who went to Ohio State. Another one to Albany. They were playing at this really fast pace. And I remember thinking, this is what I love. And this is what I want to do." 

Though she didn't give up hockey and soccer, she competed for a travel lacrosse team out of Watertown and played in the summer. Lacrosse became a year-round activity. Soon recruiters were reaching out. She considered Division III programs like Plymouth State and St. Lawrence as well as interest from Division I schools including Fairfield, Sacred Heart and Niagara. Newman knew Niagara's coach, who had also attended Berkshire, and her brother Jake was attending the university at the time. The combination made Newman's decision to be a Purple Eagle an easier one.   

She attended Niagara during the 2013–14 academic year but found the experience unfulfilling. 

"I remember finishing my freshman year at Niagara and just kind of thinking, okay, that wasn't my best year," Newman said. "I didn't love it, but it was freshman year. Maybe things will change. So, I went back sophomore year. I remember in November finishing up fall ball and thinking this just isn't my place. I love most of my teammates, but the atmosphere wasn't great. And I think a lot of us were finding that. And I knew that if I wanted to be happy and if I wanted to continue to enjoy playing lacrosse, it wasn't going to happen there." 

Newman was unsure about what to do next. She decided to head home and spend the Spring 2015 semester at either Potsdam or St. Lawrence. Then she would decide where she wanted to go next. Fortunately for the Bears, Newman's best friend Katie Lapinski was a member of the team and convinced her to meet with Coach Lauren Bruce. 

"I remember meeting Bruce and thinking, this lady could not be any more welcoming and kind," said Newman. "And I felt like if I was going to love to play lacrosse again, I needed that. So, I really give so much of my success to Bruce because I feel like she allowed me to come into a space that was welcoming and help me find my passion to play lacrosse again." 

Newman came to Potsdam for preseason in January 2015. She joined a team that featured fellow future Bears Hall of Famers Bailey Weigel and Bri McClusky as well as Lapinski, a future 100-point scorer. The team, especially the seniors, made her transition easy and she quickly felt at home. 

Newman's first game with Potsdam came against St. Joseph's College in Hilton Head, S.C. on March 2. She scored two goals in the second half, but the Bears fell 10-9. Two days later, she scored three times, including the game-winner and picked up an assist in a 14-9 victory over Eastern University to wrap up Potsdam's Southern trip. 

As the season progressed, so did Newman. She had four goals in a win over Morrisville. She scored five times and added an assist in a victory against New Paltz. Newman capped her season with four goals and an assist at Oswego. She totaled 31 goals and six assists for 37 points in her debut campaign to go with 19 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers. 

Newman was having success, but it was really the people around her that made her decide to stay at Potsdam. 

"It was one of our first games," Newman said. "I remember losing and from my past experience, it was like, we just lost and our coach is going to be pissed at us. I remember Bruce walking up to us and almost had tears in her eyes and she was like, 'I'm so sorry. You guys worked so hard.' I was like, how amazing that she cares about us as people too. And she's like, we're putting in the effort, and it just didn't work out. Some of those experiences kind of made me be like, okay, we didn't win that. And maybe we've lost more games than we had hoped, but we were having fun together. We were still working hard, and we had people supporting us like Bruce and Kelly (Fucillo), our assistant coach. They cared about us as people, not just athletes." 

Newman was back for her junior season in 2016 and with a talented core around her, was ready to break out. She scored 11 goals in the first two games of the season in South Carolina. She had six goals and an assist in a 20-5 hammering of Canton. Newman scored six more in a blowout of Morrisville and then had a career-high nine points on seven goals and two assists in a victory at New Paltz. 

The highlight of the season was thrilling 15-14 overtime win against Oneonta, the first in program history. 

"I remember the game had been back and forth," Newman said. "I don't know if it was a timeout or if we were just all huddled together and somebody was like, 'guys like, we can win this and we haven't done this before.' So I just remember going back out there thinking oh my, we could do something huge here." 

Potsdam trailed 6-2 early but started chipping away. The Bears closed to within 6-5 but were soon down 9-5. Newman scored early in the second half to start a 9-1 run and grab a 14-10 lead. However, the Red Dragons rallied to tie and forced overtime. Just 1:41 into the extra session, Newman was fouled and found herself lining up for a free-position shot. 

"I remember getting that 8-meter and being like, oh my gosh, this could be it right here," Newman said. "I remember scoring and the excitement from everybody on the field, but also Bruce and everybody else." 

It was a critical win and put the Bears on the brink of their first ever playoff appearance. 11 days later, Newman scored five goals against Fredonia, forcing overtime and getting Potsdam into the postseason. She added four more goals at Oswego in the playoffs before the season came to an end. 

Newman finished the season with 61 goals and 10 assists for a then Potsdam single-season record 71 points. The performance earned her the attention of the SUNYAC's coaches and they selected her third team all-conference. The honor meant a lot to Newman. 

"Did that (award) mean anything any more or less than any of the other stuff? I would say it definitely did," said Newman. "Especially because I felt the start to my college career was so rough. Because of how that all started and me being like, am I going to be able to enjoy the sport again? Am I going to find success again? All those questions in my head. Look where we are now. Being successful, making progress and enjoying the sport again." 

Newman continued to produce for the Bears offense as a senior during the 2017 season. She had five goals against Utica and Sage and seven points against St. Joseph's, Canton and Oneonta. In her final game against Geneseo, she produced another hat trick. Newman closed out the spring with another 52 points on 45 goals and seven assists. She was named third team All-SUNYAC again. At the time, she ranked fourth in scoring in program history with 160 points. She was third in goals (137) and ninth in assists (23). Newman played in 47 games with the Bears. Opponents were only able to keep her off the scoreboard in four contests. 

Newman graduated from Potsdam in May 2017 with her bachelor's in Psychology. She spent half of the following year working in Applied Behavior Analysis special education in Potsdam. She was then a long-term substitute school counselor with Massena High School beginning in March 2018. Newman was working on her master's in school counseling at St. Lawrence at the same time. Once she had completed the degree, she accepted a full-time counselor position at Massena and has been there ever since. 

Newman was not finished with lacrosse. She started coaching Canton's varsity girls program in 2018. The Golden Bears have reached the Section X Championship in each of her nine seasons. Canton advanced to the New York State Semifinals in 2025 and 2026.  She has been named Section X Coach of the Year four times. 

Newman is also an entrepreneur. Last year she opened Harvest House, a juice and smoothie bar in Canton with her friend and former Bear McKaylee (Boak) Knight '19. 

Newman's family is also growing. She married husband Rob, a former SUNY Canton men's hockey and lacrosse player, in 2024. They have a son Crew, who's almost two, and daughter Hattie who was born in May. 

Newman enjoyed her time at Potsdam and having spent some time at another school, appreciates it even more. 

"I think it's a really special place," said Newman. "I remember the athletic the training room and having such great memories in there. And going to all the other sports' games and supporting them. It's just such an inclusive environment. I don't think you find that everywhere. So I think it's a really welcoming, inclusive place, not just within one team but within all of the teams." 

Newman will be inducted into the Bears Hall of Fame on Saturday night.