Nina Murphy was supposed to be studying in sunny Brisbane. Instead, the 19-year-old has just landed her Black Sticks debut — and she couldn’t be happier about turning her life upside down.
At the start of the year, Murphy made a call that would confuse some, surprise others, and ultimately define her future. She ditched her Australian university plans and moved to Dunedin, chasing two dreams at once: a medical degree and a black hockey uniform.
The Decision That Changed Everything
There was no dramatic build-up or carefully plotted roadmap. It happened quickly. Over a few short days in January, Murphy decided to walk away from the life she thought she was building in Australia.
“I just kind of knew,” she said. “It was like this inner tug I couldn’t ignore.”
She swapped Brisbane’s beaches for Dunedin’s southern chill. But for Murphy, who grew up near Sydney, the shift felt more like a homecoming than a departure.
It helped that both her parents are proud Kiwis. And that every All Blacks-Wallabies match ended with her cheering for the team in black. Even as a kid, she felt like an imposter wrapped in green and gold.
Born in Australia, But Black Through and Through
Murphy’s allegiance was never really in doubt. From a young age, she made it clear who she was backing.
“There’s a photo of me at the Commonwealth Games in full black and white,” she said, laughing. “The Kookaburras were playing New Zealand, and I was absolutely rooting for the Black Sticks. No question.”
Her siblings were all born in New Zealand. She wasn’t. That stung — just a little. So she compensated with fierce pride, determined to show her Kiwi roots ran just as deep.
When the national selectors came calling, there wasn’t even a flicker of hesitation.
A Star Rises Through the Junior Ranks
Murphy’s breakthrough didn’t come from a long résumé or senior experience. It came from one white-hot tournament in April: the Junior Hockey League in Auckland.
She played for the Alpiners. She played like her life depended on it.
Black Sticks coach Phil Burrows took notice. So did the scouts. Murphy was crowned MVP of the Under-21 league, even though she was still adapting to a new country, a new team, and a demanding med school schedule.
In fact, she was literally sitting an exam when Burrows called.
“He just said, ‘You’re coming to the USA,’” she recalled. “I kind of froze. Then I laughed. Then I cried a bit. I was like… what is happening?”
A Debut on American Soil
Murphy is the only new face in the current Black Sticks lineup, which begins a five-match series against the United States this week in North Carolina. New Zealand is ranked No. 10. The U.S. is No. 14. It’s a gritty matchup. Perfect for an up-and-comer to prove her mettle.
She’s slotting into the midfield — a high-pressure role — but she’s not fazed. That’s the thing about Murphy: she’s calm, but sharp. You can see it in the way she moves, the way she scans the field.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment forever,” she said. “But now that it’s here, I’m just trying to stay in the moment.”
Balancing Hockey and Health Sciences
While most athletes are nursing sore legs after training, Murphy’s nose is in textbooks.
She’s enrolled in Dunedin’s fiercely competitive first-year health sciences course — the same path many take before med school. It’s notorious for its stress levels. And she’s doing it while playing elite hockey.
“It’s… a lot,” she admitted. “But I knew it would be.”
Her daily schedule has the precision of an Olympic time trial:
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Morning training on the turf.
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Afternoon lectures and labs.
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Evenings studying until late.
Still, she says she wouldn’t have it any other way. “Honestly, I need both,” she said. “If it was just one or the other, I don’t think I’d feel complete.”
Black Sticks’ Hopes and the Bigger Picture
Coach Burrows has praised her maturity and vision, noting that she reads the game like a veteran despite her age.
“She’s got a head on her shoulders,” he told media this week. “And that engine. It just doesn’t stop.”
Murphy knows she’s not guaranteed a spot in next year’s World Cup squad. But that doesn’t rattle her.
What matters is showing up. Earning it. One sprint, one pass, one hard-fought game at a time.
And even if she makes it all the way to 2032 — the very Olympics she once trained for in an Aussie kit — she’ll be doing it on her terms, in black.
