Nora Land Murphy's career at The College of Wooster was certainly historic. The two-sport standout helped lead Wooster's volleyball team to a NCAA Div. III Championship appearance and the North Coast Athletic Conference title in the inaugural year of the conference. She also played on two of the early softball teams.
Wooster's women's programs joined the newly-formed Centennial Athletic Conference when Land stepped on campus, and she helped the program to a pair of runner-up finishes in volleyball and a 14-2 combined conference record as a first-year and sophomore. Wooster went 46-19 during Land's first-year and sophomore seasons. Prior to her sophomore year, Land was converted to a setter and helped Wooster to a .214 attack percentage in the first year complete statistics are available for the program. Land had two of Wooster's best leading the attack, as fellow hall of famer Karen Light and Tammy Allen combined for nearly 600 kills. Land's 20 aces were second on the team and she was third with 50 blocks.
As a junior, Land helped lead Wooster to a program-record 41 wins (41-6) and the Fighting Scots went 6-0 in conference play. Land served up a team-leading 58 aces and added 57 blocks and 66 kills to her stat line. She led a very efficient offense at the NCAC Tournament, as Wooster posted wins over Case Western Reserve University, Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, and Allegheny College. Wooster did not drop a set and allowed eight or more points in just three of 11 sets. The Scots' success helped Land to second-team All-NCAC honors.
Assists were tracked for the first time Land's senior season, and she had 483. Those coupled with a team-high 328 digs helped elevate Land to first-team All-NCAC and a coveted spot on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® Team. Of note, Land was just the second Scot from a women's sport to be named an Academic All-American®.
Land was the star player on Wooster's 1983 softball team, leading the team with a .426 (25- for-61) average. Her 16 runs led the team and she was second with nine RBI. Land batted .260 (13-for-50) with 13 runs as a sophomore in what marked her final year on the team.
Land originally pursued a career in law, earning a J.D. from Case Western Reserve. She was a lawyer for Cuyahoga County Courts, then joined Family Steel Fabricating Company. Land finished her career as a Latin and Greek teacher at Shaker Heights High School before retiring in 2024.
Land and her husband, John, reside in Shaker Hts., and have two adult children, Cara, and Ian '16.
