Photo courtesy of Navy Lightweight Crew.
From 1988 – 2005, Joseph “Joe” Murtaugh served as the head lightweight crew coach at Princeton University, and he is also a past coach of the U.S. National Team. Coach Murtaugh was on-hand to present the inaugural trophy; he was and is a mentor of Navy Coach Rob Friedrich.
The Murtaugh Cup was established on 29 March 2008 in Annapolis, Maryland and is presented to the winner of the annual Navy – Princeton MVL8 match race.
Princeton leads the match race series: 53 – 12
Princeton leads the Murtaugh Cup series: 13 – 3
Please send any additions and/or corrections to the NavyLights Staff Historian.
Match Race and Murtaugh Cup Winning Crews
| Year | Winner | Series N – P |
Cup N – P |
| 1956 | Princeton | 0 – 1 | No Cup |
| 1957 | Princeton | 0 – 2 | No Cup |
| 1958 | No Race | 0 – 2 | No Cup |
| 1959 | No Race | 0 – 2 | No Cup |
| 1960 | Princeton | 0 – 3 | No Cup |
| 1961 | Navy | 1 – 3 | No Cup |
| 1962 | Princeton | 1 – 4 | No Cup |
| 1963 | Princeton | 1 – 5 | No Cup |
| 1964 | Navy | 2 – 5 | No Cup |
| 1965 | Princeton | 2 – 6 | No Cup |
| 1966 | Princeton | 2 – 7 | No Cup |
| 1967 | Princeton | 2 – 8 | No Cup |
| 1968 | Princeton | 2 – 9 | No Cup |
| 1969 | Navy | 3 – 9 | No Cup |
| 1970 | Princeton | 3 – 10 | No Cup |
| 1971 | Princeton | 3 – 11 | No Cup |
| 1972 | Princeton | 3 – 12 | No Cup |
| 1973 | Princeton | 3 – 13 | No Cup |
| 1974 | Princeton | 3 – 14 | No Cup |
| 1975 | Princeton | 3 – 15 | No Cup |
| 1976 | Navy | 4 – 15 | No Cup |
| 1977 | Princeton | 4 – 16 | No Cup |
| 1978 | Princeton | 4 – 17 | No Cup |
| 1979 | Princeton | 4 – 18 | No Cup |
| 1980 | Navy | 5 – 18 | No Cup |
| 1981 | Princeton | 5 – 19 | No Cup |
| 1982 | Princeton | 5 – 20 | No Cup |
| 1983 | Princeton | 5 – 21 | No Cup |
| 1984 | Princeton | 5 – 22 | No Cup |
| 1985 | Princeton | 5 – 23 | No Cup |
| 1986 | Princeton | 5 – 24 | No Cup |
| 1987 | Princeton | 5 – 25 | No Cup |
| 1988 | Princeton | 5 – 26 | No Cup |
| 1989 | Princeton | 5 – 27 | No Cup |
| 1990 | No Race | 5 – 27 | No Cup |
| 1991 | Princeton | 5 – 28 | No Cup |
| 1992 | Princeton | 5 – 29 | No Cup |
| 1993 | Princeton | 5 – 30 | No Cup |
| 1994 | Princeton | 5 – 31 | No Cup |
| 1995 | Princeton | 5 – 32 | No Cup |
| 1996 | Princeton | 5 – 33 | No Cup |
| 1997 | Princeton | 5 – 34 | No Cup |
| 1998 | Princeton | 5 – 35 | No Cup |
| 1999 | Princeton | 5 – 36 | No Cup |
| 2000 | Princeton | 5 – 37 | No Cup |
| 2001 | Princeton | 5 – 38 | No Cup |
| 2002 | Navy | 6 – 38 | No Cup |
| 2003 | Princeton | 6 – 39 | No Cup |
| 2004 | Navy | 7 – 39 | No Cup |
| 2005 | Navy | 8 – 39 | No Cup |
| 2006 | Navy | 9 – 39 | No Cup |
| 2007 | Princeton | 9 – 40 | No Cup |
| 2008 | Navy | 10 – 40 | 1 – 0 |
| 2009 | Princeton | 10 – 41 | 1 – 1 |
| 2010 | Princeton | 10 – 42 | 1 – 2 |
| 2011 | Princeton | 10 – 43 | 1 – 3 |
| 2012 | Princeton | 10 – 44 | 1 – 4 |
| 2013 | Princeton | 10 – 45 | 1 – 5 |
| 2014 | Princeton | 10 – 46 | 1 – 6 |
| 2015 | Princeton | 10 – 47 | 1 – 7 |
| 2016 | Princeton | 10 – 48 | 1 – 8 |
| 2017 | Navy | 11 – 48 | 2 – 8 |
| 2018 | Princeton | 11 – 49 | 2 – 9 |
| 2019 | Princeton | 11 – 50 | 2 – 10 |
| 2020 | NO RACE | 11 – 50 | 2 – 10 |
| 2021 | NO RACE | 11 – 50 | 2 – 10 |
| 2022 | Navy | 12 – 50 | 3 – 10 |
| 2023 | Princeton | 12 – 51 | 3 – 11 |
| 2024 | Princeton | 12 – 52 | 3 – 12 |
| 2025 | Princeton | 12 – 53 | 3 – 13 |