Former UW-River Falls men's coach Rick Bowen and former Hamilton coach Tom Murphy will be presented with the NABC's 12th annual Outstanding Service Award at the organization's convention next month.

The award is given to coaches whose actions “inside and outside the lines” of coaching have distinguished them as valuable members of their communities.

For parts of four decades, Murphy was Hamilton basketball. In Murphy's 34 seasons as coach, he posted a 602-263 record with the Continentals and had 16 seasons with 20 or more wins. He has been inducted into the New York, Utica and SUNY Halls of Fame and was named the March of Dimes Coach of the Year in 1999. Murphy is also a five-time New York State coach of the Year, a three time NABC District Coach of the Year, and was named the NABC National Coach of the Year in 1979. Murphy's legacy goes far beyond basketball in the state of New York as he also coached baseball, football and track during his tenure at Hamilton and served as the school's director of athletics for 23 years. Murphy's sons also coach Division III basketball, with Mike Murphy at Mount St. Vincent and Brian Murphy at Morrisville State.

Bowen is the winningest coach in UWRF history and, from 1986-2006, he directed the Falcons to 265 victories and five top two finishes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In 2003-04, he led UWRF to a WIAC Championship and was named WIAC and NABC West Region Coach of the Year. Bowen has served on numerous NABC committees and is still active in the sport. He is a combat veteran of Vietnam, serving with the Army Medical Corp as a Combat Medic and receiving a Bronze Star.