Rylie (Murray) Firlit played two sports for SUNY Potsdam and proved to be one of the greatest playmakers to ever put on a Bears jersey.
Murray arrived on campus from her hometown of Berkley, Mich. in the Fall of 2015 to compete for Potsdam's women's soccer and women's hockey programs.
Murray joined the soccer program as part of a formidable core that then head coach, now athletic director, Mark Misiak was putting together. The program was making steady progress under its fifth-year coach, but hadn't had a winning season since 2008 and only two since its inception in 1987. Murray was part of a class that contained fellow Hall of Famer and future All-American Brooke Falsion and all-conference selection Olivia Seamans, Sarah Erno, Amber Hyatt, Rachael Venne and Lauren Vedete.
The Bears dropped their season opener at Clarkson on September 1, 2015 but then rattled off seven straight victories to establish the program record. Murray picked up her first point on an assist in a 2-1 win at Johnson State on September 9. The Bears finished the season with a 9-8-1 record. While adjusting to the game, the midfielder closed out her debut campaign with just two assists.
With fall ending, Murray hit the ice. She quickly established herself as a solid defenseman, while providing offense at the same time. Murray scored her first collegiate goal, of either sport, in a 5-2 win over Saint Michael's on Halloween. She added a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory at William Smith two weeks later. At New England College on December 2, Murray netted the game-winning goal in a 3-1 decision. She had eight points on four goals and four assists during the season as her team went 9-14-2.
The women's soccer team opened the 2016 season on another 7-1 tear and Murray's offense was beginning to emerge. She had a goal and an assist in back-to-back wins over Utica and Johnson. She added another two assists in a victory at Elmira and broke out with a goal and two assists in a 4-0 shutout against Fredonia. Murray's second year on the pitch ended with 17 points on four goals and nine assists. The Bears posted their second consecutive winning season with a 9-7-2 mark.
Murray helped the women's hockey team back to the playoffs in 2016-17 after a three-year absence. She chipped in seven points from the blue line with two goals and five assists.
The 2017 women's soccer team finally broke through and Murray was a big part of it. She scored the Bears first goal of the season just 2:11 into the D'Youville Spartan Classic. Nearly 112 minutes later, she buried the game-winner against the hosts in double overtime. A week and a half after that, Murray was awarded a penalty kick against powerful Montclair State in the second overtime of the New England College Tourney Championship. She scored to give her team the tournament title.
The hot start continued to build for the team and they rode it through the entire season. A 1-0 victory at Buffalo State clinched Potsdam's first ever SUNYAC Playoff berth and gave the team the program record 12th victory of the season. Murray topped her previous season-high with 22 points on seven goals and eight assists. The performance earned her second team All-SUNYAC honors.
That winter, the Bears posted a 12-12-2 mark and returned to the NEWHL playoffs. Murray had a goal and five assists and was plus four on the ice. Her major contribution was helping the Bears give up a Potsdam record low 2.17 goals-per-game.
The 2018 women's soccer team was loaded with talent and had experience winning and playing in the postseason. The Bears started 7-1 for the third time in four years. On September 29, Murray scored the game-winner in a 3-0 shutout at Plattsburgh. It was the program's first ever victory over the Cardinals in 32 meetings. Two contests later, she scored twice, including another game-winner in a 3-1 win against Oswego. She added a goal and two assists at New Paltz on October 12 and again against Buffalo State a week later. The Bears returned to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and hosted Fredonia on October 27. Murray had her final assist as the Bears flattened the Blue Devils 5-0 and advance to the semifinals. She wrapped up her soccer career with eight goals and 13 assists for 29 points. She was named first team All-SUNYAC and joined Falsion in claiming all-region honors a month later. Murray is the program's all-time assists leader (32), second in games played (74), fourth in points (70) and ninth in goals (19).
In her last hockey season, Murray totaled a career-high 11 points with three goals and eight assists. The Bears defeated Oswego 1-0 in their home finale to clinch their third straight playoff spot and first ever home game. She assisted on the contest's lone goal. Conference coaches recognized her skill on defense and selected her first team All-NEWHL. In 98 career contests on the ice, she totaled 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points.
By May of 2019, Murray had four all-conference nods in two sports, one all-region selection, a spot on the SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in all four years, as well as earning AHCA All American Scholar status. The laundry list of accolades made her an easy choice to be the Maxcy/Molnar Award winner for top senior female athlete. A week later, Murray graduated with her bachelor's in Business Administration and a Psychology minor. She was also recognized with the Sigma Beta Delta of the Academic Honor Society for Business, Management and Administration.
Shortly after graduation, Murray moved to Queensbury, N.Y. and accepted an accounts manager position with Bolton Landing Brewing Company. She has worked there ever since. She married her college sweetheart, former men's soccer captain Ben Firlit, in 2025. The couple welcomed their daughter Willow in July.
On Saturday night, Murray will become one of 145 individuals to be inducted into the Bears Hall of Fame.
