Independence Community College Athletics is pleased to announce the hiring of Conner Murrell as the new Head Esports Coach, bringing more than five years of collegiate coaching experience to the Pirates.
Murrell most recently served as Head Esports Coach at Coffeyville Community College, where his responsibilities included recruiting, competition preparation, programming and budgeting.
Among his accomplishments, Murrell coached the first esports team in his previous program's history to win a national-level esports championship in spring 2025. He also helped expand the program's visibility by achieving Twitch Affiliate status and securing sponsorships with Intel and Lenovo.
"We are excited to welcome Conner to Independence Community College and our Pirate Athletics family," ICC Vice President for Student Affairs & Operations David Adams said. "He brings proven experience building a competitive esports program, but what really stands out is his ability to connect with students and create opportunities for them. Esports continues to grow, and we believe Conner has the experience and vision to help us take the next step with our program."
Murrell said he is looking forward to bringing that experience to ICC and getting to work with Pirate students.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to join Independence Community College and begin working with our students," Murrell said. "My goal is to build a program that students are proud to be part of — one that is competitive, welcoming and gives them opportunities to grow both as players and as individuals. I'm looking forward to recruiting future Pirates, growing the program and seeing what we can accomplish together."
Murrell's collegiate coaching background also includes leading men's and women's golf programs and developing high-performing student-athletes. During that time, he coached a golfer who earned an individual spot in the 2023 NJCAA Men's Golf National Championship and finished in the top 25.
Murrell earned his Master of Science in Native American Leadership from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in May 2026 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from Pittsburg State University.
His professional experience extends beyond athletics and includes program coordination, communication, grant writing, leadership and content creation. He also brings experience with digital platforms and technologies commonly used in esports, including Twitch, Discord, OBS Studio and StreamLabs.
Murrell will lead the ICC esports program as the Pirates prepare for the upcoming season.