Men's Hockey Honors Lt. Michael P. Murphy and Team with Navy Themed Sweater for Game Against Army

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Men’s Ice Hockey team unveiled a new, Navy-themed sweater that pays homage to Lt. Michael P. “Murph” Murphy and his Operation Red Wings team. The jersey will be worn during the Capital Hockey Classic game against Army West Point on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Murphy, a 1998 Penn State graduate, was a Navy SEAL nicknamed “The Protector” that was killed in action during the War in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005, when his squad was surrounded by Taliban forces. True to his nickname, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the SEAL’s situation to friendly forces, at the cost of his own life. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions, becoming the first member of the United States Navy to receive the award since the Vietnam War. The popular “Murph” workout, frequently performed on Memorial Day, was created by Murphy as a workout that could be performed almost anywhere and with very little extra equipment necessary.

The navy sweater features a valor blue hanger effect on the inner collar to mimic the Medal of Honor with the Greek inscription “With it (your shield), or on it” visible on the inside back of the neck. This inscription can be found at Veterans Plaza on the campus of Penn State University, a memorial dedicated to Lt. Michael P. Murphy. The front of the collar features the 13 white stars present on the neck ribbon of the Medal of Honor completing the look.

The yoke of the sweater mimics an enlisted sailor’s Dress Blue neckerchief featuring three stripes and two stars while three angled stripes are present on each sleeve to mimic service stripes on a uniform. All personnel wear one stripe for each four years of service. With 12 seasons of Penn State varsity hockey, three stripes are sewn into each sleeve.

The front of the sweater is complete with the traditional lionhead crest while three stripes at the bottom hem of the jersey, along with the three sock stripes honor each of the six branches of the Armed Forces.

Old Glory is present on the nape of the sweater along with the players namebar across the back with a white border around it, a nod to the standard issue engraved nametags present on military uniforms.