ATLANTA – Georgia State Athletics announces the hiring of Madison Murphy as the Panthers' new head spirit coach.

Murphy joins the Panthers after an accomplished career in professional cheerleading, collegiate spirit, choreography and dance instruction.

Murphy comes to Georgia State following five seasons as a member of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders. During her tenure with the organization, she served as a line captain for two seasons, helping lead a squad of 34 cheerleaders while choreographing and cleaning routines. In 2026, she was voted the Falcons Cheerleader of the Year and selected as the organization's Pro Bowl representative. She also represented the Falcons as a community and international ambassador through appearances and events.

Alongside her professional career, Murphy has established herself as one of the Southeast's premier freelance choreographers. Since 2017, she has worked with high school, collegiate and studio dance programs throughout Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, choreographing competitive and gameday routines while teaching precision, performance quality and showmanship.

Murphy also previously served as company director at Beyond Words Dance Academy, where she instructed dancers of all ages in jazz, hip-hop, ballet, leaps and turns while developing award-winning competition routines.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Murphy was a member of the Carolina Girls Dance Team and helped the program capture its first National Dance Alliance championship. She has trained extensively in jazz, pom, hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, lyrical and tap, studying under nationally recognized choreographers and instructors.

In addition to her spirit and dance experience, Murphy earned a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavior from Georgia State University in 2023 after graduating summa cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in public health. She currently serves as a research project coordinator at Georgia State's School of Public Health, where she leads community engagement initiatives, coordinates research efforts and supervises graduate research teams.

As head spirit coach, Murphy will oversee all aspects of Georgia State's spirit program, including gameday performances, team development, recruiting, community engagement and representing the Panthers at athletic and university events.