(Portions of this story courtesy of Southwestern University)
GEORGETOWN, Texas – Southwestern University Director of Athletics Dr. Glada Munt announced Tuesday morning that Lori Morris has been named head women's basketball coach. Morris comes to Georgetown after spending the last seven seasons as an assistant coach at the Division I level.
"We are delighted to have Coach Morris join our department as our next Pirates head women's basketball coach as she builds upon the past success of the program," Dr. Munt said. "She brings an excellent knowledge of the game combined with strong recruiting skills as she takes over a program that just won the SCAC Championship."
"I would like to thank Dr. Edward Burger (Southwestern University president) and Dr. Munt for the opportunity to lead the Southwestern women's basketball program," Morris said. "To be welcomed to such a prestigious institution is an honor. I look forward to becoming part of the Georgetown community, to joining the tremendous Pirate Athletics Department, and to building upon the success of the women's basketball program."
Morris spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Air Force. She also served one season at Cal State Fullerton and four at Louisiana-Lafayette, including three as the associate head coach for the Ragin' Cajuns.
Prior to her NCAA stints, Morris also spent one season at Southwestern Junior College, as well as 20 years as the head varsity basketball coach at Montgomery High School in San Diego (1987-2007). She helped lead the Aztecs to a share of the South Bay League title and a CIF San Diego Section Division II runner-up finish in 2007, earning CIF Coach of the Year honors and a berth in the California state playoffs.
Morris also helped Montgomery High School to Mesa League championships in 2002 and '05, and a quartet of Metro League titles, including three straight league crowns from 1995-97. She was named the San Diego Union-Tribune's Coach of the Year in 1997, helping the Aztecs to a CIF Division II runner-up finish and a trip to the state tournament, and was tabbed the CIF Female Coach of the Year in 1998.
Morris played collegiately at San Diego (1980-84), leading the Toreros in assists all four seasons and ranking second all-time in program history in that category with 480. She continues to rank among USD's all-time top-10 in assists (2nd), assists per game (4.2/3rd), field goal attempts (1,070/5th), steals (177/5th), steals per game (1.55/9th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46/9th). Her 162 assists during the 1981-82 campaign continue to rank third in a single season, while her 129 assists two years later rank fifth.
Morris received her bachelor's degree in language arts from San Diego in 1984 and earned her master's degree in education with an emphasis in administration from Azusa Pacific in 1990.