(Story courtesy of University of St. Thomas athletics)
HOUSTON, Texas – The University of St. Thomas has named Nick Morrison as the school's next varsity women's soccer coach. The hire was announced by UST athletic director Todd Smith on Monday.
Morrison comes to Houston after spending the last six seasons as the women's soccer coach at Schreiner University.
"Nick did a very good job at Schreiner," said Smith. "He took over a program that was really struggling a few years ago and made into a very respectable and good program."
Located in Kerrville, Texas, Schreiner competes in the NCAA's Division III in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The hiring of Morrison, himself an alumnus of Schreiner, coincides with UST's move to NCAA Division III and joining the SCAC.
"The fact that Nick was in the SCAC and Division III for the past six years was a huge plus," Smith said. "With the program we have at St. Thomas, I believe he can come in and make us very competitive in SCAC women's soccer."
In six seasons as Schreiner's women's soccer coach, Morrison's teams won 41 games, nearly double the program's win total over the previous six-season span. He compiled a record of 41-57-10, and guided the Mountaineers into the postseason SCAC tournament in each of his last five seasons.
Morrison was twice named the SCAC's Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2014 and 2015. His 2014 team was the first-ever Schreiner women's soccer squad to advance to a conference a tournament, while his 2015 team went 11-6-2.
During his time as Schreiner's head coach, Morrison's players earned 16 All-SCAC honors, and 31 All-SCAC Academic Honor Roll accolades. Schreiner teams claimed four National Soccer Coaches Association of America/United Soccer Coaches Team Academic awards during his tenure.
Morrison succeeds Nikola Barjaktarevic as the UST women's soccer coach. Barjaktarevic, who was hired in 2014 as UST's first women's soccer coach, led the Celts to a Red River Athletic Conference tournament championship in 2017, and a regular season conference title in 2018. He was promoted to assistant athletic director earlier this year.
"I would like to thank Todd Smith, [UST President] Dr. Richard Ludwick, and the administration for giving me this opportunity at St. Thomas," Morrison said. "I'm looking forward to being a part of the transition to NCAA Division III, and continuing the success that Coach Barjaktarevic built."
Morrison was an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach at Division I Prairie View A&M from 2009 to 2012. While at Prairie View, he also served as the athletic department's assistant academic coordinator for two years.
As a player, Morrison was the Schreiner men's soccer team's starting goalkeeper from 2005 through 2008. He earned all-conference First Team honors in each of his first two seasons, and was named the American Southwest Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. Morrison received his bachelor's degree in 2009.