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Stew Morrill

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Stew Morrill
Morrill at San Jose State in 2014
Biographical details
Born (1952-07-25) July 25, 1952 (age 72)
Provo, Utah, U.S.
Playing career
1970–1972Ricks JC
1972–1974Gonzaga
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1974–1978Gonzaga (assistant)
1978–1986Montana (assistant)
1986–1991Montana
1991–1998Colorado State
1998–2015Utah State
Head coaching record
Overall620–294 (.678)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • 3× WAC Coach of the Year (2009–2011)
  • 2× Big West Coach of the Year (2000, 2002)
  • Big Sky Coach of the Year (1991)
  • Jim Phelan Award (2011)

Stewart Morrill (born July 25, 1952) is an American college basketball coach and the former head coach of the Utah State University men's basketball team.

Morrill was an All-American at Ricks College and a two-time All-Big Sky selection for Gonzaga University. He started his coaching career in 1974 as an assistant at Gonzaga, and continued at the University of Montana under Mike Montgomery in 1978.[1][2] In the spring of 1986, he was promoted to head coach of the Grizzlies,[2] and led them to an NCAA berth in 1991. Morrill coached at Colorado State University from 1991 to 1998 before resigning to go to Utah State.

Morrill and Utah State gained national attention in March 2001 for their 77–68 upset of Ohio State in overtime in the NCAA tournament.

On January 17, 2008, in an 82–78 victory over Boise State, Morrill logged his 226th Aggie victory, passing E. Lowell Romney to become the winningest coach in Utah State basketball history.

Morrill has a record of 602–281 overall (.682), and 384–143[3] (.729) with Utah State. His 500th win came in January 2010 at Idaho, coached by his former assistant, Don Verlin. He has also racked up an incredible home record of 193–13 (.937) in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum as coach of the Aggies. Following a victory over San Jose State on March 9, 2009, Morrill became the only coach in Utah State history to have back-to-back undefeated seasons at home, extending the streak to 34 straight home wins. He is also the only Utah State coach to win thirty games in one season, a feat he accomplished in the 2008–09 season, and the 2010-11 season. During the 2009–10 season, he became the only Utah State basketball coach to win three straight regular season conference championships. The next year, he won his fourth straight regular season conference championship. Although he has a very impressive regular season record, he did not find success in the NCAA tournament, posting the second worst record, 1–9 (.100) for any coach that has made the NCAA tournament five or more times. He also has a record of 0–6 in the NIT.

With Morrill at the helm, the Aggies were one of only three Division I teams to have won at least 23 games from 1999-2011. The other schools are Gonzaga and Kansas. All throughout the 2000's and early 2010's under Morrill, Utah State (.764) had the fourth-best winning percentage in the nation behind Duke (.831), Kansas (.809) and Gonzaga (.799).

On January 9, 2015, USU announced that Morrill would retire at the end of the 2014-2015 season.[4]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Montana Grizzlies (Big Sky Conference) (1987–1991)
1986–87 Montana 18–11 8–6 3rd
1987–88 Montana 18–11 7–9 T–7th
1988–89 Montana 20–11 11–5 3rd
1989–90 Montana 18–11 10–6 3rd
1990–91 Montana 23–8 13–3 1st NCAA Division I Round of 64
Montana: 97–52 (.651) 49–29 (.628)
Colorado State Rams (Western Athletic Conference) (1991–1999)
1991–92 Colorado State 14–17 8–8 T–8th
1992–93 Colorado State 17–12 9–9 5th
1993–94 Colorado State 15–13 8–10 T–5th
1994–95 Colorado State 17–14 7–11 T–8th
1995–96 Colorado State 18–12 11–7 4th NIT first round
1996–97 Colorado State 20–9 10–6 4th (Pacific)
1997–98 Colorado State 20–9 8–6 4th (Mountain) NIT first round
Colorado State: 121–86 (.585) 61–57 (.517)
Utah State Aggies (Big West Conference) (1998–2005)
1998–99 Utah State 15–13 8–8 4th (Eastern)
1999–2000 Utah State 28–6 16–0 1st (Eastern) NCAA Division I Round of 64
2000–01 Utah State 28–6 13–3 2nd NCAA Division I Round of 32
2001–02 Utah State 23–8 13–5 T–1st NIT first round
2002–03 Utah State 24–9 12–6 3rd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2003–04 Utah State 25–4 17–1 T–1st NIT first round
2004–05 Utah State 24–8 13–5 2nd NCAA Division I Round of 64
Utah State Aggies (Western Athletic Conference) (2005–2013)
2005–06 Utah State 23–9 11–5 T–2nd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2006–07 Utah State 23–12 9–7 4th NIT first round
2007–08 Utah State 24–11 12–4 T–1st NIT first round
2008–09 Utah State 30–5 14–2 1st NCAA Division I Round of 64
2009–10 Utah State 27–8 14–2 1st NCAA Division I Round of 64
2010–11 Utah State 30–4 15–1 1st NCAA Division I Round of 64
2011–12 Utah State 21–16 8–6 4th CIT Runner-up
2012–13 Utah State 21–10 11–7 T–4th
Utah State Aggies (Mountain West Conference) (2013–2015)
2013–14 Utah State 18–14 7–11 T–8th
2014–15 Utah State 18–13 11–7 T–4th
Utah State: 402–156 (.720) 204–80 (.718)
Total: 620–294 (.678)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ "Short Cuts: Stewart Morrill". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). May 6, 1978. p. 23.
  2. ^ a b Blanchette, John (May 1, 1986). "Morrill of the story: patience". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  3. ^ "USUStats.com - Coaching Records".
  4. ^ "Utah St. Coach Morrill to retire at season's end". 9 January 2015.
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