Stew Morrill
Encyclopedia
Stew Morrill is an American
college basketball
coach and the current 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 later for the University of Montana under Mike Montgomery
. In 1987, he became the head coach of the Grizzlies and led them to an NCAA berth in 1991. Morrill coached at Colorado State University
from 1992 to 1998 before resigning and taking his current coaching job at Utah State University
.
Morrill and Utah State gained national attention in March 2001 for their upset overtime victory over Ohio State
77–68 in the NCAA Tournament
.
On January 17, 2008, in an 82–78 victory over Boise State University, 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 542–241 overall (.692), and 324–103 (.759) with Utah State. His 500th win came in a victory in Moscow, Idaho, on January 23, 2010 over Idaho
, which is 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 March 8, 2009 victory over San Jose State University, Stew 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.
With Morrill at the helm, the Aggies are one of only three Division I teams to have won at least 23 games in each of the last twelve seasons. The other schools are Gonzaga and Kansas. Over the past eleven years, Utah State (.764) has the fourth-best winning percentage in the nation behind Duke (.831), Kansas (.809) and Gonzaga (.799).
Utah State head coach Stew Morrill currently has five former assistants who are head coaches at the Division I level, which ranks tied for the fourth-most by any current Division I coach in college basketball.
Blaine Taylor, an assistant to Morrill for 5 seasons at Montana is the current head coach at Old Dominion University
.
Randy Rahe, an assistant to Morrill for 13 seasons at USU and Colorado State is the current head coach at Weber State University
.
Don Verlin, another assistant is the current University of Idaho
head coach.
Jeff Jackson, also an assistant at Colorado State is the current head coach at Furman University
.
All of his former assistants have had immediate success at their respective schools.
Morrill is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When the PA announcer says his name the fans chant, "Stew!"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and the current head coach of the Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
men's basketball team
Utah State Aggies men's basketball
The Utah State Aggies are a Division I men's college basketball team that plays in the Western Athletic Conference, representing Utah State University. The Aggies have enjoyed an extremely high amount of success in recent years under head coach Stew Morrill...
. Morrill was an All-American at Ricks College
Brigham Young University–Idaho
Brigham Young University–Idaho is a private university located in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its...
and a two-time All-Big Sky selection for Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
. He started his coaching career in 1974 as an assistant at Gonzaga and later for the University of Montana under Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears men's basketball team. He was also the men's basketball coach of at Stanford from 1986 to 2004 and at the University of Montana for eight seasons prior to coaching at Stanford...
. In 1987, he became the head coach of the Grizzlies and led them to an NCAA berth in 1991. Morrill coached at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
from 1992 to 1998 before resigning and taking his current coaching job at Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
.
Morrill and Utah State gained national attention in March 2001 for their upset overtime victory over Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
77–68 in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
On January 17, 2008, in an 82–78 victory over Boise State University, 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 542–241 overall (.692), and 324–103 (.759) with Utah State. His 500th win came in a victory in Moscow, Idaho, on January 23, 2010 over Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
, which is coached by his former assistant, Don Verlin
Don Verlin
Donald G. Verlin is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at the University of Idaho...
. 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 March 8, 2009 victory over San Jose State University, Stew 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.
With Morrill at the helm, the Aggies are one of only three Division I teams to have won at least 23 games in each of the last twelve seasons. The other schools are Gonzaga and Kansas. Over the past eleven years, Utah State (.764) has the fourth-best winning percentage in the nation behind Duke (.831), Kansas (.809) and Gonzaga (.799).
Utah State head coach Stew Morrill currently has five former assistants who are head coaches at the Division I level, which ranks tied for the fourth-most by any current Division I coach in college basketball.
Blaine Taylor, an assistant to Morrill for 5 seasons at Montana is the current head coach at Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
.
Randy Rahe, an assistant to Morrill for 13 seasons at USU and Colorado State is the current head coach at Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
.
Don Verlin, another assistant is the current University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
head coach.
Jeff Jackson, also an assistant at Colorado State is the current head coach at Furman University
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
.
All of his former assistants have had immediate success at their respective schools.
Morrill is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When the PA announcer says his name the fans chant, "Stew!"