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Show Morrill entering 1 lth season at USU STEW MORRILL Gonzaga '74 11th Season at Utah State (237-86, .734) Overall Record (455-224, .670, 22 seasons) Entering his 23rd season as a collegiate head coach and 11th year at Utah State, Stew Morrill has established himself as one of the most respected coaches in the country. He is also the school's all-time winningest coach as he passed the legendary E. Lowell Romney's 225 career USU wins on Jan. 17, 2008 with an 82-78 win against Boise State. In 10 years as Utah State's head coach, Morrill has taken the Aggie Basketball program to unprecedented heights leading USU to an incredible 237-86 (.734) record, including a 124-44 (.738) conference mark in the Big West and WAC. While at Utah State, he has guided the Aggies to nine straight 20-win seasons and nine straight postseason appearances (NCAA-5, NIT-4), both of which are school records. Prior to coach Morrill's current run, USU had never posted more than three straight 20-win seasons and participated in more than three straight postseason tournaments. During the last nine years, Utah State is also one of just three teams in the nation to win at least 23 games in each of those seasons, along with Gonzaga and Kansas. Morrill has also led Utah State to the fifthbest winning percentage in the nation during the last nine years at 75.3 percent with an overall record of 222-73. Against conference opponents, Utah State has a 142-50 record with four regular season league championships and four tournament titles during that time, including appearances in its league's tournament championship game seven times in the last nine years. Under Morrill, Utah State has notched nine of the top 11 seasons in school history during the last nine years as the Aggies set a school record with 28 wins during the 2000 season, tied that record with 28 wins during the 2001 season and notched the fifth-most wins in school history during the 2008 season with 24 victories. During the 2007-08 season, Morrill guided Utah State to a share of itsfirst-everWAC regular season championship in just its third year in the league with a 12-4 record, followed by an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. USU also recorded 23-plus wins for the ninth straight season and participated in its ninth straight postseason tournament as it played at Illinois State in the National Invitation Tournament. Furthermore, the 2007-08 Aggie basketball team set a school record by shooting 79.2 percent from the free throw line to lead the nation. USU also led the nation in overall shooting at 51.4 percent and became just the fourth team in the history of the NCAA to lead the nation in both field goal and free throw shoot- ing. The Aggies also ranked eighth nationally in assists (17.7) and ninth in three-point shooting (40.1), and led the WAC in points allowe per game (68.1). For the ninth straight year, USU had at least one player earn first-team allleague accolades as senior AllAmerican guard Jaycee Carroll became just the fourth player in school history to earn confer- Coach Stew MorriU makes a point with referees at the WAC Tournament AP photo ence player of the year honors. has had 11 academic all-conference honorees. Carroll was also named an honorable mention Morrill, who was born in Provo, Utah and Ail-American by the Associated Press for the attended Provo High School, owns a career resecond straight year, becoming the first player cord of 455-224 in 22 years of collegiate coachin school history to be recognized by the AP in ing, including a 237-86 record at Utah State consecutive seasons. in 10 years, a 121-86 record in seven years at Overall, Morrill has coached 10 first-team Colorado State (1992-98) and a 97-52 mark in all-league players at Utah State who have won five campaigns at Montana (1987-91). the award a total of 15 times. cThere are several reasons that I was at. Morrill ha6 also taken full advantage of the tracted to Utah State," Morrill said when he home court at USU, the Dee Glen Smith Spec- was hired. "The first was being a Utah native trum. In Morrill's 10 years, USU is an amazing so that it is a homecoming of sorts for me. My 142-12 (.922) at home, which includes a 76-8 mom, brother and sister all live within an hour (.905) record in league play. and a half of Logan. As for Morrill, he has won 20 or more games "I am very familiar with the tradition of on 13 different occasions during his career, Utah State basketball and can name the greats and he has won at least 17 games 19 times. as well as any alumni could," Morrill added. Overall, Morrill ranks 22nd in the nation "It is a good basketball situation and the preamong active coaches and 88th all-time with mier job in the Big West Conference. My famhis 455 career wins, while his career winning ily will love the quality of the community of percentage of 67.0 percent ranks 27th among Logan. It is a great place to live and that is very active coaches and 96th all-time. He is also important to me and my family. It just made one of 22 active coaches with 450 career wins sense to us." at the Division I level and one of just 13 active The 55-year old ranks second on the CSU coaches to notch at least 13 20-win seasons. victory list and second in winning percentage. His current streak of nine straight 20-win He guided the Rams to back-to-back 20-win seasons ranks tied for eighth among active seasons the last two years in Fort Collins, coaches and is tied for the llth-Iongest streak with identical 20-9 marks. During the 1997-98 ever at the Division I level. season, CSU made its second trip to the NIT in Morrill has also been named Coach of the the last three years. Year (2000 BWC, 2002 BWC) twice in his eight Morrill guided CSU to two of its six all-time years at USU, along with winning the Big Sky 20-win seasons and won at least 17 games five award while the head coach at Montana in times in his seven years. In fact, Morrill-led 1991. CSU teams own three of the top seven winAcademics and community service have ning seasons in school history. been of top priority to Morrill and his staff During his tenure at Colorado State, he as all of the team members are involved with coached three first-team all-WAC selections, USU's CHAMPS/Life Skills Program within one second-team pick and six honorable menthe community. In his first 10 years, Morrill tion choices.Three of his players were named has graduated better than 80 percent of his players, and over the past six years, Utah State Continued on page 16 ?5 I |