Reinhardt Taps Morgan to Lead Men's Basketball Program

(Story provided by Reinhardt Sports Communications)

WALESKA, Ga. —On May 28th, Executive Director of Athletics Jonathan Burton announced the hiring of Richard Morgan as the new head coach for Reinhardt Men's Basketball. Morgan comes to Waleska after sixteen years as the head coach at Bluefield University.

Morgan brings around forty years of basketball experience with him, including his years as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.  He is from Salem, Virginia, where he was a standout basketball player at Salem High School. His talents took him to the University of Virginia and played under the legendary AAC basketball coach, Terry Holland. At Virginia, Morgan was a three-year starter for the Cavaliers. He led the AAC in scoring during the 1988-89 season and was named 1st Team All-ACC.

Morgan graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. After graduation, he pursued his dream of playing professional basketball. He had time in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) playing in Rockford, Illinois, and Columbus, Ohio. He also had time playing internationally in Austria and the Philippines before coming back to the States to start his basketball coaching career.

His coaching career began at his alma mater, Salem High School, where he was an assistant with his brother, Charlie Morgan.  The duo led the team to numerous district, regional, and state championships. Later, he found his way to an assistant role at the collegiate level with stints at NCAA DI Hampton University (1996-1998 and 2003-2006), East Carolina University (1998-2003), and Appalachian State University (2006-2009). 

His successes as an assistant coach at the NCAA level paved the way for his head coaching debut, which occurred at Bluefield University in 2009. Morgan would spend the next sixteen years leading the Rams in the Mid-South Conference and Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Under his guidance, the Rams achieved notable success, including an AAC regular-season title in his inaugural year, AAC Tournament Championship game appearances, and Mid-East Regional NCCAA Championship titles. Notably, Morgan was recognized as one of the 100 Most Impactful NAIA Head Coaches by Silver Waves Media in 2022 and honored as the all-time winningest Men's Basketball Coach at Bluefield University in 2023.

Burton had this to say about bringing in Morgan to lead the Eagles, "I have had the opportunity to interview and review some outstanding candidates for our men's basketball position. Coach Morgan separated himself from a very talented pool of coaches. As we work towards becoming a championship program, I feel like he can lead us to new heights both on and off the court.

With the resources here, we will be able to provide Coach Morgan and his team the opportunity to have many successful basketball seasons. We are excited to have Coach Morgan here and look forward to watching his team compete. It's a great day to be an Eagle!"

Morgan is known for his energetic coaching style, which will have Eagles fans excited about the future of Reinhardt Basketball. His time as a standout player to a successful coach is a testament to his dedication, resilience, and passion for the game. His commitment and dedication to the teams he coaches leave an enduring impact on the lives of the young men he coaches, instilling values that extend beyond the court and contribute to their personal and professional lives.

Morgan and his wife, Sherelle, have two sons, Nick (Whitley) and Kaleb.