Stan Morrison

Nationally known for his work as a head basketball coach and as an athletics administrator, Stan Morrison has led the Highlanders in the transition to Division I. Morrison joined UCR in August 1999, an appointment that Chancellor Raymond L. Orbach described as “one of the most significant in UCR’s distinguished athletic history.” As director, he oversees all aspects of the athletics program and guided UCR through the transition into Division I, including the selection of the Big West Conference and the expansion of sports programs.

Prior to UCR, he served as vice president for The Dudeck Group, an executive effectiveness-coaching program for high achieving individuals. He has achieved national recognition as a basketball coach and athletics administrator at four Division I universities -- San Jose State, the University of Southern California, the University of Pacific, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also has worked as a sports broadcaster.

In the spring of 2006, Morrison was appointed to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee. The committee is responsible for the oversight and administration of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament, including selecting the 65 teams that participate in the tournament. His five-year appointment to the 10-member committee began on September 1, 2006.

Morrison first gained national attention as a center for the University of California, Berkeley, as the Bears won the NCAA title in 1959 and were runners-up in 1960. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1961, Morrison was a European All-Star and helped the Real Madrid team to the European Cup finals. He returned to Cal in ‘62 as a graduate assistant and played AAU basketball for the San Francisco Olympic Club, earning All-American honors.

Morrison’s first collegiate head coaching position was at the University of the Pacific (1972-79), where he led the Tigers to the Pacific Coast Athletic Association championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 1979. He moved to the University of Southern California for seven seasons (1979-86) and led the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament in 1982, then repeated the feat in 1985 after USC won a share of the Pacific-10 championship.

In 1986 Morrison was appointed director of athletics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. While at UCSB (1986-89), he was administrator over the Gauchos 21-sport program, helped raise significant funds annually for UCSB Athletics and served on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament Committee. In 1989, he returned to the coaching ranks at San Jose State University, guiding the Spartans for nine years (1989-98). His stay in San Jose was highlighted by a Big West Co-Championship in 1994, and Big West Tournament Championship, NCAA bid, and first round match-up with Rick Pitino’s Kentucky Wildcats in 1996. He is one of a handful of coaches to take three different schools to the tournament, and the only NCAA coach to do it with three schools from the same state.

Upon leaving San Jose State, Morrison served as a personal coach and consultant to Los Angeles Lakers’ center Shaquille O’Neal. He has also worked as a color commentator for Pac-10 and West Coast Conference basketball for FOX Sports and BAY TV.

Morrison has served the last 18 years as Chairman of the Board for High Five America, a San Diego-based organization, which uses basketball as a vehicle to combat gang violence, drug, and alcohol abuse issues. He currently serves as president of the board of trustees for Olive Crest, group homes for abused teenagers. Morrison serves on the executive board of the Inland Empire Boy Scouts of America, on the board of directors of the Riverside Humane Society, on the board of directors of ARC Riverside, and as a participant for “The Unforgettables” which provides dignified burials for children from poverty stricken homes. Morrison was event chair for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society “Light the Night” event on the UCR campus.

In his free time, Morrison enjoys working on his home and spending time with his grandchildren. He and his wife, Jessica, have two grown children and four grandchildren, and reside in Riverside.