Don Morris is a volunteer assistant coach with the Union golf programs. Morris is in his 47th year of serving the Union golf program in some capacity, 31 of those years being head coach.
Morris, a 1962 graduate of Union, had three runs as the head coach for Union golf programs. He coach the Bulldogs from 1973 until his retirement in 1998. Then in 2001, he returned to lead the program until 2006, an then again in 2015-16. In all, Morris was head coach for men's golf for 32 years and women's golf for one season. In all the years since 1973 that he was not head coach of the program, he was serving the program as a volunteer assistant, staying involved in teaching the game. Morris has been involved with the Union golf program in some way for 50 consecutive seasons.
Morris started working for Union in January of 1969 as an Admissions Counselor where he served for four years. Morris then moved to Union’s Financial Aid department where he remained for the remainder of his career. He worked as a Financial Aid Officer for three years, and then was named the Director of Financial Aid where he served for 23 years. His final stop was being named the Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid where he served for 13 years. In 2006, Morris was inducted into the Union Sports Hall of Fame.
In his 31 years as head coach of the Union University golf team, he led the Bulldogs to 11 NAIA National Tournament appearances. He also won eight conference championships and three district championships. Morris was named coach of the year on 11 different occasions.
Morris received his first job out of college in 1962 as the band director for Chester County High School in Henderson, Tenn. He worked there until his move back to Union in 1969. During his time as a student and Union and over the years since then, Morris has served as Minister of Music at the following churches: Southside Baptist Church (Jackson), First Baptist Church (Henderson), Unity Baptist Church (Lexington), and Westover Baptist Church (Jackson). He has also served as an Interim Minister of Music in the following churches: the First Baptist Churches in Alamo, Bells, Bruceton, Newbern, Ripley, and Greenfield. He is currently a member and deacon at First Baptist Church in Jackson. Morris is a past president of the Westover Ruritan Club and is a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.
As a student athlete at Union University, Morris won the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC) Individual Golf Championship in 1961. He was named to the Tennessee Collegiate All-State team by finishing in the top six of the Tennessee Intercollegiate Tournament. Morris helped lead the Bulldogs to a VSAC team championship in 1959. Along with men’s golf, Morris was a member of the university’s symphonic band and the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity. During his time at Union, he also spent time coaching football and basketball teams in the local city park leagues in Jackson.
Don Morris Coaching Highlights
-31 Years (1973-1998, 2001-2006, 2015)
-Coached in 11 NAIA National Tournaments (1979-Ind.; 1980-Ind.; 1981-Ind.; 1987-missed cut; 1990-16th; 1994-12th; 1995-14th; 1996-8th; 1997-missed cut 1998-10th, 2006-Ind.)
-Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships (8): 1987, '90, '91, '92, '93, .94, '95, '96
-District 24 Championships (3): 1987, 1990, 1994
-Tennessee Intercollegiate Tournament Championships (8): 1985, '89, '90, '91, '93, '94, '95, '98
-General Tournament Championships (12)
-Tennessee Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Award (8): 1989, '90, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96
-NAIA District 24 Coach of the Year Award (3): 1989, 1990, 1994
-Chairman of Western Division of the VSAC (Volunteer State Athletic Conference)
-Chairman for NAIA District 24: Five Years
Professional Activities:
- Member of the Tennessee Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- Member of the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- Member of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- Selected as a member of the Tennessee ACT Policy Council (6 years)
- Selected as a member of the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (1 year)
- Authored “You Can Attend a Baptist College” for the Education Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1982
