University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Amends Mike Morrell’s Contract
03.18.2025 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone announced Tuesday that Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Morrell received Board of Trustee approval on a contract amendment that aligns his compensation with other Big South Conference coaches and recognizes his recent achievements. Morrell's amended contract runs through the 2029-30 season.
"Mike Morrell has truly been a remarkable leader for our men's basketball program both on and off the court," Cone said. "The achievements of his teams and the recognition he has garnered have elevated the program and brought significant attention to our university, leaving a lasting impact on the Asheville community."
Morrell is coming off his third consecutive 20-win season with the Bulldogs, as he has compiled a program-record 70 wins over the last three seasons. In the last four seasons of Big South Conference play, Morrell has a league-best .712 winning percentage and a 47-19 Big South record.
Following a 92-46 win over Bluefield on Dec. 11, Coach Morrell earned his 100th win, making him the fastest coach - men's or women's - in UNC Asheville basketball history to reach 100 wins. Morrell is just the second coach in program history to earn 100 wins during the DI era and is the 18th coach in Big South history to reach this milestone. Amongst the league, Morrell is the ninth-fastest coach to reach 100 wins and is 15th in all-time wins with 116.
Under Morrell's tutelage, the Bulldogs went 13-1 inside Kimmel Arena during the 2024-25 season. Asheville has a .926 winning percentage and a 38-3 record in Kimmel Arena over the last three seasons, the third-highest home winning percentage in the nation.
The 2024-25 season also saw the men's basketball program set a new school record for most Big South Conference Awards received and most individuals recognized, as five Bulldogs earned seven league awards at the completion of the regular season.
"Coach Morrell and his staff have done an extraordinary job building a winning culture here at UNC Asheville," said Chancellor Kimberly van Noort."We are excited to renew his contract and continue to have him at the helm of our men's basketball program."
Morrell, the 2022-23 Big South Coach of the Year, guided the Bulldogs to the best season in program history in 2022-23. Asheville not only posted a school record 27 wins during the 2022-23 season but also captured both the Big South Regular Season and Tournament Championships. It marked Asheville's fourth outright regular season championship and eighth overall. The tournament title for the Bulldogs is the sixth in program history and with it, earned the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 2016.
The 2023-24 season proved to be another successful season for the Bulldogs, as Morrell's squad went 22-12 and earned their second consecutive trip to the Big South Conference Championship game. Under Morrell, Drew Pember earned back-to-back Big South Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors and graduated as the most decorated player in program history.
"I'm very grateful to the leadership of UNC Asheville and all of the support the institution has provided me over the last seven years," said Morrell.
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