Mike Morrell - Men's Basketball Coach - UNC Asheville Athletics

Mike Morrell

Title:
Head Coach

Mike Morrell completed his seventh season as the head coach of the UNC Asheville men's basketball program in 2024-25.

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. Among 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. The Bulldogs finished the 2024-25 season 21-11 and 11-5 in conference action.

Building off the success of the 2022-23 championship season, Asheville turned in another impressive season, as the Bulldogs made it to the Big South Conference Championship game for the second year in a row. Asheville finished its season 22-12 after falling in the conference championship. The Bulldogs’ 22 wins and the team’s 27 wins the previous year set a new program record for the best two-year winning stretch in school history with 49 wins. The Bulldogs’ two-year record of 49-20 is the second-best record in the state of North Carolina, and they are tied for 27th in the country for most wins over two years. Among mid-major schools, Asheville checks in at No. 17 for most wins in the last two years.

Morrell coached Drew Pember to another highly honored season. Pember graduated from Asheville as the most decorated player in program history. He was the first back-to-back Big South Men's Basketball Player of the Year honoree since 2008-09 and the seventh multiple-winner in league history. He is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Preseason Player of the Year. He is the fifth back-to-back recipient of the Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year Award since the award began in 1999-00, but the first basketball player to earn the honor in consecutive years.

Pember earned Lou Henson All-America Team honors for the second year in a row, NABC All-District honors for a second time, and was named to the Big South All-Tournament team in 2024. Pember became the first Bulldog in program history to play in the NABC Reese's All-Star Game and competed in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

Pember became the first player in program history to record two triple-doubles in a season, as Pember recorded his first triple-double of his career against App. State on Dec. 21, before earning one against Gardner-Webb in the Bulldogs’ overtime win against Gardner-Webb in the Big South Championship semifinal contest.

Against App. State on Dec. 21, Josh Banks set a new program record for most 3-pointers in a single game with 10. The record was held previously by Fletcher Abee, who recorded nine 3-pointers on Nov. 18, 2023. Banks earned Big South Honorable Mention honors for his effort during the season.

The 2022-23 season was one of the best in the history of the program for the Bulldogs. Morrell, the 2022-23 Big South Coach of the Year, has guided the Bulldogs to one of the best seasons in program history in 2022-23. Asheville not only posted a school record 27 wins on the season but also captured both the Big South Regular Season and Tournament Championships. It marks Asheville's fourth outright regular season championship and eighth overall. The tournament title for the Bulldogs is their sixth in program history and with it earned the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 2016.

The Bulldogs' 27 victories were tied for the fourth-most in Division I men's basketball and were tied for the most by any Division I school in the State of North Carolina. Furthermore, Morrell's 2022-23 Bulldogs matched the school record with 16 Big South regular season victories and set a new single-season program record with 25 wins against Division I opponents. Additionally, Morrell has led Asheville to an 18-2 record during the 2023 calendar year. For his work, Morrell was named a finalist for the Hugh Durham Coach of the Year award, which goes to the top coach in mid-major college basketball.

Morrell coached Drew Pember and Tajion Jones to All-Big South First Team honors. Pember became the first player in Big South history to be named the Preseason Player of the Year, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Tournament MVP in the same season. Pember also scored a school record 48 points in a game vs. Presbyterian in late January. The 48 points were the most by any Division I player this season. He was also named to the Lou Henson All-America Team. Jones, meanwhile, became UNC Asheville's all-time leading scorer and all-time leader in 3-pointers made. Off the court, Fletcher Abee was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team and to the Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team. The Bulldogs also went 11-6 (.647 winning percentage) against non-Big South foes, marking their best non-conference performance in terms of winning percentage since 2007-08.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Morrell led the Bulldogs to their first postseason appearance in four seasons as they were invited to compete in the College Basketball Invitational. At the Invitational, the Bulldogs tallied their first postseason win, toppling Stephen F. Austin, 80-68. Asheville also got out to a fast 10-5 start to the season, which was the program's best start since 2015-16.

Some individual standouts for Asheville in 2021-22 included Drew Pember being named the Big South's Defensive Player of the Year after ranking 10th in the country with 93 blocks. Pember's 93 blocks were the second-most ever by a Bulldog in a single season and helped him gain NABC All-District Second Team honors as well. LJ Thorpe earned All-Big South Honorable Mention honors for the third straight season, while Coty Jude garnered All-Academic team honors.

Morrell guided the Bulldogs to a strong 10-10, 9-5 Big South record in the unprecedented season that was 2020-21. Despite not being able to compete for 30 days down the stretch of the season due to COVID-19, Asheville's 9-5 mark in the Big South was its sixth-best win percentage (.643) in the last 15 seasons. The Bulldogs were able to earn a first-round bye in the 2021 Big South Tournament, hosting a quarterfinal matchup for the first time since 2018. Asheville's nine conference wins also made them one of just four schools within the Big South to post a combined winning record against conference foes over the course of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Morrell and the Bulldogs coached Tajion Jones (Second Team) and LJ Thorpe (Honorable Mention) to Big South honors, while Jones also garnered NABC All-District 3 Second Team recognition. Additionally, Coty Jude was named to the Big South All-Academic Team. While the condensed season had its share of memorable moments and wins, no victory shined brighter than the Bulldogs' 57-55 win at Winthrop on January 29, when Asheville knocked off the previously unbeaten Eagles and snapped the nation's longest win streak (21 games) in the process.

After a national search, UNC Asheville selected Mike Morrell to helm the UNC Asheville men’s basketball program on Wednesday, April 11, 2018.

Morrell (pronunciation: more-ELL) is the seventh head coach in the history of UNC Asheville men’s basketball. Considered one of the top college basketball assistants, Morrell joined UNC Asheville from the University of Texas. He is a native of Elizabethton, Tenn.

Morrell oversaw one of the biggest turnarounds in Division I men’s basketball during the 2019-20 season. The Bulldogs improved by 11 victories from his first season at the helm, tied for the third-largest improvement that season, and were one of just four teams in the nation to increase its win total by double digits.

The Bulldogs returned 83.6 percent of their minutes played from the previous season, but according to Ken Pomeroy, they still ranked inside the Top 15 all season among the youngest teams, as the starting lineup consisted of all sophomores. Asheville was one of just two teams in the country to use the same starting lineup the entire season, and all five starters averaged double-digit scoring.

With consistency and experience, the Bulldogs improved their record from 4-27 to 15-16, including an 8-10 mark in Big South Conference play. The Bulldogs entered the season predicted to finish ninth in the league standings but ended the year in a tie for fifth: the most significant jump in predicted finish in the conference.

Morrell coached two All-Big South performers. Sophomore DeVon Baker was named to the second team, while redshirt sophomore LJ Thorpe earned honorable mention recognition. Redshirt junior Jax Levitch was named to the All-Academic Team.

After a first season with eight freshmen learning the ropes of collegiate basketball, Morrell truly began to establish his desired style of play in Year Two. The Bulldogs played aggressive pressure defense, led the Big South, and ranked in the Top 25 nationally in turnover margin (plus-5.2), turnovers forced per game (16.9), total steals (250), and steals per game (8.3).

The Bulldogs finished fourth nationally in turnover margin, and led the nation in the statistic for a period during the season. Under Morrell’s direction, redshirt sophomore Lavar Batts, Jr. led the Big South in steals, and three other players – Baker, Thorpe and Trent Stephney – all ranked inside the Top 15 in the conference in steals. No other team had more than two players in the Top 15.

The Bulldogs also were much improved on the offensive end, as four players – Baker, Thorpe, Tajion Jones and Batts – all ranked inside the Top 16 in the Big South in scoring. No other team in the league had more than two in the Top 16.

In addition to those four, Coty Jude also averaged 10 points per game, and he moved into the Top 10 all-time at Asheville in career 3-pointers, as he is tied for ninth with 140.

Following the 2019-20 season, ESPN named Morrell as one if its Top 40 coaches under 40 years old, citing the Bulldogs’ 11-game turnaround.

Morrell coached the youngest team in NCAA Division I in his first season in charge of the UNC Asheville men’s basketball program. The Bulldogs finished the season with 76 percent of their minutes being played by freshmen. Over 90 percent of UNC Asheville’s overall minutes on the year were played by underclassmen.

Despite their youth, Morrell’s Bulldogs were able to sweep the season series from USC Upstate and Asheville was the only team in the country during the regular season to have four freshmen score 20 or more points in a single game.

UNC Asheville’s DeVon Baker was chosen to the Big South All-Freshman Team, while lone senior Donovan Gilmore was tabbed to the All-Academic Team.

Named the top recruiter in the country under the age of 35 in 2015 by ESPN prior to his arrival at UNC Asheville, Morrell helped coach a team to the NCAA Tournament in nine of his 11 years at the NCAA Division I level as an assistant coach.

As the primary recruiting coordinator at Texas, Morrell helped sign two top-5 and one top-20 class.

Morrell spent most of his coaching career working with current Marquette head coach Shaka Smart.

In addition to working with him at Texas from 2015-2018, Morrell spent 2011-2015 on Smart’s staff at VCU.

During Morrell’s four seasons at VCU (2011-15), the Rams posted an overall record of 108-35 (.755) and made four NCAA Tournament appearances. VCU was ranked in the final Associated Press poll in the 2012-13 (No. 25), 2013-14 (No. 24) and 2014-15 (No. 25) seasons.

At Texas, the Longhorns advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both the 2015-16 seasons and the 2017-18 seasons.

In its first full recruiting cycle in Austin, the Texas coaching staff that Morrell was on pulled in a four-man freshman group that ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation by Scout. All four freshman signees were ranked among the top-100 players nationally by Scout (Jarrett Allen, No. 15; James Banks, No. 49; Andrew Jones, No. 19; Jacob Young, No. 87).

The 2016-17 season at Texas for Morrell was highlighted by the development of freshman Jarrett Allen, who was selected as the No. 22 pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft. Allen earned All-Big 12 Conference third-team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team accolades. He also claimed a spot on the 10-person USBWA All-District VII Team and the five-person NABC All-District 8 second-team.

During its second recruiting cycle, the Texas staff signed a five-man freshman class that ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the country by Rivals. All five freshmen signees were ranked among the top-80 players nationally by one of the three major recruiting services (Mohamed Bamba, No. 2 Rivals; Matt Coleman, No. 29 ESPN; Jase Febres, No. 47 Scout; Jericho Sims, No. 51 Scout; Royce Hamm Jr., No. 80 ESPN).

Morrell has extensive ties to the Carolinas.

In fact, before joining Smart’s staff at VCU, he spent the 2010-11 season on Barclay Radebaugh’s staff at Charleston Southern.

Prior to his time at Charleston Southern, Morrell was on staff at Clemson under head coach Oliver Purnell. He served as a graduate assistant in 2007-08 before moving into the Director of Basketball Operations position at Clemson in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in all three of his seasons on staff.

Morrell began his coaching career on staff at King College in Bristol, Tenn. in 2005-06 and 2006-07. The Tornado won the 2007 Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament first round. They posted an overall record of 23-11. He also served as the head coach of the golf team at King.

Born Aug. 22, 1982, Morrell was a two-sport standout at Milligan College where he was an 1,000-point scorer for the men’s basketball program. A three-year starter, Morrell helped the Buffaloes earn a spot in the NAIA National Tournament as a freshman in 2000-01. A two-time all-league selection in golf, Morrell, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 2005, led Milligan golf to the conference championship in 2003.

Morrell's Coaching Timeline

Year Position, School

2018-present	Head Coach, UNC Asheville
2015-18	Assistant Coach, University of Texas
2011-15	Assistant Coach, Virginia Commonwealth University
2010-11	Assistant Coach, Charleston Southern
2008-10	Director of Basketball Operations, Clemson University
2007-08	Graduate Assistant, Clemson University
2005-07	Assistant Coach, King College

Big South All-Conference Selections Under Morrell

2018-19: All-Freshman Team- DeVon Baker | All-Academic- Donovan Gilmore

2019-20: Second Team- DeVon Baker | Honorable Mention- LJ Thorpe | All-Academic- Jax Levitch

2020-21: Second Team- Tajion Jones | Honorable Mention- LJ Thorpe | All-Academic- Coty Jude

2021-22: Defensive Player of the Year- Drew Pember | First Team- Drew Pember | Honorable Mention- LJ Thorpe | All-Academic- Coty Jude

2023-24: Player of the Year- Drew Pember | First Team- Drew Pember | Honorable Mention- Josh Banks | All-Academic- Fletcher Abee

2024-25: Newcomer of the Year & First Team All-Conference- Jordan Marsh | Scholar Athlete of the Year & All-Academic Team- Fletcher Abee | Second Team All-Conference- Toyaz Solomon | Honorable Mention- Josh Banks | All-Freshman Team- Kameron Taylor