Uta Hires Morrow As Women's Basketball Coach

NT80 · May 18, 2007

Did UNT miss a chance to get the "Todd Dodge" of area women's high school basketball?

It was funny though last night when Dale Hansen interviewed her and asked if she had "any concerns about playing on that stage?" at UTA.

...............................................................................

Morrow named UTA women's basketball coach

Thursday, May 17, 2007

By DAMON L. SAYLES / The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON – Samantha Morrow considered herself "in a win-win situation."

Morrow was introduced as the UT-Arlington women's basketball coach Wednesday evening. The former Mansfield Summit girls coach will take over June 1, athletic director Pete Carlon said.

Morrow, 47, resigned at Summit last month to become an assistant athletic director for the Mansfield ISD. She said she was content with the position, but there was something intriguing about the UTA job.

Samantha Morrow won more than 400 games coaching at Mansfield and Mansfield Summit. "People kept reminding me how much I loved kids and coaching," Morrow said. "After the phone call I got [Monday] with Pete, I had to go visit with some people and ask what they thought.

"They said, 'You're crazy! You've got to do it!' I didn't get much work done in the last hour Tuesday. I just needed to think about it."

Her reflections resulted in UTA hiring its eighth women's basketball coach – one with a revered high school track record. Morrow was 413-77 in 14 seasons at Mansfield (1993-2002) and Summit (2003-07) and won four consecutive UIL 5A state championships from 1999 to 2002.

Carlon said Morrow hasn't signed a contract yet but has agreed in principle to coach. Terms were not disclosed, but Carlon said she has a three-year deal that includes performance incentives.

Morrow earned 10 district titles, advanced to the UIL playoffs 13 times and claimed 30 or more victories in eight of her 14 seasons. She coached in her fifth state tournament in March, as Summit lost to eventual state champion Rockwall in the 5A semifinals.

Carlon said Morrow was to Texas high school girls basketball as current North Texas football coach Todd Dodge was to football during his successful tenure at Southlake Carroll.

"There's not a high school gym in Texas – in the country, really – that she cannot walk into and have instant credibility and respect," Carlon said. "I think that will bode well for recruiting."

Morrow will replace Donna Capps, who resigned in April to accept an assistant athletic director position with the Mesquite ISD. Capps was 119-89 in seven seasons and left as the program's all-time winningest coach.

Morrow called UTA a "gold mine." She inherits a team that finished 24-9 and made the NCAA Women's Tournament for the second time in three seasons. The 24 wins was a school single-season record.

"I would not be coming to this program if I did not believe in it," Morrow said.

"She believes UTA is a sleeping giant," added Mansfield ISD athletic director Debbie Weems, who Morrow replaced as Mansfield's coach in 1993. "There's a lot of potential here with the athletes in the area.

"It's a great loss for Mansfield. Twenty years of success is walking out of our door. But on the other hand, we're very proud of her. It's a new direction for her."

Twenty-nine of Morrow's former players have earned athletic scholarships, with 19 at the Division I level.

Former Texas Tech standout Erin Grant, Morrow's most renowned player who is working out with the WNBA's Houston Comets, was happy – and somewhat surprised – with the move.

"I didn't think she'd ever leave the high school level because I knew how much she liked teaching the kids," Grant said. "But I knew if the right opportunity came available, she'd make a great candidate."

One player extremely excited about the hire was LaTosha Duffey, a 2006 Summit graduate who will be reunited with her former head coach. Morrow also coached Shalyn Martin and Tamara Simmons, who will play for UTA in the fall.

"I found out [Tuesday], and it still doesn't feel real to me. I'm real excited," Duffey said. "I don't think it'll hit me until the first practice."

Morrow credited Capps for building a solid program. Capps led the team to its first outright conference title last season. That success motivates Morrow for the upcoming seasons.

"She started a reputation, and I want to grow it," Morrow said. "I want to win a [postseason] game. Then I want to win two, and then I want to win three. Let's step it up to another level."

SAMANTHA MORROW

Age: 47

Education: BS in Physical Education (Texas Wesleyan, 1981); Master's of Education (Tarleton State, 1987).

Notable: Morrow was the named the 2002 national coach of the year by the National Federation of High School Coaches Association. ... Morrow's first state championship with Mansfield in 1999 capped a 38-0 season. ... The five-person selection committee included two former UTA players, Rola Ogunoye and Ashley Bobb. Both athletes played against Morrow in high school.

PAST UTA COACHES

Samantha Morrow becomes the eighth eighth women's basketball coach at UT-Arlington.

Here's how the others fared:

Coach Years Record

Carla Lowery 1972-73 12-21

Jody Conradt 1973-76 43-39

Cindy Salser 1976-79 51-38

Connie Kelch 1979-89 117-172

Jerry Isler 1989-92 42-43

Mike Dean 1992-2000 115-105

Donna Capps 2000-07 119-89

Edited May 18, 2007 by NT80

DeepGreen · May 18, 2007

"She believes UTA is a sleeping giant," added Mansfield ISD athletic director Debbie Weems, who Morrow replaced as Mansfield's coach in 1993. "There's a lot of potential here with the athletes in the area.

Why are athletic programs who have not done very much considered "sleeping giants"? It's a worn out phrase that UNT falls under and that I have even used.

OldTimer · May 18, 2007

I don't believe she would have coached at NT. TDodge remaining living in Southlake was a major factor in his decision to accept the NT HC job. Morrow can continue living in Mansfield and coach at UTA. If I were looking for a replacement for Slinker Morrow would be another TD coach selection.