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Jonathan Morgan
The 2023 campaign marks Jonathan Morgan's eighth season with the Tennessee soccer program, and his second in the role of associate head coach.
The Dover, Delaware, native arrived on Rocky Top in January of 2016 following a nine-year stint at the University of Maryland.
In 2022, the Lady Vols claimed their third straight SEC East Division title, posted 10 shutouts and went undefeated on the road in SEC matches for the first time in program history. Tennessee also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. Morgan aided in the continued development of forward Jaida Thomas, who led the Lady Vols with 13 goals and 28 points on the year en route to first-team All-SEC honors.
Morgan helped Tennessee assemble a 2022 signing class that was ranked No. 6 nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
In his first season as UT’s associate head coach, Morgan was instrumental in leading Tennessee’s 2021 squad to a second straight SEC Eastern Division title and the program’s first SEC Tournament championship since 2008. The team entered the 2021 NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed, advancing to the Round of 16. The squad went undefeated in Regal Stadium, opening the season with seven straight shutouts to set a new single-season shutout record of 633:53 en route to a record of 20-3-0 for the program's first 20-win season.
In COVID-impacted 2020-21, Morgan helped guide Tennessee to an SEC East title, as the Lady Vols went 4-1-1 in divisional play and 4-3-1 overall in conference play. In the spring, the Big Orange recorded four more wins, three of which were shutouts, to finish the season with an 8-6-1 record and mark the sixth-straight winning season.
Morgan helped guide Tennessee to its fifth-straight winning season in 2019 with a 9-6-3 overall record. The Vols posted an 8-2 mark at Regal Soccer Stadium that included shutout wins over SEC East rivals Florida, Georgia and Kentucky.
Morgan helped the Vols to a banner season in 2018, as UT reached its first-ever NCAA quarterfinal appearance behind a 16-3-3 overall record. Tennessee’s .795 winning percentage was the highest in program history, while its three losses were the fewest in program history. The Vols earned consensus top-10 status following the historic campaign, rounding out the year with a No. 6 ranking from TopDrawerSoccer.com, No. 7 from the United Soccer Coaches and No. 8 in the NCAA RPI.
Tennessee's stout defensive unit limited opponents to a program-best 15 goals on the season, while the Vols' 12 shutouts tied a Tennessee record that has stood since 2003. UT netted 44 goals on the offensive end, marking the first time Tennessee scored 40-plus goals in back-to-back seasons since 2002-03.
Morgan’s second year on staff saw UT return to national prominence with the program’s first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2012. The Vols finished the season 15-4-2, as five players were named United Coaches All-Region and/or All-SEC in 2017. The team scored 47 goals - the third-most in program history - and posted 10 shutouts.
In his first season with the Vols, Morgan helped the program continue its strong reputation on the defensive side of the ball. UT posted eight shutouts and a 1.45 goals-against average on the year en route to an 11-9-1 overall record and a 5-5-1 mark in SEC play.
Prior to UT, Morgan worked as an assistant at Maryland from 2007-11 and helped lead the program to three-straight NCAA tournament appearances. Morgan was promoted to head coach of the Maryland women's soccer program on February 10, 2012, after former Terps head coach Brian Pensky left to take the job at Tennessee.
Morgan continued Maryland's string of successful seasons in his first as the Terrapins' head coach in 2012, leading the team to a second-place finish in the ACC and a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament. The 2012 senior class also became the first graduating class to have defeated every ACC program during their collegiate careers. The Terrapins earned their fourth-straight bid to the NCAA tournament in Morgan's first season as head coach as a No. 4 national seed.
Prior to taking over as head coach, Morgan served as an assistant coach with Terrapins for five seasons (2007-11) and helped lead a resurgence that saw the Terps earn two trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2009, 2011), the program's first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament (2010) and a berth in the ACC tournament championship game (2010).
In the five seasons Morgan served as an assistant coach at Maryland, the Terrapins boasted a record of 57-33-13 (.617), including a mark of 44-14-9 (.724) from 2009-11.
Morgan was instrumental in recruiting the 2012 freshman class, which was ranked No. 5 in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer.com and included two state Gatorade Players of the Year. He also led the recruiting effort for the 2008 freshman class, which was ranked No. 14 in the nation and featured All-American Jasmyne Spencer and Ashley Grove, who each finished among the top 10 in career goals and points at Maryland.
During his five seasons as a Terrapin assistant, Morgan was primarily responsible for coordinating and training the team’s defense, which included 2010 ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Caitlin McDowell. He also helped coordinate the overall administration of the program, including academic support, scheduling, maintaining the operating budget, equipment, financial aid and fundraising.
Morgan also served as the head coach of the Bethesda Soccer Club U17 girls. During his tenure with BSC, Morgan coached current U.S. Women's National team member and Washington Spirit captain Andi Sullivan, as well as several players who have gone on to play with U.S. Youth National and USYSA Regional Teams.
Prior to coming to College Park, Morgan spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State (2005-06) where he was primarily responsible for recruiting and working with the Buckeyes' offensive attack. Under Morgan's tutelage, the Buckeyes finished third in the Big Ten with an average of 4.84 points per game.
The 2006 Buckeyes boasted the Big Ten’s statistical individual leader in goals, goals per game, points per game, assists and assists per game in Lara Dickenmann, a two-time NSCAA All-American.
Prior to coaching at Ohio State, Morgan spent three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Rutgers, where he helped the Scarlet Knights to postseason appearances in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Among his responsibilities were assisting the coaching staff in developing and organizing all individual and team training sessions, as well as helping with recruiting, including the planning and directing of all official visits. During his tenure at Rutgers, Morgan helped coach Carli Lloyd, a three-time NSCAA All-American, four-time first team All-Big East selection and U.S. National Team hero at the 2015 Women's World Cup.
From 2001-05, Morgan was a staff coach for the Players Development Academy (PDA). During his time at PDA, he coached four different teams between the ages of U12-U18. He had the privilege of coaching more than 40 future Division I student-athletes, three U.S. Youth National Team players and 10 USYSA regional team players.
A native of Dover, Delaware, Morgan was a four-year starter at Rowan College in Glassboro, New Jersey, serving as team captain his senior season with the Profs. After he finished his playing career, he broke into the college coaching ranks with his alma mater in 1995, helping the Rowan men's team to a 17-1-3 mark, a No. 4 national ranking and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Morgan has also been involved with the Olympic Development Programs in Delaware and New Jersey, leading the New Jersey ODP girl's U-17 team to the Region 1 ODP championship in 2001. The team earned a trip to the ODP National championships and placed third. During his time with the New Jersey ODP program, Morgan helped coach U.S. Women's National Team players Heather O'Reilly and Jillian Loyden.
Morgan's ODP experience also includes being a part of the USYSA Region 1 staff from 2002-05.
A USSF "B" licensed and KNVB Dutch Certificate coach, Morgan graduated from Rowan in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in Law/Justice.
Morgan and his wife, Emily, welcomed their first child, a daughter, Greer, in 2022.
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