Morgan new Hilo coach
Punahou product Julie Morgan has been a winner at every level as a volleyball player and has had success as a coach from the Division I level to the community colleges. This fall, Morgan will take her coaching skills to Division II.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo named Morgan as successor to former Vulcan volleyball coach Sharon Peterson yesterday.
"I'm very excited. I've always wanted to come back home, but just being able to pick up where Sharon Peterson left off, that's an unbelievable opportunity," Morgan said. "Getting back to Hawaii is something I've always wanted to do."
Opportunity took her to the mainland after a stellar high school career. Morgan won a state volleyball championship in 1973 with the Buffanblu and a national championship at the University of Southern California in 1976. The three-sport athlete (basketball, track and volleyball) won a gold medal at the 1979 World University games and capped her athletic career at UCLA. Since then, Morgan channeled her competitive energies into a 19-year coaching career.
"I loved it. And I still do," Morgan said. "That's what kept me going in coaching. I still have the drive to do it even if I can't, even if I'm old. I loved playing and I loved being outdoors. So for me it was simple."
Morgan compiled a 415-233 record in stints at the University of Utah (1984-86), Illinois State University (1987-99) and Salt Lake Community College (2000-02). Her success and longevity in coaching are what made her stand out in a competitive pool of final applicants.
"We're hoping she's going to bring the success she's established everywhere else," Vulcan athletic director Kathleen McNally said. "One thing that brought Julie to the top is the number of years of experience. The number of years of success and the fact that anywhere she's gone as a head coach, she's been successful.
"I don't think anyone is going to match what Sharon did. It's next to impossible when you look at her total career. It's pretty much unbeatable. What Julie brings to the program is her capability of recruitment. The bonus is that she's originally from Hawaii and has kept in connect with volleyball in Hawaii. She will reconnect us with Hawaii talent and support."
That's what Morgan is hoping. She takes over a program that has won seven national championships but has struggled in recent years. The Vulcans were 37-63 the last four years.
"There's a lot of potential there. Hopefully, I can step in and take over where she (Peterson) left off," Morgan said. "Hawaii is an attractive place to be in terms of opportunity to go to school and a level of volleyball play that's really high. The opportunity is unlimited in terms of where the program can go. Hopefully I can make a difference after being gone for so long and learning a lot of things through my career. I'm excited to come back and share that with people who are excited about the sport."
