CIU Announces Morgan as Director of Track & Field and Cross Country

(Story provided by Columbia International Sports Communications)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Columbia International University (CIU) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Benny Morgan as the new Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. Morgan brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success both at the high school and collegiate levels.

Director of Athletics Stefan Vasiloff commented on the recent hire, saying, "We look forward to welcoming Coach Benny to campus as our Director of Track and Cross Country. His heart for serving God, serving his family, and serving student-athletes was evident in every conversation. I am fired up to see how he will positively impact the lives of our young men and women here at CIU."

Morgan joins CIU from Wilson High School in Florence, S.C., where he served six years as an Exceptional Education teacher and three years at the helm of Wilson's Track & Field and Cross Country programs. During his tenure at Wilson, Morgan guided his team to remarkable achievements, including coaching athletes to a 3rd place finish in the 4-A 400 meters and a 5th-place finish in the 4-A 110-meter hurdles.

Under his leadership, the Wilson Tigers Track & Field and Cross Country programs thrived, with notable accomplishments such as being named the boys' Virtual 4-A State Champions during the COVID-shortened season and the girls' Cross Country team achieving state finalist status. Morgan further left his mark on the Wilson Girl's Cross Country program by guiding an individual state finalist to a top-20 finish in South Carolina.

This past spring, Morgan further demonstrated his coaching prowess at McBee High School, where he mentored a girl's 1-A State 800-meter champion. The McBee girls' team also performed admirably, securing 11th place at the state championships. Furthermore, Morgan coached a boy's 200-meter All-State finisher and guided a state finalist in both the boys' and girls' 100 and 110-meter hurdles, as well as a male 400-meter intermediate hurdler.

Morgan's coaching career includes significant achievements at the high school level in North Carolina, where he led his teams to three state Track & Field team titles and one cross country title, with additional runner-up finishes that highlight his ability to consistently produce competitive teams. His tenure at North Carolina high schools, Southeast Raleigh High School and Cardinal Gibbons High School, were highlighted by nationally-ranked programs and numerous state champions.

On the collegiate front, Morgan brings an impressive resume. He served as the Head Coach at Coker University from 2013 to 2017, where the Cobras earned 15 All-NCAA Southeast Region honors and saw three NCAA Division II Academic All-Americans. His leadership also contributed to one Division II NCAA All-American in the 800 meters.

Morgan's coaching journey also includes stints at Duke University and Campbell University and as the interim Head Coach at Winston-Salem State University, where he successfully restarted the program after a 15-year hiatus. At WSSU, Morgan helped distance runner Irene Jeptola win the NCAA II SE Region title in 2005-06 and place 59th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Morgan furthered his collegiate experience with stops at Georgia's Clark Atlanta University and Kennesaw State University.

Morgan was instrumental in building competitive programs at both institutions. At Kennesaw, his women's Cross Country team won three consecutive Peach Belt titles and saw men's runners qualify for NCAA's in the 800-meter and 3000-meter Steeple Chase. Morgan also assisted fellow NAIA school Life University, where he coached NAIA National Champion Tuma Urio.

Morgan also brings unique experience in the world of track & field as he served as host for Tanzania's Olympic team at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Morgan spoke on his joining CIU, saying, "I am very excited to be back coaching full-time and given the opportunity to lead a program while serving God in a faith-filled environment. I am looking forward to connecting with my new team and family and, in addition, bringing more talented student-athletes to CIU in the future to continue propelling the program to national heights and champions."

Morgan holds a Master's degree in Health & Wellness Counseling/Human Service from Liberty University and a Bachelor's in Sociology from Indiana State University.

Morgan and his wife Tiphanie are celebrating 20 years of marriage and have three children: Sydni (18), Brycen (17), and Ethan (12).