BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas –Three-time Olympic medal-winning coach Jamie Morrison has been hired as Texas A&M’s volleyball head coach, Director of Athletics Ross Bjork announced Friday.
Morrison has built an impressive coaching resume over the past 23 years with experience at the collegiate, national and international levels. Morrison served on a trio of Olympic medal-winning coaching staffs, working with the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team that won gold in 2008 and the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team that won silver in 2012 and bronze in 2016.
“We are so excited to welcome Coach Jamie Morrison to Texas A&M as our head volleyball coach,” Bjork said. “As we studied the landscape of college volleyball and assessed our own program, it became abundantly clear that we had to strategize differently and envision a new approach and a new era for our program. Every time we turned around to evaluate the marketplace, Jamie’s name kept coming up as someone who completely understood the game of volleyball at the highest level and was prepared to become a championship-level head coach.
“As we got to know Jamie during the process, it became apparent that his leadership ability, knowledge of the game, recruiting ties across the globe and in Texas, and his ability to connect to the entire volleyball community would be a perfect fit for this specific time and place in the history of Texas A&M volleyball. We cannot wait for him to get started and build our program toward the pinnacle of college volleyball.”
Deputy Athletics Director Kristen Brown added, “From my first conversation with Jamie, he immediately impressed me and stood out as someone who could elevate our program. He has coached the sport at the highest levels; his knowledge of the game and ability to develop players is unmatched; and he has a unique ability to connect and get the best out of everyone around him. As we talked about our collective vision for Texas A&M volleyball and the shared values and goals we have, it became clear he was the perfect fit to lead our program. We are thrilled to officially welcome Jamie, Kim and Andi to Aggieland and Texas A&M!”
Morrison has been the head coach of USA Volleyball’s junior national team since 2021. Last summer, Morrison led the U.S. Girls U19 team to a gold-medal showing at the Pan American Cup, which earned a berth in the 2023 FIVB World Championships. In 2021, Morrison oversaw the United States’ bronze-medal finish at the FIVB U18 World Championship in Durango, Mexico.
“What excites me about this opportunity is the tradition that separates Texas A&M from other universities, along with the foundation that has been built by the people that came before me,” Morrison said. “I know Laurie Corbelli well, I know Bird (Kuhn) well, and what they built is a foundation and a team capable of great things. I’m looking forward to the challenge of taking it to a championship level. I’m excited about the people – both the players on the team and the administration. My dealings with Ross and Kristen have led me to believe that Texas A&M is a great place to call home.”
Morrison added, “The 12th Man should expect a team that is entertaining to watch, plays with passion and fire, plays good volleyball and respects the game for the beautiful thing that it is.”
Additionally, Morrison has served as the Director of Sports Performance for League One Volleyball, which is a professional league slated to start in 2024. At the collegiate level, Morrison was a member of the volleyball coaching staff at the University of Texas and helped guide the team to a 38-2 record and a spot in the 2020 NCAA Championship match.
From 2017-19, Morrison served as the head coach of the Netherlands Women’s National Volleyball Team, which was ranked No. 6 in the world during his tenure. He led the team to a runner-up finish at the 2017 European Championship and a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Championship.
Morrison has vast experience with USA Volleyball, serving as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s national teams and working closely with head coaches Karch Kiraly and Hugh McCutcheon from 2005-2016. His work with the Women’s National Team produced a 251-62 (.801) record while the men’s national team posted a 107-33 (.764) mark.
On the collegiate stage, Morrison has served coaching stints at Texas (2021), UC Irvine (2012-13), Concordia (California) (2006-08), USC (2004-05) and UC Santa Barbara (1999-2003) and helped lead three of those teams to the national semifinals or finals.
Born in Laguna Beach, California, Morrison earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics from UC Santa Barbara.