Duane Morris begins his third season as the head coach of the Midway University track & field program in 2024-25.
Under the guidance of coach Morris, the Eagle men and women have completely re-written the program record books over the past two seasons, with 47 program records broken in that time. The men's outdoor team has set 18 program marks with the men's indoor team setting 15. The Eagle women have set seven new records in both indoor and outdoor.
The most prolific record-holder of that group has been pole vaulter Nevaeh Brown, a five-time All-American who finished second at the NAIA National Championships in both indoor (3.87 meters) and outdoor (3.80) in 2024. She also won River States Conference championships in both indoor and outdoor in 2023 and 2024.
Brown is also one of seven athletes to win a conference title under Morris, with Jacob Kocis (indoor 5,000-meter run in 2023 and 24), Raush Gill (2023 outdoor hammer throw), Janae McCall (2023 outdoor triple jump), Austin Ratliff (2024 outdoor pole vault), Isaiah McMichael (2024 high jump) and Montez Moore (2024 outdoor triple jump) all emerging as RSC champions.
He joined the campus community immediately and take over the head coaching duties of the track & field program at the conclusion of the 2023 spring outdoor season from Coach Jay Walls.
Morris joins the staff at Midway following a stint as a track & field coach at Fort Valley State (Ga.). During his time there he helped produce individual conference champions in the long jump, triple jump and shot-put.
Prior to his time at Fort Valley State, Morris was an assistant coach at Kennesaw State (Ga.) from 2010-19. In 2014, Morris was elevated to Associate Head Coach, while he also coached the throwers and served as the recruiting coordinator for both the men’s and women’s team.
Morris, a nationally recognized throwing coach, helped re-write the entire record book in the Kennesaw State throws department. He helped lead the Owls to 17 ASUN Conference Team Championships during his eight seasons.
While at KSU, he assisted in coaching six All-Americans, 20 NCAA qualifiers, 45 individual ASUN champions, and 106 all-conference selections. He also recruited and assisted in coaching 23 of the 24 All-Americans in the Division I era at Kennesaw State.
A native of Burlington Township, New Jersey, Morris worked as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky University from July 2008-October 2010. He also served as an assistant coach at Morehead State University from January 2005-June 2008.
Morris helped lead the EKU cross country teams to six Ohio Valley Conference Championships in his three years. While at Morehead State, his throwers won one OVC individual title, nine were All-OVC Athletes, one ESPN CoSIDA Academic All-American and three ESPN CoSIDA Academic All-District, and an NCAA National first round qualifier.
Morris earned his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky and his Bachelor of Social Work from Morehead State.
Morris is married to LaRissa and has one daughter, Madison.
