For Immediate Release

Contact: John M. Martino
Phone Number:  (215) 895-1186
Date: 11/07/03

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia to Dedicate New Arena to Former Longtime Basketball Coach

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) will dedicate its new basketball arena after former longtime coach and current athletic director Robert C. “Bobby” Morgan on Saturday, November 22, 2:30 p.m., inside USP’s Athletic/Recreation Center (ARC), located at 43rd Street and Woodland Avenue. The University will recognize Morgan’s achievements and induction into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in a ceremony between games of the opening basketball doubleheader at USP’s new ARC. The contests will mark USP’s first basketball games as a member of the NCAA Division II. During the ceremony, the University will pay tribute to Morgan and his years of dedication and inspiration to students and USP by naming the basketball arena in his honor.

During halftime of each contest, basketball alumnae and alumni will be honored. There will also be an open house in the main lobby of the ARC at noon. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. for the women’s game and 3 p.m. for the men’s game. For more information, call (215) 596-3133.

Morgan spent 31 seasons as coach at the school, compiling a 598-250 record and a 70.5% winning percentage. His total wins and winning percentage rank him amongst the top-ten winningest coaches in NAIA history. Morgan was named NAIA District Coach of the Year eight times (1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1997). He guided his teams to four NAIA National Tournament berths in the 1990's. Prior to coaching at the University, Morgan served as an assistant coach to the late Sam Cozen at Drexel University (1962-1968).

The NAIA will induct Morgan into its NAIA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame at the NAIA Division I National Championship in March 2004 in Kansas City, Miss. He will be one of three men’s basketball coaches in the 2003-04 class of inductees along with Rick Byrd of Belmont University and Al Waller of the College of the Ozarks. Induction into the NAIA Hall of Fame is considered the highest honor bestowed by the association.

This will be Morgan’s fifth Hall of Fame induction. He was inducted into the Drexel University Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1997, he was one of the initial inductees into the Philadelphia Small College Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Bob was also named to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame-Delaware County Chapter in 2002. In addition, Morgan was one of 20 players named to the Drexel University All-Millennium Team in 2000.

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1821 as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America. Comprising four colleges across a broad range of majors, USP specializes in educating students for rewarding careers through its undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs in the health and related sciences.

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