HALL OF FAME FEATURE: Lisa Morris '99

Basketball brought Lisa Morris ‘99 to Averett University, but she quickly found a second home when she decided to become a two-sport athlete and join the softball team.

“I was recruited to play basketball, and coach [Kathy] Bocock didn’t know that I played softball at the time,” Morris said. “So I went out and she said, ‘What are you doing?’ And I said, ‘I’m trying out for softball.’”

It was a move that worked out. Morris is a member of the 2020 Averett Athletics Hall of Fame class following a noteworthy career, which included helping the softball team earn its first regular season conference co-championship in program history in 1995.

“It was huge because we were a program that was just beginning,” Morris said. “It was a great feeling and one that you work hard for with your teammates.”

Individually in softball from 1995-98, Morris piled up accolades that included USA South All-Conference First Team honors in three seasons, in addition to a Virginia Sports Information Directors All-State Second Team selection in 1995. In the record books, she ranks 10th with 144 career hits, ninth with 85 runs scored and ninth with 80 runs batted in.

Morris put together a solid career on the basketball court as well from 1994-98, ranking 18th all-time in scoring with 829 career points and 11th all-time in rebounds with 611. Being a two-sport athlete is always difficult, but something that helped keep her on top of everything.

“It was busy, but I liked it,” Morris said. “It kept me focused to stay on top of my assignments and everything I needed to do. I didn’t have time to downplay anything.”

Even with all of these accolades, getting the call that she was being inducted into your alma mater’s Hall of Fame wasn’t always something she was expecting.

“I was a little shocked and surprised,” Morris said. “It’s huge to be recognized at your university. It’s really an honor. I wouldn’t be successful without my teammates and coaches and everyone else.”

Morris’ success on the softball field also led to her getting a professional tryout.

“We were at a tournament and a scout told me to try out for professional softball,” Morris said. “I did go out and try out, I made it to the final 10 but they only took one person and they were looking for a second baseman, not a catcher.”

Today, Morris is a teacher at Riverheads Elementary School, going into her third year teaching kindergarten and first grade. Before that, she was previously at A.R. Ware for 18 years, and also coached high school basketball, softball and volleyball. While she is no longer a high school coach, she has recently started coaching a Little League rookie baseball team.

Being a dual-sport athlete while attending Averett gave her the necessary experience to coaching at the high school level right out of school.

“I’m very goal-oriented, and one of my goals was that I wanted to become a high school coach,” Morris said. “And I like what I’m doing now. … What I learned in college, I pretty much transferred over to the kids I coached in high school.”

Morris’ favorite part about Averett was simply the camaraderie with her fellow teammates.

“Just hanging out,” Morris said. “My teammates and I were all very close, we hung out a lot and we did a lot of other stuff together outside of our sport. It was like a big family, especially with me being four and a half hours away from home. It was nice to know you had people there.”