In today’s world, where wins and losses often define success, Bobbi Morgan, the head women’s basketball coach at Ursinus College, stands for a different viewpoint, one rooted in the value of relationships, personal growth, and the journey shared by both player and coach. After a prominent career at Haverford College and with USA Basketball, where she led the U16 team to a gold medal, Coach Morgan remains as passionate and competitive as ever, though her approach to coaching has evolved. “I’m just as competitive as I was when I first started,” she said, “but now I see the bigger picture. It’s about enjoying the moment and the journey we go through together – players, teams, coaches.”
Morgan’s path to coaching began unexpectedly after her college graduation. With no job lined up, she volunteered with the newly formed Narberth Summer Basketball League. It was there that she met Bill McDonough, a major figure in the local basketball scene, and found her first coaching opportunity. “I didn’t know it at the time, but coaching would become the passion of my life,” she recalls. “From the start, I loved helping people believe in themselves and succeed.”
Her approach has always centered on fostering genuine connections with her players. “I try to give my teams ownership and challenge them to find their own voice. It’s not just about basketball, but helping them grow as people,” she explains. This philosophy is rooted in the advice her parents gave her: “Be yourself and make sure people know you care.” She reflects on how that guiding principle has shaped her coaching style. “The older I’ve gotten, the more I care. Unless you’ve coached, that might be hard to understand, but your team becomes an extension of your family.”
After leading Haverford to three championships, Morgan made the difficult decision to move on in 2021. “I didn’t feel like athletics was being valued at Haverford the way it once was,” she says, explaining why she left. A call from Ursinus head coach Kevin Small changed her trajectory. “I was sitting on the beach with my family when Kevin called, and one thing led to another.” With her youngest daughter, Reilly, already a junior at Ursinus, the opportunity felt like the right fit. “I felt good about recruiting to a place that had been so good for my own family.”
One of the most meaningful moments in Coach Morgan’s career came during her time at Haverford. A player, Dominique Meeks, whose mother was battling ALS, carried her mother on and off the bus so she could attend a tournament in Boston. At the end of the tournament, Dominique was named MVP, and the team presented the championship trophy to her mother, Libby. “That moment will always stay with me,” Bobbi reflects. “The team grabbed the trophies and gave them to Libby.” That’s what it’s all about – people, family, and caring. Her experience coaching internationally with USA Basketball was equally transformative. “Coaching the best young athletes in the country, girls who will be in the WNBA soon, was incredible,” she shared. Despite their immense talent, she found that coaching these players involved the same core principles of coaching: building trust, instilling belief, and focussing on the process. “But to be honest, other than them being bigger and more athletic, coaching at that level to the collegiate level is very much the same. You are trying to put people in the right spots, give them the tools they need to succeed and try to make sure they believe in themselves.”
Looking to the future, Bobbi Morgan hopes to continue fostering a winning culture at Ursinus and dreams of a Centennial Conference championship. But her ultimate goal? “I want my players to remember that we cared about them as people. That’s what lasts.” In a time of intense competition, Coach Morgan stands out for her unwavering commitment to her players and her sport, offering a model of leadership that goes beyond just wins and losses. “I’ve been lucky to coach amazing people and work with awesome assistants,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s always about the people.”