University of Memphis Athletics
Phillips Promoted to Head Rifle Coach
May 23, 2022 | Rifle
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Laird Veatch announced on Monday the promotion of Morgan Phillips to head rifle coach.
Phillips served as interim head coach last season for the Tigers after spending 2020-21 as a graduate assistant coach for the program.
"We are thrilled to promote Morgan to head coach," Veatch remarked. "During this past season, Morgan did a tremendous job supporting our student-athletes and we couldn't be more optimistic about the future of our program."
In her first year leading the program in 2021-22, Phillips helped both Kaylene Castillo and Angeline Henry qualify for the NCAA Championships. Castillo tied for 39th in smallbore, while Henry took 36th for the Tigers in air rifle. Phillips also helped Henry place second at the GARC Championships in air rifle.
On the season, Phillips and Memphis navigated one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, with every opponent for the Tigers in 2021-22 being ranked in the top-20. The regular season ended on a high note, with Memphis taking down No. 20-ranked UT Martin in the NCAA qualifying match. In the classroom, the team posted the highest GPA in the department in the spring.
"I am honored for the opportunity to continue leading our team and be named head coach" Phillips said. "I want to thank Laird and Marlon Dechausay for not only this opportunity, but their constant support throughout my interim year. We have had a really great year with constant progress both athletically and academically. I'm very excited to see what we can do in the future with the foundation that we've laid."
Phillips arrived at Memphis after establishing herself as one of the finest shooters in West Virginia University history, winning two NCAA titles in smallbore in 2017 and 2018 and earning eight All-America honors in her distinguished career. Phillips was a member of WVU teams that won the 2017 NCAA title and finished runner-up in 2018 and 2019. The Mountaineers also won the GARC crowns in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and placed second in 2020.
Ironically, Phillips wrapped up her time as a Mountaineer on the Memphis campus, helping WVU earn a runner-up finish at the 2019 Great America Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships held at the Larry O. Finch Center.
Phillips won two GARC smallbore crowns in 2017 and 2019 and was also the GARC runner-up in both smallbore and air rifle in 2018. Phillips was named the NCAA Championships Top Performer in 2017, where she finished as runner-up in air rifle.
Of her astounding eight All-America accolades from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA), she earned four first-team honors. She also earned eight All-GARC honors, including four first-team recognitions.
A sport and exercise psychology graduate from West Virginia, Phillips earned her master's degree in sport and leisure management at Memphis in 2022. As an undergraduate, she was a four-time CRCA Scholastic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big 12 At-Large first team pick.
In addition to her time at West Virginia, Phillips has had an outstanding career for USA Shooting. She claimed two medals and shot a junior world record at the 2018 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup Suhl, shooting 626.8 in the women's 50m rifle prone for gold and placing second in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions (455.5, 1175).
Phillips finished first in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions at the 2018 National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships for Rifle and Pistol and earned a bid to the 52ndISSF Junior World Championships. Phillips shot 453.0 in the final and earned the junior title in the women's 3 positions competition at the 2018 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle and Pistol.
Prior to entering West Virginia, Phillips was a member of the U.S. National Junior Team. She secured a roster spot with a fifth-place overall finish at the 2015 USA Shooting National Championships. Phillips also placed second in the junior competition in smallbore at the national event.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Rifle, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Phillips served as interim head coach last season for the Tigers after spending 2020-21 as a graduate assistant coach for the program.
"We are thrilled to promote Morgan to head coach," Veatch remarked. "During this past season, Morgan did a tremendous job supporting our student-athletes and we couldn't be more optimistic about the future of our program."
In her first year leading the program in 2021-22, Phillips helped both Kaylene Castillo and Angeline Henry qualify for the NCAA Championships. Castillo tied for 39th in smallbore, while Henry took 36th for the Tigers in air rifle. Phillips also helped Henry place second at the GARC Championships in air rifle.
On the season, Phillips and Memphis navigated one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, with every opponent for the Tigers in 2021-22 being ranked in the top-20. The regular season ended on a high note, with Memphis taking down No. 20-ranked UT Martin in the NCAA qualifying match. In the classroom, the team posted the highest GPA in the department in the spring.
"I am honored for the opportunity to continue leading our team and be named head coach" Phillips said. "I want to thank Laird and Marlon Dechausay for not only this opportunity, but their constant support throughout my interim year. We have had a really great year with constant progress both athletically and academically. I'm very excited to see what we can do in the future with the foundation that we've laid."
Phillips arrived at Memphis after establishing herself as one of the finest shooters in West Virginia University history, winning two NCAA titles in smallbore in 2017 and 2018 and earning eight All-America honors in her distinguished career. Phillips was a member of WVU teams that won the 2017 NCAA title and finished runner-up in 2018 and 2019. The Mountaineers also won the GARC crowns in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and placed second in 2020.
Ironically, Phillips wrapped up her time as a Mountaineer on the Memphis campus, helping WVU earn a runner-up finish at the 2019 Great America Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships held at the Larry O. Finch Center.
Phillips won two GARC smallbore crowns in 2017 and 2019 and was also the GARC runner-up in both smallbore and air rifle in 2018. Phillips was named the NCAA Championships Top Performer in 2017, where she finished as runner-up in air rifle.
Of her astounding eight All-America accolades from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA), she earned four first-team honors. She also earned eight All-GARC honors, including four first-team recognitions.
A sport and exercise psychology graduate from West Virginia, Phillips earned her master's degree in sport and leisure management at Memphis in 2022. As an undergraduate, she was a four-time CRCA Scholastic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big 12 At-Large first team pick.
In addition to her time at West Virginia, Phillips has had an outstanding career for USA Shooting. She claimed two medals and shot a junior world record at the 2018 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup Suhl, shooting 626.8 in the women's 50m rifle prone for gold and placing second in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions (455.5, 1175).
Phillips finished first in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions at the 2018 National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships for Rifle and Pistol and earned a bid to the 52ndISSF Junior World Championships. Phillips shot 453.0 in the final and earned the junior title in the women's 3 positions competition at the 2018 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle and Pistol.
Prior to entering West Virginia, Phillips was a member of the U.S. National Junior Team. She secured a roster spot with a fifth-place overall finish at the 2015 USA Shooting National Championships. Phillips also placed second in the junior competition in smallbore at the national event.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Rifle, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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