OFFICIAL PHOTO GALLERY OF BOBBY MORGAN CACC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (December 6, 2015) -- A new tradition officially began on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia as University of the Sciences' athletic legend Robert C. "Bobby" Morgan became the first inductee into the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Hall of Fame. The induction was made between the USciences' basketball doubleheader versus Holy Family University at Bobby Morgan Arena.

CACC Commissioner Dan Mara joined USciences President Dr. Kate Mayes and Alumni Association President Siobhan Duffy at center court to recognize Mr. Morgan for his years of dedication to the school and the conference.

Ms. Duffy first spoke during the event and commented on when she was an undergraduate at the school and was inspired by the warmth and reception shown by Morgan to all students -- not just student-athletes.

Mr. Mara then spoke about Morgan's accomplishments as a basketball coach -- over 500 career wins -- and serving as an outstanding athletic director who helped elevate the school from the NAIA to NCAA Division II status. However, Mara noted that Morgan's most significant accomplishment at USciences was creating a culture where student-athletes achieved more success in the classroom than in the athletic arena. To illustrate that point, USciences has ranked among the annual Division II leaders in graduation rates, including this past year when 99 percent of Devil student-athletes received their college degree, which was the top mark in the nation. Mara then presented Morgan with a framed portrait depicting several photos from his historic career.

President Mayes then spoke of her time as an undergraduate at USciences and meeting Morgan for the first time and how he pushed his student-athletes to perform just a strong in the classroom and not just athletically.

Family, friends and several former athletes were on hand to give Morgan a warm, standing ovation for his years of service to the institution.

Morgan joined the athletic staff at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science as its men’s basketball coach in 1968, guiding the team through the 1998-99 season. In 1977 he was named athletic director, a position he held for 34 years before he stepped down in 2011. During that time, Morgan oversaw the growth of the athletic department with the addition of women’s programs at the institution in the late 1970s and 80s, to its transition from NAIA to active NCAA Division II membership by the year 2003. USciences’ active NCAA membership coincided with the opening of its new Athletic Recreation Center and its 1,000 seat basketball arena. The arena was christened the Robert C. “Bobby” Morgan Arena in honor of his longtime success as men’s basketball coach.

As the men’s basketball coach, Morgan’s record during his 31 seasons at the school was 598-250 for a winning percentage of 70.5 percent. His total wins and winning percentage rank him amongst the top-10 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.  

Morgan is the first of the six-member inaugural class to be inducted into the hall of fame. The official announcement of the inaugural class was made on Sept. 1 on the CACC website. The other five inductees, who will be honored at various points at their respective schools throughout the year include, Mary Ellen Massey Montera (Dominican College), Al Restaino (Bloomfield College), Michael Tobiason (Goldey-Beacom College), Carol Walters (Georgian Court University) and Norm Wilhelmi (The King's College).

The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Nyack College, Philadelphia University, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.