AMHERST, Mass. – An iconic legend who helped pioneer women's athletics at Amherst College, Michelle Morgan has announced her retirement from the institution effective June 30th after 44 years of service.

Currently a professor of physical education and athletics at Amherst, Morgan entered phased retirement in July of 2016. She is the last tenured faculty member of the athletics department. Among her many roles for the college, Morgan served as the senior women's administrator for several years.

"I am proud to have played a key role in the development of one of the most successful Division III physical education and Intercollegiate athletic programs in the country and to know that my pioneering efforts have affected the tremendous growth of opportunity and equity for women athletes in the United States," Morgan said.

In the coaching category, Morgan had two legendary careers at Amherst. She helmed the Amherst women's golf program for 25 years, leading the Mammoths to 4 NCAA Tournament appearances. Her 2002 team finished third in the nation. Morgan was recognized as the Division III Regional and National Coach of the Year in 2003. In 2013, she received the Women's Golf Coaches Association top honor, the "Gladys Palmer Meritorious Service Award" and in 2014 Morgan was inducted into the Western Mass Golf Hall of Fame. 

"The department is losing a legendary coach, mentor and colleague," Amherst Director of Athletics Don Faulstick said. "No one has had more of an impact on women's sports at Amherst than Michelle. She was always someone that people looked up to -- the consummate professional. I wish her the best in the next chapter of her life. We will miss her dearly."

In addition, Morgan was the head women's soccer coach from 1978 to 2003 (25 years), leading the Mammoths to the 2001 Div. III national championship game. She led her program to 7 NCAA Tournament appearances in 10 years – NESCAC institutions were not allowed to participate in NCAA play until 1993-94 – and guided Amherst to a 13-5-1 tournament record in that span.

From 2000-2003, the first four years the conference crowned a champion, Morgan guided Amherst to two NESCAC titles.  Morgan was a three-rime New England Coach of the Year in women's soccer. Before she retired, she was presented the NSCAA "Women's Award of Excellence" in recognition of her contribution toward the improvement and advancement of women's soccer in the United States.
She completed her career in women's soccer with a 207-111-40 (.634 wining pct.) record.  

"It is impossible to fathom that I have been coaching for almost a half a century," Morgan said. "My journey through the years has been incredibly fulfilling and my life has been touched by so many amazing people.  I am grateful for the many students who challenged me through each decade to become a stronger and more caring teacher, coach and person. I owe a great amount of debt to my Amherst College colleagues and the many professionals across the country who allowed me to borrow some of their expertise so that I could grow my knowledge and tweak my own philosophies throughout my career." 
 
In July of 1978, Morgan was first hired to teach in the physical education program and to coach the women's soccer club in the fall, women's squash in the winter and men's junior varsity tennis in the spring. She unexpectedly became the head women's basketball coach in the winter of 1978-79 and later added head women's lacrosse coach to her resume as well. In addition, she was to assume the responsibility to ensure that the needs of female students were first, being acknowledged and second, being met.

During her tenure at Amherst, Morgan served on numerous regional and national committees and was honored by many associations for her contributions and successes. In addition to golf and soccer, she coached squash, basketball, and lacrosse.

As a member of the faculty, Morgan served on variety of college committees including the Committee on Athletics, the Housing Committee, the College Council, of which she was chair, the Committee on Discipline, the Athletic Department Admissions Committee as chair, the Committee on Health and Safety, the Religious Advisory Committee, the Committee on Adjudication and the President's Community Service and Interfaith Campus Challenge Committee.

 "Not only did she care about the students she coached she was extremely invested in mentoring coaches in the department," Faulstick noted. "She was a great administrator as well. There are policies and procedures that she instituted in the department that I'm sure will be in place for a long time."

Morgan was a standout field hockey, basketball and softball player at Colorado Women's College before graduating in 1974. She later gained valuable experience as a teaching assistant and three-sport coach at nearby Smith College, earning a master's degree in Exercise and Sport Science in 1976. She became the head coach of lacrosse at Smith while studying there. After a brief stint as the Director of Athletics at the Vail Deane School in Hillside, New Jersey - where she coached tennis, field hockey and volleyball -- Morgan moved to Amherst.

"Thank you to Amherst College for giving me the opportunity to represent our athletic department as a member of the faculty and to take part in the yearly challenge of providing a rigorous liberal arts education to the finest students and to my husband and three children for making the necessary sacrifices as I pursued my professional career," Morgan said. "My greatest joy was to witness the growth of so many students as they navigated their college years and I can only hope that I have been successful in touching their lives in some small positive way!"