PUEBLO, Colo. (September 9, 2026) – Colorado State University Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Paul Plinske has announced that longtime ThunderWolves head coach Matt Morris has been elevated to the position of Director of Track and Field and Cross Country.

In his new role, Morris will continue to oversee all aspects of the CSU Pueblo men's and women's track and field and cross country programs, including the coordination of the ThunderWolves' coaching staff, recruiting, scheduling, student-athlete development and the overall direction of the four programs.

In addition to overseeing the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs, Morris will lead the coordination and administration of all high school and collegiate track and field meets hosted at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl. He will also continue to play a key role in CSU Pueblo's efforts to solicit and host Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, NCAA regional and NCAA Division II championship events.

"I am truly honored and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Track & Field and Cross Country programs as Director. The past 13 years in Pueblo have meant more to me and my family than I can put into words. I am extremely proud of what we have built together, the success we have experienced, and, most importantly, the countless student-athletes, coaches and people who have made this journey so special," Morris said.

"I want to sincerely thank Dr. Plinske and Dr. Epper for their leadership, trust and belief in me and in these programs. Their support has made this opportunity possible, and I'm incredibly appreciative. Pueblo is our home. This community, this university and these programs are deeply important to our family, and I'm excited to continue serving and investing in something we care so much about. I'm proud of our past, grateful for the people who helped shape it and incredibly excited about the future.

"There is so much more to accomplish, and I'm honored to be part of what comes next."

Under Morris' leadership, CSU Pueblo has successfully hosted numerous RMAC championship events, NCAA regional competitions and the 2023 and 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships. His work in bringing championship events to Pueblo has helped showcase CSU Pueblo's facilities and the Pueblo community on the conference, regional and national stages.

"Matt has established one of the premier cross country and track and field programs in Division II. His student-athletes excel in the classroom, in competition, and through their community engagement," Plinske said. "In his expanded role as director, Matt's leadership extends to hosting high school and collegiate meets at the ThunderBowl and creating opportunities to bring conference and national championships to campus. His influence within our department and nationally continues to grow, and he has become a respected voice and trusted leader in the profession."

Morris has served as CSU Pueblo's head men's and women's track and field and cross country coach since 2013 and has helped transform the ThunderWolves into consistent contenders within the RMAC and on the NCAA Division II national stage.

The 2025-26 season was another historic campaign for Morris and the ThunderWolves as the CSU Pueblo women's track and field team recorded its highest NCAA Division II Indoor National Championship finish in program history with a fourth-place showing. The Pack women were powered by two national championship performances as Febe Wessels captured the national title in the shot put, while the distance medley relay team of Jadyn Herron, Gabrielle Dunich, Charlotte Young and Helen Braybrook also brought home a national championship.

For his team's success during the indoor season, Morris was named the 2026 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Central Region Coach of the Year and was also selected as the 2026 RMAC Women's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

The success continued during the 2026 outdoor season as the ThunderWolves added another individual national championship when Caleb McLeod captured the NCAA Division II title in the men's 1,500-meter run. CSU Pueblo student-athletes also combined for numerous All-America honors throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons.

In the classroom, Morris' women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams earned the RMAC's Brechler Award during the 2025-26 school year after recording a cumulative grade-point average of 3.693.

Morris' success has also extended to the cross country course. During the 2024 season, he led both CSU Pueblo programs to the NCAA Division II National Championships as the Pack women recorded the best national finish in program history by placing third, while the men's team finished 14th nationally.

Four ThunderWolves earned All-America honors at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships, while the women's team climbed as high as No. 2 in the USTFCCCA national rankings during the season. Following the historic campaign, Morris was selected as a finalist for The Stride Report's NCAA Division II Cross Country Coach of the Year award.

In addition to its success in competition, Morris' program has consistently excelled in the classroom. The CSU Pueblo women's cross country program earned the RMAC Brechler Award following the 2024-25 academic year after posting a 3.828 cumulative grade-point average, the highest among the league's women's cross country programs.

Morris arrived at CSU Pueblo in July 2013 after spending three seasons as the head men's and women's track and field and cross country coach at Carroll College in Helena, Mont. During his tenure at Carroll, Morris helped launch the school's track and field program and quickly developed it into a championship program.

In three seasons at Carroll, Morris' teams captured four conference championships, while he earned three conference Coach of the Year honors. He also coached three NAIA national champions during his final season with the Saints.

Prior to Carroll, Morris spent five years at NCAA Division I Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill., where he led the Leathernecks' men's and women's cross country programs from 2005-10. During his tenure, Morris coached numerous conference champions and NCAA national qualifiers and led the WIU men's cross country team to what were then the two highest NCAA regional finishes in program history in 2006 and 2008.

Morris also served as Western Illinois' interim men's and women's track and field coach beginning in December 2009 before accepting the position at Carroll in July 2010.

A 1993 graduate of the University of Montana, Morris earned his bachelor's degree in Health and Human Performance. He later earned his master's degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science from Western Illinois in 2010.

Morris was a distance runner during his collegiate career at Montana.

He and his wife, Racheal, reside in Pueblo and have two sons, Cooper and Charlie.