BILL MORSE
1937-2022
Inducted – 2006

William D. “Bill” Morse guided Fort Hays State University to back-to-back NAIA national championships in men’s basketball in 1984 and 1985 and ended his career as the second winningest coach in school history and No. 1 in winning percentage. Morse produced a 10-year record of 235 wins and 65 losses at Fort Hays State (1982-91) and was honored three times as the District 10 and CSIC Coach of the Year. Morse-coached teams were known for their pressure defense and a blend of control and fast-break offense. His college teams won over 500 games and Morse was honored with the coach of the year award an amazing 15 times. In addition to his two national championship teams, Morse also led Fort Hays to a third-place finish in the 1983 NAIA Tournament and Hillsdale, Mich., to a fourth-place finish in 1981. Morse was a three-year letterman in both high school and college in his hometown of Winona, Minn. He coached 12 years in Wisconsin before joining the collegiate ranks at Wisconsin; Hillsdale (Mich.) College and Fort Hays State. Following his 10 seasons at FHSU, Morse coached in Pennsylvania, one season in the Norwegian Pro League and two seasons at Colby Community College before retiring to Hays. Morse has been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the Hillsdale College Hall of Fame and FHSU Hall of Fame. Morse’s two national title teams – 1984 and ’85 – are also enshrined in the FHSU Hall of Fame. Born: June 14, 1937 – Winona, MN. Graduated: Winona High School, 1955; Winona State University, 1959; MS – Winona State University.