Jim Morrison

James H. Morrison (October 5, 1898 – July 13, 1951) was an American sports coach, athletic director, and educator who served as the head football, basketball, and track and field coach at Valley City State Teachers College—now known as Valley City State University—from 1925 to 1936. One of the most successful early figures in the history of Viking athletics, Morrison coached three sports and led his programs to a combined 15 conference championships.

During his tenure, Morrison's football teams secured three consecutive North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) championships from 1926 through 1928, establishing VCSU as a regional power in the upper Midwest. He also coached the basketball and track and field teams, winning six conference titles in each sport and setting foundational standards for the university’s athletic success.

Early life and playing career Morrison was born on October 5, 1898 in Sioux City, Iowa. He attended high school in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where played football as a center. Morrison then moved on to Iowa State College—now known as Iowa State University—where played as a guard on the Iowa State Cyclones football team, lettering in 1920 and 1921. He graduated from Iowa State in 1922. Two years later, he moved to Bismarck High School in Bismarck, North Dakota, to serve as athletic instructor, coach, and physics teacher.

Morrison arrived at Valley City State in 1925 and quickly became the defining coaching figure of the decade. His football teams relied on defensive discipline and a tough running game, characteristics that helped produce three straight NDCAC titles from 1926 to 1928. Beyond football, Morrison's basketball teams won six NDCAC championships (1925–26, 1926–27, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1934–35). His track and field teams also earned six conference titles (1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935), making him one of the winningest multi-sport coaches in school history.

Late life and death Morrison died on July 13, 1951, in Wayne, Nebraska, after suffering from a stroke.