J.D. Morgan

A UCLA Bruin through and through, J.D. Morgan spent more than 40 years in Westwood. He played for UCLA from 1938-41, served as the head men’s tennis coach from 1949-66, winning seven NCAA team titles, and served as the Bruins’ athletic director from 1963-79. During his time as AD, UCLA won 30 NCAA titles, including the 10 men’s basketball championships with John Wooden at the helm. After his playing career, Morgan served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, before returning to UCLA as an assistant coach under Bill Ackerman in 1947. Two years later, he took over as head coach and built the Bruins into a powerhouse, coaching college and pro stars such as Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) was originally founded in 1956 by Morgan as the organization designed to oversee college tennis. It wasn’t until 1978 that the organization would officially be incorporated as the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association (ITCA). Morgan, who died in 1980 at age 61, was also a charter member of the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.