Chris Morrison was named Director of Athletics at Hope International University in 2024 and serves as the eighth full-time Athletic Director in the history of HIU Athletics.
Since taking over the Royals athletic department, Morrison has helped guide HIU Athletics through a period of significant growth and competitive success. Under his leadership, the Royals have captured multiple conference regular-season and tournament championships, earned numerous NAIA postseason appearances, and won national championships in STUNT and Baseball.
Morrison has also overseen the continued expansion of HIU Athletics, including the addition of Women's Flag Football, Men's and Women's Beach Volleyball, STUNT, and Sideline Cheer. The growth of the department has contributed to increased student-athlete enrollment while creating additional opportunities for students to compete at the collegiate level.
As Director of Athletics, Morrison oversees the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the Royals' intercollegiate athletic programs, including personnel, budgeting, compliance, facilities, scheduling, student-athlete development, fundraising, and external relations. His leadership emphasizes competitive excellence, academic achievement, character development, and providing student-athletes with a Christ-centered collegiate experience.
Prior to joining HIU, Morrison served as Athletic Director at Verbum Dei Jesuit High School, St. Anthony High School, and St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy. Throughout his administrative career, he helped strengthen athletic programs, increase participation, develop new sports, and oversee major facility improvements.
At St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy, Morrison helped establish the school's football program and played an instrumental role in the development of multimillion-dollar athletic facilities. He later served at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, where the Saints experienced considerable athletic success, including a CIF football championship game appearance in 2021 and a historic CIF State Southern California Regional Championship in softball.
Morrison's career in education and coaching began at Bishop Amat High School, where he taught Economics and served as the head women's basketball coach. He later taught and chaired the Physical Education Department at St. Anthony High School. His collegiate coaching experience includes serving as an assistant men's basketball coach at Cerritos College and California State University, Los Angeles.
Before beginning his career in education and athletic administration, Morrison enjoyed a successful basketball career at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played professionally in Australia and Finland, including one seasons with the Sun Coast Clippers in Australia, where he helped lead the team to a championship in 1997 and became the only player in league history to average a triple-double. He later played professionally for four years in Finland for Hi-Tech and Joensuun Kataja Basket, earning multiple Player of the Year and All-Star honors.
Morrison played collegiately at Western Washington University, earning All-Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference honors in 1995 after leading the team in scoring. A graduate of St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, Morrison was a First-Team All-CIF guard and earned recognition from the Los Angeles Times and Long Beach Press-Telegram.
Morrison earned his Bachelor of Arts in Management of Sports Programs from Western Washington University and a Master of Education from National University.
Morrison and his wife, Maria, reside in Long Beach and have two children, Mia and Christopher Jr.
