Hall of Fame
Only the second female to be inducted into the ERAU Athletics Hall of Fame, Katrina Morgan was a four-year letterwinner on the Embry-Riddle women's soccer team and closed out her career on the soccer field as one of the most decorated student-athletes in program history. A four-year starter, the Burien, Wash. native captained the squad for three seasons, leading the Eagles to four regional tournament appearances and a regional championship and national tournament appearance 2004. She was a two-time All-Florida Sun Conference and All-Region selection and received honorable mention All-America honors twice, closing out her career with 22 goals and 13 assists.
A two-time Embry-Riddle Champions of Character Scholarship recipient, Morgan, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average in Applied Meteorology, was also an Academic All-Conference selection and NAIA All-America Scholar Athlete and in 2006, she was honored as ESPN The Magazine's College Division Player of the Year.
With an additional year remaining in her academic career, Morgan was recruited to the cross country team in the fall of 2007. She competed in five meets, finishing among the Eagles' top five on four occasions. Her seventh place overall finish at the FSC/Region XIV Championships afforded her All-Conference and All-Region honors.
Morgan came to Embry-Riddle on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, serving as a battalion commander before being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 4. She was awarded the General Spruance Scholarship twice, was the recipient of the 2008 ERAU Chancellor's Award and in 2007, she was selected as one of only 45 cadets nationwide to attend Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training. She is currently a Captain in the U.S. Air Force flying C-17 airlift missions
Despite a hectic athletic and academic schedule, Morgan still found time to give back to the community coaching free soccer clinics for area youth, participating in ERAU's Halloween carnival for local kids and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Volusia County mentoring program, and organizing a volunteer group from Air Force ROTC to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity.
“There isn't a coach in the country that wouldn't jump at the chance to have an alumnus like Katrina Morgan as a representative of his/her team. She left such a positive imprint that still has influence on our program. Not only was she clearly a talented player, but she represented a laundry list of admirable traits along the way. Strong character, discipline, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, commitment, balance, integrity, and humility are all part of who Katrina Morgan is. A testament to Katrina, I didn't have to be her coach to see these qualities in her. I believe Embry-Riddle and our athletic department would be proud to have her as only the second female inducted into our Hall of Fame.”
Samantha Baggett Bohon
Embry-Riddle Head Women's Soccer Coach (2007-present)
“It was not by accident that Katrina was a winner of the Champion of Character award and it is also not by accident that my daughter, Amanda, hails Katmo as one of the most outstanding young women she has ever had the pleasure of playing soccer with. As my Amanda has often told me, 'If I had to go to war, the only person I would want beside me would be Katmo'.
Over the years I have kept in touch with Katrina, marveling at the continued success of such an unassuming young woman. She now flies the huge military transport planes, a job that she loves. She shared with me that she gets to bring the soldiers home from overseas, and this is especially important to her… seeing the looks on their faces knowing they are going home to their loved ones.”
Judith Rees
Embry-Riddle Director of Procurement Services
“When Katrina was about to graduate, I sent my nomination of her for the prestigious Chancellor's Award, which she received, to the Chair at the time stating that without reservation I could honestly say Katrina was the most outstanding student in every respect, as a scholar, as an athlete, as a soldier, and as a person, that I have ever had pleasure to know. I still stand by that statement. I am confident that Katrina will lend her special talents and prove to be an invaluable representative of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University throughout her entire career. There is certainly no one more deserving of the induction into the ERAU Athletic Hall of Fame.”
Richard K. Snow, Ph.D.
Embry-Riddle Associate Professor of Applied Aviation Sciences
“As you consider Katrina's candidacy, I ask you look beyond the glamour statistics such as goals and assists because although she did well in those categories, it is not where you will find her most indelible impact on our program. It was not Katrina's role to put up big numbers and even if she had, measuring her against those statistics would be a tremendous disservice. Katrina's biggest role in out program, and the way she will be most remembered by her teammates and coaches, comes down to leadership. I've been coaching women's college soccer for 22 years and I can say without hesitation that Katrina Morgan is the best leader I've ever seen and it was an absolute privilege to watch her guide our team.
She didn't have bad days. She chose to have great days. She chose to be positive and enthusiastic. She was a leader and she knew it and she chose to affect people in an excellent way.”
Dan Blank
Embry-Riddle Head Women's Coach (1998-06)
“Katmo is the hardest working person I have ever met and she takes extreme pride in everything she does. The words “I can't” were not part of her vocabulary. Her dedication to the team was directly reflected in her fitness, whether it was the first day of preseason or the first day of summer, Katmo was preparing to win. The attitude she exudes everyday is one of pure happiness and determination. She was always smiling, encouraging others and appreciating every little thing life had in store for her. She didn't take anything for granted and, as an upperclassman, she wanted to teach her younger teammates to have the same outlook. I learned a great amount from observing Katmo during my first two collegiate years and if I was half the captain she was I would say that's more than I could hope for.”
Sarah Hirst
Embry-Riddle Women's Soccer (2005-08)
