Walter M. Williams High School Alumni
Burlington, North Carolina (NC)
Danny Morrison
President of the Carolina Panthers
What is Danny Morrison known for?
Danny Morrison, a native of Burlington, North Carolina, is a well-known figure in the sports industry, particularly known for his contributions to college sports and his tenure as the president of the Carolina Panthers. After his high school education at Walter M. Williams High School, Morrison continued his academic journey at Wofford College earning a B.A. in Mathematics and graduating summa cum laude. He was an avid basketball player and even played for the Wofford Terriers during college.
He made significant contributions to Wofford as an athletic director from 1985 to 1997, and later as a senior vice president until 2001. Recognizing his efforts, Wofford College inducted Morrison into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. This can be further explored on the Wofford Terriers' Hall of Fame page.
In addition to his role at Wofford, Morrison also served as the commissioner of the Southern Conference from 2001 to 2005, and the athletic director of Texas Christian University from 2005 to 2009. In September 2008, he was appointed the president of the Carolina Panthers, filling the shoes of Mark Richardson. During his presidency, the Panthers reached new heights, including an appearance in Super Bowl 50 in February 2016, where they fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24-10. Insight on this can be found at Pro-Football-Reference.com.
In 2017, Morrison decided to resign from the Panthers, expressing a desire to pursue other ventures, particularly in the field of college sports. Following this, he was appointed the executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation in January 2019, effective from May the same year. The organization is known for arranging events such as the Duke's Mayo Classic, Duke's Mayo Bowl, Jumpman Invitational, and ACC Football Championship.
Alongside his illustrious career in sports administration, Danny Morrison has also thrived in the academic world. In addition to his degree from Wofford, he holds a Master of Education degree from North Carolina and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina. He is currently a Professor of Practice in the Department of Sport and Entertainment at the University of South Carolina, and the executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation.