Amber Morrell was hired in December of 2017 to lead the new PC Acrobatics & Tumbling program.
Due to COVID-19, Presbyterian was forced to cancel its scheduled meets for the 2021 season. Despite being unable to compete, the Blue Hose continued to excel in the classroom, with 18 earning a spot on NCATA's Academic Honor Roll.
Morrell guided the Blue Hose to the first win in program history on March 9, 2020, as the team defeated fellow first-year program Saint Leo at a tri-meet which also featured top-ranked Baylor.
In their inaugural season, the Blue Hose posted a high score of 255.720 in the team's first road meet at #8 Converse, which included a season-best 90.57 in the Team Event. Presbyterian posted 9.500 or higher in seven different events throughout the campaign, including a program-best 9.95 in the Open Pyramid in the victory over Saint Leo. PC also had nine athletes named to the NCATA Academic Honor Roll.
Morrell arrived at Presbyterian with extensive experience in the acrobatics and tumbling field. She served as the head cheerleading coach at Newberry College from 2011-2012 and at her alma mater, King University, from 2012-2014. While at Newberry, Morrell choreographed competition routines for CANAM and CCA National events in 2012.
During her time at King, she also served as the head coach for the inaugural acrobatics and tumbling team. Prior to developing the acrobatics and tumbling program, she elevated the Tornado cheer program to a competitive level. That team finished fifth at Cheersport Nationals in Atlanta, Ga., and third at the CANAM Nationals in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Morrell was named to the Top-25 Coaches in America by the CCA after leading her team to first runner-up honors at the CANAM Nationals and a National Championship in the All-Girl CCA Nationals. The team was crowned Grand Champion as the best overall college team at the 2012 CCA Nationals.
Morrell was A&T head coach at Glenville State College from 2014-2016. In its first season, the team qualified for event finals at Nationals hosted by Baylor. They qualified in the 5-Element Acro Event and in the Pyramid Twist Event. While at Glenville State, she was also an adjunct faculty member in the sport science program.
Most recently, Morrell served as Assistant Spirit Squad Coordinator at Tusculum since the summer of 2017.
Morrell earned her bachelor's degree in sport management with a minor in coaching from King University in 2008. As an undergraduate, she was a teaching instructor for the Universal Cheerleaders Association traveling the Mid-South region. In 2009, Morrell developed the tumble/cheer ministry through the Celebration Church Dance Ministry in Blountville, Tenn. She taught weekly tumbling classes to children 5-18 years old and choreographed routines for them.
In 2012, she completed her master's degree in recreation and sport sciences from Ohio University. She has two children, Jack and Perry.
