Eagle Track and Field Star Rejoins Winthrop Team as Assistant Coach (06/05/26)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Morton arrives back in Rock Hill after serving for the past year as an assistant at Catawba College, where she worked with the Indians' throwers. She comes to Winthrop with an extensive coaching background that includes a four-year head coaching tenure at Newberry College.
• A Winthrop alumna and four-year throws competitor for the Eagles, Morton came to Rock Hill as one of South Carolina's most decorated prep athletes, having captured six state championships in the discus and shot put. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in theatre performance in 2016, with minors in coaching and women and gender studies.

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Mashario Morton '16 returns to Winthrop University to help the next generation of Eagle throwers as an assistant track and field coach. Her hiring was announced in late May by men's and women's track & field/cross country coach Raffael Craig.

"As one of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history, Mashario distinguished herself as an Eagle and has since built an impressive reputation as a collegiate coach," Craig said. "Her passion, experience and commitment to student-athlete development make her an outstanding addition to our staff."

Morton arrives back in Rock Hill after serving for the past year as an assistant at Catawba College, where she worked with the Indians' throwers. She comes to Winthrop with an extensive coaching background that includes a four-year head coaching tenure at Newberry College.

During her time leading the Wolves' men's and women's programs, Morton transformed Newberry's throwing program into a consistent presence in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC). She coached Jase Hunter to the program's first SAC individual championship in the weight throw, while also developing Andrea Pascual-Rivera (hammer throw) and Tiwani Myles (discus) into the first outdoor SAC event champions in program history.

In the 2021-22 season, the Wolves produced four USTFCCCA All-Region honorees, the first in program history during the indoor season, while both the men's and women's teams posted their highest finishes at the SAC Championships.

Before being elevated to the head role at Newberry, Morton spent two seasons as an assistant with the Wolves' programs after joining the staff in 2019.

Successful High School Experience

Prior to coaching at the collegiate level, Morton served as head girls' track and field coach at Dixie High School in Due West, South Carolina, where she produced 11 state champions and guided the program to back-to-back region championships. Under her watch, Dixie's athletic department earned the Carlisle Cup as the top overall 1A athletic program in the state.

A Winthrop alumna and four-year throws competitor for the Eagles, Morton came to Rock Hill as one of South Carolina's most decorated prep athletes, having captured six state championships in the discus and shot put. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in theatre performance in 2016, with minors in coaching and women and gender studies.

"Coach Morton embodies the values and vision of our program, and I am confident she will play a pivotal role in helping us reach new levels of excellence," stated Craig.

For more information, contact Brett Redden, assistant athletic director for athletic communications, at 803/323-2129, ext. 6246, or at [email protected].