Alex Morris Making The Most Of Final Opportunity

By Grant Noyes, OSU Athletics Communications
In 2020, the world fell still amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and for athletes worldwide, their seasons ended or were halted.

Alex Morris was no exception. And now in 2024, the pandemic may have been more of a blessing in disguise for the Cowgirl wingback.

After being granted another year of eligibility due to what is renowned as a "COVID Year," Morris is in her fifth and final year with Cowgirl Soccer. And because of that, one of her new teammates is her younger sister, Reganne, who is a freshman on the team.

"If it weren't for a COVID year, we wouldn't play together because I would have been gone, and she would be a freshman now. So I think it kind of it all worked out perfectly," Alex said.

Alex has spent her entire career as a Cowgirl, which is very uncommon in the world of college athletics today with the transfer portal.

In her first two seasons, Alex mostly played a reserve role for the Cowgirls. But as a junior in 2022, she had a breakout year, starting 15 games and tying for the team lead in assists.

The 2023 campaign would be even better as she led all OSU field players in minutes played and doubled her previous high in assists with six. She was twice named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and had an unforgettable moment in the regular season finale, scoring the lone goal of the match in the 83^rd minute to give the Cowgirls a win over Bedlam-rival Oklahoma.

"I mean when you think about a career dream, career moment, when you're a kid it doesn't really get much better than that," Alex said of the Bedlam game winner.

Alex has gone from a wide-eyed freshman to now one of the veteran leaders for the Cowgirls in 2024 as she was named a team captain.

"My leadership role changing or how I mentorship and how I've grown into that, I think that I kind of have a unique perspective because of my experience," Alex said. "I can kind of relate to both sides of getting every minute that you want or not getting every minute that you want and how you persevere and work through that and stay positive and be a good teammate."

Alex credited former Cowgirl teammates Charme' Morgan and Hannah Webb with helping mold her into the type of player and leader she is today.

"They were incredible and so definitely, soccer-wise, that's who I try to strive to be like and just try to model my game after, probably still to this day. And leadership-wise as well," Alex said.

However, when it comes to mentoring her sister, there's a bit of a different approach.

"I think it's kind of funny because at this point in my career, I do have a leadership role on this team this year. I was selected captain, and sometimes I think she doesn't take me seriously as her teammate or, you know, it's like my big sister yelling at me or my big sister saying something to me," Alex said. "Sometimes, 'Hey, I'm being serious, do this or something.' But she's awesome, and I love that we get to play together."

Cowgirl soccer head coach Colin Carmichael has been able to watch Alex's collegiate journey from the beginning.

"You love those kids coming back, seeing their growth," Carmichael said. "As a freshman, Alex came in with kind of big eyes like, 'What am I doing?' She got injured early and so she didn't get to play a whole lot early on. But she worked her socks off to become more of an impact player, just had to bide her time."

Carmichael now gets to enjoy Alex's last season with her younger sister on the team.

"They're really different. Reganne's kind of, in my opinion, a little easier going, a little more laid back," Carmichael said. "Alex is pretty intense and gets after it. But they're both super athletic. They work really hard, and it's been really cool as a coach."

For Reganne the opportunity to play with her sister for one season is great, even when Alex is hard on her.

"I mean, she says stuff to me on the field, but in my eyes, she's been here for five years so I kind of think of her more as just a leader on the team in those moments than my sister," Reganne said.

Even though they're on the same team, the Morris sisters' experiences are quite unique to them.

"We are going through such different experiences this season. This is my very first season, and I'm in a very different position on the team than she is," Reganne said. "She's going through her last season, and she's a captain this year and has a leadership role."

As Alex's career winds down, her mission is clear – she is determined to leave everything on the field, knowing that she has given her all.

"I don't want to get through the end of the season, the end of my career, and look back and think, 'Wow, I could have given five more percent in that game'… I don't want to have any regrets," Alex said.

As OSU enters Big 12 Conference play, Alex has continued to shine, recording a goal and a pair of assists for the undefeated Cowgirls while helping them set a school record with seven consecutive shutouts.

Alex's journey at Oklahoma State is a story of perseverance, leadership and family, one that has been marked by growth both as a player and a person.

With a biology/pre-med degree in hand and medical school on the horizon, Alex's decision to stay for one more season is a testament to her love for the game and the unique opportunity to play alongside her younger sister.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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