Alcorn State’s men’s basketball program has a new leader after Jake Morton was introduced as its next head coach earlier this week.

Morton was introduced to fans and alumni at a ceremony at The Watermark in Vicksburg on Wednesday. Morton has spent his 25-year coaching career as an assistant at nine other schools, including last season at Florida State.

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Morton to the Alcorn family,” said Alcorn State Director of Athletics E. Dwayne Robinson. “His leadership, championship-caliber mindset, and dedication to player development make him an ideal fit to lead our men’s basketball program into a new era.”

Morton played at Miami from 1988-92 and played professionally in Israel for six years. His coaching career began in 2000 as an assistant at Bowie State.

Morton’s other coaching stops have included St. Francis (Pa.), James Madison, Miami, Western Kentucky, Coppin State, Jacksonville State and East Carolina. He helped Jacksonville State win the Atlantic Sun regular-season championship and reach the NCAA Tournament in 2022.

Morton will replace Landon Bussie, who resigned in March to become the head coach at Chicago State. Bussie had a 66-82 record with Alcorn that included back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season championships in 2022 and 2023. The Braves lost in the conference tournament both years.

Alcorn has not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2002, although it did play in the NIT in 2022 and 2023.

Alcorn was 11-20 overall, 11-7 in the SWAC, and finished sixth in the league standings this season. Its non-conference schedule included 10 road games against teams from power conferences as well as the American and Mountain West.

“I’m very excited to be named the head men’s basketball coach at Alcorn State University. With the support of President Cook and A.D. Robinson, there is no doubt that we can take this program into the next stage of greatness,” Morton said.