Adams Hired As Boys' Basketball Coach At Notre Dame

Leaves McCallie To Take Over The Irish Program

  • Friday, May 12, 2017
  • special to The Chattanoogan.com
Jonathan Adams
Jonathan Adams

Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga has named Jonathan Adams  as the new head boys basketball coach. The former Old Dominion and Baylor School standout served the past six seasons in operational and assistant coaching roles at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the McCallie School.

“Notre Dame is excited to have Jonathan Adams leading the Irish basketball program.

His experience in athletics and his understanding of the academic standards of Notre Dame High School made him a natural selection. He will be a great asset not only for the basketball program but for the Notre Dame student body and community” said Matt Pobieglo, the Irish athletic director. “Playing for someone the caliber of Austin Clark and being mentored by John Shulman is a testament to the type of person Jonathan is and to his capabilities as a leader.”

Adams was a two-time runner-up for Mr. Basketball and earned first-team all-state in Tennessee.   He would then go on to play collegiately at Old Dominion where he was coached by Blaine Taylor. The four-year starter was the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association scholar athlete of the year and would receive numerous all-academic recognitions while at Old Dominion. After his collegiate career, Adams would play professionally in Germany for the Bochum Astrostars. Adams completed his bachelor’s in psychology at ODU and received his master’s in special education at UT-Chattanooga.  Currently he is nearing the completion of his doctorate from Liberty University. 

“I am very excited about taking over Notre Dame's boys' basketball program. It is one of the most storied programs in the state, and to have the opportunity to be a part of that history, and more importantly coaching these young men is an absolute honor” said Adams. "I am up for the challenge of trying to take this program to new heights. It is always difficult taking over a program where the previous coach did a wonderful job, and established a good culture. We will try to build on that success, and try to play our part in making Notre Dame Athletics one of the premier academic and athletic programs in the state.”

Adams comes from a strong athletic background. His mother, Priscilla Morgan, is North Carolina State's 10th all-time leading rebounder, while father, Charles Morgan, was a Howard High School standout and Tennessee Vols defensive lineman along with his godfather, NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White.

"The opportunity to coach at Notre Dame is wonderful, but I believe the opportunity came because of some people that had a major impact on my life. The first of these people is my mother. I could go on and on about the impact that she has had, and continues to have on my life. My high school coach Austin Clark at Baylor who taught me so much about the game of basketball, but more important was getting to watch him be a father, a husband, and just a standup guy. He is a legend and a father figure.

"My college coach Blaine Taylor, and coach John Shulman also had a big impact on my life. I have coached under John in a variety of roles for 6 years and the impact he has had on me is immeasurable. He has helped me develop as a professional and as a man. He is one of the best people I have ever met, and, if I am anything like him then I will be okay in life."

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