Loose Creek native Morgan (Brandt) Bax, a 2015 Fatima graduate, was one of the most decorated and impactful players in the history of Columbia College Women’s Basketball. Bax’s consistency, leadership, and all-around skill made her a force and led to her induction into the 23rd class of the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame.

This year’s induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3, in Dulany Hall and will also feature Molly Carter ‘19 (softball) and 2017 national runner-up Men’s Cross Country team members Tristan Baze, Carter Brocato, Malik Holman, Ben Huskey, Jacob Jenkins, Alex Krieg, Tyler Lawson, Travis Line, Justin Morris, Noah Payne, Seth Schenck, Tommy Skosky, Noah Strawn, Alex Thompson, Grant Uthlaut and Dylan White. The team was led by head coach Tracy Jex and assistant coach Daniel Radkowiec.

“This year’s Hall of Fame class is another example of excellence personified,” says Drew Grzella, associate director of athletics. “The fact that Morgan, Molly, and the 2017 Men’s Cross Country Team were all on campus at the same time will make this event one to remember. I am excited that these stars will be back in October to be celebrated for all their successes!”

Bax finished her degree in nursing and is now an RN at MU (Capital Region), working for Dr. Carl Doerhoff, who incidentally, played baseball with her grandfather, Glenn, during high school.

Morgan and Nolan now live in Holts Summit as he is a Missouri State Highway Patrolman, though the couple and their children, Grayson, 3, and Livvy, 4 weeks, are often in Loose Creek visiting family.

Bax learned of her inclusion in the Hall of Fame induction on a FaceTime call with Grzella and her teammates. “Everyone played it off and kept it secret,” she said. “Drew told me we were going to have a call with Coach Jessica Keller and Coach Taylor Possail, whom I worked with during college. They wanted us to talk about how we had such a successful team with multiple coaches, is what they said. I was like, What the heck? So I texted my friend Jordan, she was a year below me, and she’s like, I have no idea what’s up.”

She reached out to other friends who likewise claimed to have no idea why the call was taking place.

“I thought it was weird, and then Drew put up the graphic of the Hall of Fame class, so they all knew about it, and I didn’t,” said Bax, noting she was shocked at the announcement. “The Hall of Fame wall is in the gym and in the back hallway, and you would have to go past that hallway to get to the locker room. So, every day you walk by this wall with all these players, coaches, announcers, or anyone who’s been inducted, and you’re like, ‘holy cow.’ There are a lot of lot of good players on that wall, so when they told me, I didn’t expect to be hung up on that wall next to all of them. That was pretty cool.”

Bax finished her Columbia College career with 1,418 points (eighth all-time) and 1,011 rebounds (first all-time). Her 229 steals (seventh all-time) and 248 assists (11th all-time) demonstrated her abilities on both ends of the floor. She led the team in rebounding each of her final three seasons as a Cougar and is the only basketball player (male or female) in school history to have a career 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Bax recorded 26 career double-doubles (points and rebounds) and pulled down at least 10 rebounds in nearly 25% of the games she played. She missed only two games during her four-year stint, starting 130 of the 131 games she played in – a true testament to her durability as an athlete. Bax was named to the American Midwest Conference All-Conference team three times and to the Academic All-Conference list all four seasons.   

During her junior season, the 2017-18 team set the program record with 22 consecutive victories, going nearly three months between losses. That year, the Cougars secured both the AMC regular season and tournament championships.

During her senior campaign, Bax led the Cougars in scoring (12.8 points per game) and rebounding (9 per game) while helping guide the squad to a 29-5 overall record. The team was ranked in the top five nationally throughout the season. On Feb. 12, 2019, the CC women were ranked No. 1 in the country following a victory over previously top-ranked Freed-Hardeman in Southwell. This marked the first No. 1 national ranking in program history.   

Bax was recognized as an NAIA All-American during her sophomore (honorable mention), junior (second team), and senior seasons (third team). She is one of five players in the school’s history to be a three-time All-American. Bax’s four-year record with the Cougars was an astounding 110-24, winning 64 of the 68 games she played in Southwell. Her teams qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in each of her four seasons.

“We pray at family dinner at grandma and grandpa’s always talking about how we are so blessed and we are,” said Bax. “I think it’s cool to be a part of everyone’s little sports journey in our family. You’re not a part of it, but you are in some kind of way. It’s always been fun to go to all the games and see everyone who gets highlighted in the UD. That’s always been that’s always fun.”

Bax was happy to finish her collegiate career intact. During her senior year — two weeks from the end of the basketball season — she learned her knee pain was caused by a torn meniscus. However, she did not undergo surgery until after the season ended. “I found out in November of that year and played the whole year,” said Bax. “I went to the doctor the first week of March and he said, ‘I’m not going to do anything, but it’s definitely torn, and I don’t want to make you have surgery when you only have two weeks left in your season, so I had surgery two weeks after I was done.”

Remarkably, she still earned All-American honors that year. “My coaches were very concerned and checked on my knee all the time,” said Bax. “They made us come in to do treatment before practice and games to kind of help. They offered suggestions on what to do and not do to manage the pain.”

Bax added that she contemplated coaching after college, and did serve as an assistant when her sister, Lauren, was a senior at Fatima. “It wasn’t for me, but I enjoyed working with my sister and the other players,” said Bax.

She’s living her best life and takes nothing for granted. “I’m glad I was able to play basketball and get my education for free,” Bax said. “Now, I’m happily raising my kids with a great husband. Life is good.”

Alex Krieg of Freeburg ran for the Cougars as a freshman on the runner-up team.

The sixth-ranked Cougars won the 2017 AMC Championships in Elsah, Ill., by 10 points over Park University. CC registered five runners in the top 10.

Krieg’s best career finish at Columbia College came at the AMC Championships in February 2019 (second, 11:20.21, 5000m), and he was fifth at both the AMC Championships in April 2018 (16:04.32, 5000m), and the William Jewell Darrel Gourley (16:23.18, 5000m) meet, also in April 2018.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are on sale now; visit ColumbiaCougars.com/Tickets and click on “Special Events” for more details and to register.