Former Bell County High School and University of Kentucky standout Maci Morris was back in Bell County this week as she hosted a basketball camp at Middlesboro High School on Thursday and Friday.

Morris just wrapped up her career with the University of Kentucky, which was filled with a multitude of awards and accolades, including: SEC Academic Honor Roll (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches (2016), All-SEC Second Team by league coaches (2018), Preseason All-SEC First Team (2019), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List (2019), Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List (2019), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Finalist (2019), SEC Community Service Team (2019), SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2019), All-SEC First Team (2019), All-SEC Second Team by Associated Press (2019) and WBCA All-America Honorable Mention (2019)

Morris was excited with the turnout at her camp this week.

“It’s great seeing so many kids wanting to come out here and get better,” said Morris. “I know a lot of them look up to me and see me as a role model, and that means the world to me.”

Morris’ camp theme was “I am third”, a slogan she uses to teach children to put faith and others before themselves. “’I am third’ means that God is first, others are second and I am third,” said Morris. “To go throughout life, you need a strong foundation, and for me, God is my foundation.”

Morris has been in basketball since she was a small child. Her father Lewis has been a coach Bell County High School and is currently the head coach at Middlesboro High School. Morris contends that her father’s coaching has stuck with her as she has grown and progressed as an athlete.

“The majority of the things that my father taught me, are still the most important parts of my game today. He has pretty much developed me in every aspect of my game,” said Morris. “People always ask me about how I became such a great shooter, and it was because of him. We were always outside in the summer or in the gym putting in work as much as we can. I give him a lot of credit for where I’m at right now.”

Although she isn’t sure what she intends to do after her basketball career is over, Morris thinks she may want to be a coach or a physician’s assistant in the area.

“I’m not 100 percent sure what I want to do after I’m done with basketball,” said Morris. “I see myself either coaching or going back to school to become a physician’s assistant. If I go the physician’s assistant route, I may go to LMU, but I’m not 100 percent on anything yet.”

Assisting with the camp, Maci’s father Lewis admires watching his daughter at work with the children of the area.

“She has done an outstanding job,” said Lewis. “There are kids in here from all over the place. We have had kids from other states and other parts of Kentucky that were chomping at the bit to get down here. It’s wonderful to see how many young people look up to her.

“She’s put on a great camp and everyone has seemed to have a lot of fun. She still does things the same way as she always has. She puts her all into everything and doesn’t slack in any area. She has always been a very hard working girl, and we couldn’t be more proud of her.”