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The Morristown East boys basketball team will have a new face on the sideline when the ‘Canes take the court next season.

On Monday, Alden Collins announced his resignation as head boys basketball coach. 

“Morristown East has been great to the Collins family,” Collins said. “Ryan and I both had great teams at East, which is ultimately a testament to the great players we were fortunate enough to coach. I’m thankful for these players, parents, assistant coaches and administration for placing their belief and trust in me to lead such great teams.”

Collins will be staying in the state and the sport as he has accepted a job coaching at East Hamilton in Ooltewah, TN. 

“East Hamilton is a growing school, growing community and growing brand in the Chattanooga area,” Collins said. “I’m excited to join and hopefully add to the growth of the school. Coach Webb has done a great job with the program and they’ve won multiple conference championships over his tenure. Through the interview process, I really took to their administration and the vision of the school. And while already well established both academically and athletically, I believe I can help continue to grow the East Hamilton brand and contribute to the successes of the school.”

Collins has spent the last four seasons as head coach of the ‘Canes, compiling a record of 83-43. East won the regular season district title in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The ‘Canes won the district tournament in 2022, going 28-5 on the season. The ‘Canes made the Region 1-AAA/Region 1-4A Quarterfinals in 2020, 2021 and 2023, falling to Dobyns-Bennett all three times. East also fell to Dobyns-Bennett in the Region 1-4A Semifinals in 2022. Collins was named the All-Lakeway Boys Basketball Coach of the Year in 2022.

This past season, the ‘Canes went 5-1 in district play and were a shot away from winning the district title.

Before taking over as head coach at East, Collins was an assistant for the ‘Canes for four years. During that time, East won the District 2-AAA Tournament championship in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2019. Both years, the Hurricanes reached the Region 1-AAA semifinal round where they lost by one point each time, narrowly missing out on the Region 1-AAA championship and Class AAA Sectional. The Hurricanes accumulated a record of 83-47 in that four-year stretch.

“The entire Morristown community has been a great supporter of not only our basketball program but me as an individual and my coaching career,” Collins said. “I’ll always be thankful for this opportunity, it’s been a great time of personal growth and grew into me getting my first head coaching job. And now my experiences at East have opened a door at East Hamilton.”

Collins, a Johnson City native who earned his bachelor’s degree at East Tennessee State University before completing his Master’s at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and then his Education Specialist degree at Union College, came to East after spending one season as a varsity assistant and freshmen head coach at Ooltewah High School. His 2014-15 freshmen squad went 20-2 and shared the District 5-AAA regular season title before finishing runner-up in the district tournament.

He also spent one season as a varsity assistant and junior varsity head coach at University High in Johnson City in 2011-12 where his JV squad went 17-10 and claimed the Watauga Valley Conference regular season crown.

East will begin immediately searching for their next basketball coach.

“We thank Alden for everything he has done for this program,” Morristown East Athletic Director Brad Hall said. “During his time at East, the program has consistently been at the top of the district and has competed on a high level. We will miss Alden and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”