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Marshall’s Top 10 Stories of 2013

10.  Aaron Blair drafted by the Diamondbacks
Aaron Blair was named to the All-Conference first team, was named pitcher of the week twice and averaged a little better than a strikeout per inning in 2013 for The Herd.  Blair even carried a no-hitter in the sixth inning against West Virginia back on March 19th at a frigid Appalachian Power Park.  He was selected by the Diamondbacks with the 36th overall pick, becoming the highest drafted baseball player at Marshall.

9.  Dobson drafted by the Patriots
The Patriots selected Dobson in the second round of the NFL Draft.  Bill Bellichick said of Dobson “He’s big, he’s fast, he’s got good hands. He’s a strong player; smart, very smart. He has some position flexibility and versatility.”

8.  Holliday hires seven new assistants
Following the 2012 season Doc Holliday had to rebuild his staff.  He brought in seven new assistants and went on to win 10 games in 2013.

7.  Rakeem Cato rewriting the record books
Check the Marshall record books three names will jump out at the top of the passing records.  Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich and now Rakeem Cato.  By the end of his career at Marshall, Cato could very well hold all of Marshall’s passing records.

6.  Construction of the Indoor Practice facility begins
Doc Holliday has been promising recruits that it was coming and last spring ground was broken on a brand new indoor practice facility.  The complex will feature a 101,600 square foot indoor practice facility with a 120-yard football field and a 300-meter indoor track.  The facility can be used for baseball and softball practice in addition to the obvious uses for football and soccer.

5.  Softball team wins Conference USA
Andi Williamson pitched all seven innings, scattered four hits, struck out four, walked two and allowed one unearned run. She was named the C-USA tournament MVP.

4. Hiring Chuck Heater as defensive coordinator
This was the single most important decision Doc Holliday made in 2013.  Heater turned Marshall’s maligned defense into one of the top units in Conference USA this season.

3.  Cato named C-USA Offensive Player of the Year
2013 was arguably better than 2012 when Rakeem Cato won the C-USA MVP.  Cato was named Offensive Player of the Year throwing for more than 4,000 yards and 39 touchdowns.

2.  Military Bowl Champs
Marshall notched a win over an ACC school and its first ten win season since 2002.  The bowl validated what turned out to be Doc Holliday’s best season in his four-year tenure as head coach.

1. Softball team makes NCAA Tournament
Marshall’s softball team gave Herd fans reason to be excited after what had been a disappointing year.  The Herd went to Lexington and battled to the end against the likes of Virginia Tech, Kentucky and Notre Dame.





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