— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Construction is well underway on Marshall’s new baseball stadium at a site just north of the Herd’s softball complex and nearby Joan C. Edwards Football Stadium.
The baseball facility is being constructed close to the Ohio River and will seat approximately 3,000 fans when it’s completed next March.
The new stadium is being financed by both public and private funds, and the private portion of that funding is getting a boost from a sale of commemorative bricks.
The Marshall Athletics Department recently announced what it’s calling the “Herdbricks” Project.
The project allows Herd fans and anyone who wants to participate to purchase a brick that’ll be placed in a plaza being built at the entrance to the baseball stadium.
Bricks come in various sizes and materials, including granite. Prices for the various brick packages range from $195 to $2,500.
Brick purchasers will be able to place names and personalized messages on them. They’ll also receive a free keepsake brick replica and a certificate of recognition.
Funds produced by the Herd Bricks project are being matched up to a half million dollars by Marshall Baseball alumnus John Rulli and his family. Thanks to that pledge, the brick plaza is being named in honor of the Rulli family.
Information on ordering bricks is available at www.herdbricks.com or by calling 1-855-693-6662. Information is also available from the Big Green Scholarship Foundation at 304-696-3407.
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Marshall Athletics recently held “The Marcos”, an awards banquet named in honor of MU’s Buffalo mascot.
The event was organized by the Marshall Alumni Association and much of the organization was done by Marshall’s student-athletes.
The top male athlete prize went to basketball’s Taevion Kinsey, who was presented the Ed Starling Male Athlete of the Year award.
Winning the Dr. Dorothy Hicks Female Athlete of the Year award was former Herd softball standout Aly Harrell.
There was no doubt as to what won as the Marshall Alumni Association Top Moment of the Year. That prize went to Marshall Football for its 26-21 upset win at Notre Dame on September 10, 2022.
Other prize winners included:
Team Performance of the Year – Marshall Men’s Soccer
Newcomer of the Year – Sydney Nester, Softball
Men’s Individual Athletic Performance of Year – Tyler Jones, Men’s Golf
Women’s Individual Athletic Performance of Year – Macie Majoy, Women’s Track
The Herd Way Comeback Player of the Year – Brett Armbruster, Men’s Track
Chad Pennington Leadership Award – Male: Chad Heiner, baseball and Female: Olivia Fogo, volleyball
Marshall Pride Award – Joelle Williams, Swimming and Diving
We Are Marshall Award – Marshall Volleyball
Top Overall Academic Award – Women’s Golf and Men’s Cross Country
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The NCAA has recognized Marshall men’s basketball team as the third-most improved team in Division I this past season. The Herd was tied with Charleston, Duquesne and Northwestern State for third on the list with a +12.5 number.
To determine games improved, the NCAA adds the difference in victories between the two seasons to the difference in losses and then divides by two. Postseason contests are included.
Marshall finished 24-8 in the 2022-2023 season, a major improvement from the Herd’s 12-21 record in the 2021-2022 season.
Marshall’s fellow Sun Belt Conference member, Southern Miss, had the nation’s top improvement figure at +18 after improving from 7-26 record to a 25-8 mark, including a Sun Belt regular season title.
The Golden Eagles’ NCAA improvement set a new record, breaking the previous mark set by Towson in 2013, which had a +17.5 improvement rate.
Final Four participant Florida Atlantic had this season’s second-highest improvement number at +13.5.
2022-23 Most Improved Men’s Basketball Teams:
1. Southern Miss (+18)
2. Florida Atlantic (+13.5)
T3. Marshall (+12.5)
T3. Charleston (+12.5)
T3. Duquesne (+12.5)
T3. Northwestern State (+12.5)