Coach that perished in Marshall University crash had ties to Southwest Virginia

Saturday will mark the 50th anniversary of a deadly plane crash in Huntington, West Virginia that killed 75 people. That included 37 Marshall University football players along with their coaches, radio broadcasters, and boosters.

After 75 lives were lost in the worst sports disaster in U.S. history, Marshall remembers the plane crash 50 years later. Those who lived through the tragedy marvel as they recall the feeling that they had to keep playing.

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— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) November 11, 2020

The team was returning from a game at East Carolina and was on approach to Tri-State Airport in nearby Kenova.

Marshall announced earlier this week that the students who perished in the event will receive posthumous degrees during a weekend of special ceremonies of remembrance.

11.14.1970 💚

Stay tuned. 👀🎥#WeAreMarshall x #RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/Rb82SRn34s

— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) November 11, 2020

At the time of the crash, the head coach of the Thundering Herd was Rick Tolley, whose first football coaching assignment was in Southwest Virginia at John Battle High School in Bristol where Tolley served as an assistant for two years beginning in 1962 as well as being the school’s wrestling coach and math teacher.

(IMAGE: Marshall University)