George Ayersman (1990) - Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame

George Ayersman

Induction:
1990
Class:
1938

When Cam Henderson took over as the Marshall basketball coach in 1935, one of the players who helped him find quick success was George Ayersman. A football, basketball and baseball standout at Rowlesburg High School in Preston County, W.Va., Ayersman helped Marshall to a Buckeye Conference baseball championship in 1935 and, as the third baseman, led the team in batting average and home runs in each of his last two years. He joined the school’s basketball team for his junior and senior seasons, helping the 1936-37 team to a 21-8 record and the school’s first Buckeye Conference basketball title, then alongside newcomer Jule Rivlin took another conference title as a senior and with a team that went 28-4, advanced to Marshall’s first NAIB (now NAIA) National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., where the Thundering Herd beat Peru State College before falling 53-51 to Washburn (Kan.) University, a team that would eventually reach the tournament semifinals. As a senior he was co-captain on the basketball team and received first team All-Buckeye Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. He also played football for Marshall in 1937 and 1938. After graduating from Marshall, Ayersman returned to his native Preston County to teach and coach football, basketball and baseball at Rowlesburg High School. He was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.