Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2019
- Class:
- 1997
In just two seasons as a member of the Marshall basketball team, John Brannen both made his mark on the Thundering Herd and set the stage for a highly successful coaching career. After beginning his college career with two seasons at Morehead State, the Alexandria, Ky., product joined Marshall’s 1,000-point club (1,008) despite an abbreviated career with the Herd. After averaging 14.4 points and hitting 40 percent of his 3-point attempts as a junior, Brannen blossomed to lead the Southern Conference in scoring as a senior, leading Greg White’s first Marshall squad to the league’s North Division crown and a berth in the tournament championship game as he averaged 20.9 points per game. That season, Brannen was named first-team all-conference and also the league’s tournament Most Outstanding Player. Also an outstanding student, Brannen was named a Rhodes Scholarship finalist.
