Rod O'Donnell (2009) - Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame

Rod O'Donnell

Induction:
2009

Coach Rod O’Donnell came to Marshall from the University of Rio Grande in 1975 and for the next decade led the Thundering Herd cross country and track and field teams to unprecedented success. Under his tutelage, Marshall student-athletes won 25 individual Southern Conference championships in track and field and another 15 received all-league accolades in cross country. Three of his Marshall standouts – Dave Kline, Joe Sassler and Kim Hutter – advanced to NCAA regional competition and O’Donnell was named the 1977 Southern Conference cross country Coach of the Year as the Thundering Herd won the league championship. After leaving Marshall, he went on to a career coaching at Kent State University and in the Ohio prep ranks and he was voted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005. O’Donnell was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.