Bob Marcum laughs during a press conference May 21, 2002, in Huntington. Marcum, who served as athletic director at Kansas, South Carolina, UMass and Marshall, has died. He was 87. South Carolina, UMass and Marshall all posted about MarcumƵs death Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Above: Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum displays a signed agreement with West Virginia University following a news conference on May 17, 2005, at the Capitol Building in Charleston, W.Va. Gov. Joe Manchin and representatives from Marshall and ƵU announced a deal between the two universities to play football beginning in 2006. Right: Bob Marcum tailgates before the game against UAB on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Legion Field Stadium in Birmingham.
Marshall atheletic director Bob Marcum congratulates the team during the Marshall men's basketball team post-season banquet at the Pullman Plaza Hotel on Monday, March 30, 2009.
Bob Marcum laughs during a press conference May 21, 2002, in Huntington. Marcum, who served as athletic director at Kansas, South Carolina, UMass and Marshall, has died. He was 87. South Carolina, UMass and Marshall all posted about MarcumƵs death Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Above: Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum displays a signed agreement with West Virginia University following a news conference on May 17, 2005, at the Capitol Building in Charleston, W.Va. Gov. Joe Manchin and representatives from Marshall and ƵU announced a deal between the two universities to play football beginning in 2006. Right: Bob Marcum tailgates before the game against UAB on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Legion Field Stadium in Birmingham.
Marshall atheletic director Bob Marcum congratulates the team during the Marshall men's basketball team post-season banquet at the Pullman Plaza Hotel on Monday, March 30, 2009.
After seven years of leading the Marshall University athletic program, Bob Marcum left an impression on those who worked for him.
Many coaches, both locally and nationally, remembered Marcum, who died on Tuesday at the age of 87, as a mentor, a friend and a leader who backed his coaches and dropped the occasional one-liner.
ƵHeƵs a great partner and long-time friend,Ƶ former Marshall football coach Bob Pruett said. ƵI was there when the (university) presidentƵs office called him and asked him to come to Marshall. HeƵs like me. It was a dream to come back home.Ƶ
Pruett said he was shocked to learn of MarcumƵs death. Arkansas menƵs basketball coach John Calipari, who worked under Marcum at Massachusetts in the 1990s, posted on social media on Sunday that Marcum had suffered a stroke.
Marcum was named an interim athletic director for Marshall in 2002 but remained in the position until 2009, when he retired after 40 years of leading college athletic departments and serving as general manager of the speedways in both Atlanta and Charlotte.
Ƶ AD for the Thundering Herd, Marcum oversaw considerable success on the athletic fields and growth of the programs tied to the athletic department.
John Sutherland, the executive director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, recalled when Marcum hired him for his position 16 years ago and stayed an integral part of his life.
ƵHe hired me on St. PatrickƵs Day, so I sent him a card every St. PatrickƵs Day to thank him,Ƶ Sutherland said. ƵBob was just a pro, and he loved Huntington.Ƶ
When he was an assistant coach with the Thundering Herd womenƵs basketball team, Sutherland recalled a conversation in which Marcum shared a one-liner that the young coach never forgot.
ƵJohn, people donƵt come to watch you play, they come to watch you win,Ƶ Sutherland said Marcum told him, Ƶso, letƵs go.Ƶ
One of MarcumƵs former assistants in the athletic department, Jeff OƵMalley, shared his thoughts on his former boss on X, formerly known as Twitter.
OƵMalley, an assistant to Marcum while both were at Marshall and who is now AD at Lamar, reacted on social media to his former bossƵ passing. OƵMalley called Marcum a Ƶmentor.Ƶ
ƵBob Marcum was a great man, mentor and a loyal friend,Ƶ OƵMalley said. ƵHe touched so many lives in college athletics from Kansas, South Carolina, UMass and Marshall. I will miss his guidance and words of wisdom. RIP, Bob.Ƶ
Bob Marcum was a great man, mentor and a loyal friend. He touched so many lives in college athletics from Kansas, South Carolina, UMass and Marshall. I will miss his guidance and words of wisdom. RIP, Bob.
Ƶ Jeff O'Malley (@jeffgocards)
Marshall shared sympathy for MarcumƵs family in a statement.
ƵMarshall athletics mourns the passing of former athletic director Bob Marcum, who served as a tremendous leader from 2002-2009,Ƶ the statement read. ƵOur thoughts and prayers are with the Marcum family and those closest to him.Ƶ
Marshall Athletics mourns the passing of former Athletic Director Bob Marcum, who served as a tremendous leader from 2002-09. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marcum family and those closest to him.
Ƶ Marshall Athletics (@HerdZone)
During MarcumƵs tenure, Marshall transitioned from the Mid-American Conference to Conference USA, and Herd programs saw upgrades to Joan C. Edwards Stadium and the Cam Henderson Center and the addition of Dot Hicks Field for softball.
Like Pruett, Marcum was a student at then-Marshall College and graduated in 1959 with a bachelorƵs degree in social studies and physical education.
Marcum served as AD at Massachusetts from 1993 to 2002. Calipari led the Minutemen when they went to the 1996 Final Four.
Sad news. Bob Marcum passed away this morning. He and I had a great couple hours in the hospital. Talked about our time together at Umass, he as AD and me his coach. We laughed cried and prayed.
He had on the Kentucky 2012 national championship ring. He was a part ofƵ
Ƶ John Calipari (@CoachCalArk)
ƵSad news. Bob Marcum passed away this morning. He and I had a great couple hours in the hospital. Talked much about our time together at UMass, he as AD and me his coach. We laughed, cried and prayed,Ƶ Calipari wrote on social media on Tuesday. ƵHe had on the Kentucky 2012 national championship ring. He was a part of everything we accomplished and shared in our joy and misery! He impacted many and will be missed, especially by Ellen and me. RIP my loyal friend.Ƶ
Rick Elmore covers sports. He can be reached at 304-348-5122 or relmore@hdmediallc.com. Follow @ElmoreSports on Twitter/X.
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