Former Marshall University Coach Bob Barnett Dies

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Marshall hall of famer Barnett dead at 77
By TIM STEPHENS The Herald-Dispatch 13 min ago
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Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame member Bob Barnett has died at age 77.

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HUNTINGTON — Marshall University hall of famer and former Thundering Herd wrestling coach Bob Barnett has died. He was 77.

Barnett died Oct. 25 in Sarasota, Florida, where he lived for several years after spending most of his life in Huntington. A private service was held at the Church of the Palms in Sarasota on Oct. 28. A memorial service to celebrate his life with friends and family will take place in Huntington when it is safe to gather.

A 1965 Marshall graduate who earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State, Barnett returned to Marshall in 1972 as wrestling head coach and a professor in the Division of Exercise Science, Sport and Recreation. He coached the Thundering Herd through 1979.

Barnett was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. Barnett holds every record for coaching accomplishments in the 29-year history of Herd wrestling, posting six winning seasons.

A native of Newell, West Virginia, he was a West Virginia Conference wrestling champion in the 123-pound class and was a member of the golf team at West Liberty State College.

At Marshall, Barnett inherited a team with only one returning letterman in a program that had not had a winning season in 10 years. In 1972, he built a team with the lone letterman, four of his recruits and six walk-ons. After early season struggles the team jelled and produced a 9-8 record, just the fourth winning season in the 21-year history of the program. Barnett was named NCAA honorable-mention rookie coach of the year by Amateur Wrestling News for his efforts.


A prolific researcher and writer about sports history, Barnett published more than 300 articles, produced two television documentaries on the Ironton Tanks and Portsmouth Spartans football team, and wrote three books. He also was a section editor for the Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Barnett was well known for his knowledge of the history of professional baseball in Huntington.

In 2010 he was inducted into the West Virginia All Black Schools Academic and Athletic Hall of Fame for his groundbreaking research into the history of West Virginia’s black high school basketball tournament. This research was expanded and culminated in publication of The Black Athlete in West Virginia: High School and College Sports from 1900 Through the End of Segregation.

Barnett married high school sweetheart Liz Arner, and they had two daughters, Megan and Alexis. The family founded Barnett Ink, a grants evaluation company instrumental in obtaining grants to provide services for the homeless, substance abuse prevention and treatment, community policing, and economic development for the Huntington region from 1990 through 2013.

In Sarasota, he led a memoir and life-writing group and was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He volunteered at the Church of the Palms Welcome Center.

Bob is survived by his wife of 55 years, both daughters, brother James Barnett, and sister Jane Powell, grandchildren Lanie, Grace and Will Barnett; Emily, Sydney and Ella Sergi.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the C. Robert Barnett Scholarship at Marshall University c/o Marshall Foundation Hall, 514 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25703.

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I had Dr. Barnett for 2 classes in college. By far my favorite 2 classes. He was brilliant in his field and had a ton of sports history knowledge. We talked a lot about wrestling. Vision Quest was 1 of his favorite movies.