Earlham College

Merle Rousey came to Earlham College in 1950 as a creative and enthusiastic Athletic Director that expanded sports programs and was known to coach teams that nobody else would coach. With his best teams in men’s volleyball, he created a program that achieved almost instant success by placing second in the National Collegiate Championships. His early team competed in these championships for three straight years. Rousey was a tireless promoter of any kind of competitive activity and was always willing to spend his own resources and time. After leaving Earlham, Rousey continued his support and enthusiasm for athletics and has become known as “the foremost authority of sports and art in America.”