1925 - Naming of Thundering Herd

Initially, Marshall athletic teams used the nickname “Big Green” for much of its early history. However, Huntington sportswriter Duke Ridgley first used the phrase “Thundering Herd” in 1925 to describe the football team. The headlines of that football season, coupled with the popularity of Zane Grey’s novel at the time, “The Thundering Herd”, saw the nickname stick.