Hall of Fame
Avraham Melamed earned NAIA All-America honors in the pool at West Liberty and went on to compete in three consecutive Olympic Games as a member of the Israeli National Team. The Israeli national champion in the butterfly stroke, Melamed represented Israel in numerous international meets and had a Top 10 finish in the 100 meter butterfly at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.
The first great swimmer in West Virginia Conference history, Melamed led the Hilltoppers to national prominence in the early 1970s. A three-time NAIA All-American, he set two NAIA records, won five NAIA national championships and was an NAIA All-American in 12 separate events. He was a 15-time WVIAC champion in his three years on the hilltop.
A Dean's List student and honors graduate at West Liberty, Melamed holds Master's degrees in Exercise Science and Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts. At the time of his induction, he was living in New York and working in the computer industry.
