West Liberty University Athletics

    Mel Munson was an outstanding athlete and coach at West Liberty during the 1940s and 1950s, earning All-West Virginia Conference honors in basketball and baseball. A member of the WVIAC's All-Time Basketball Team, Munson began his college career on the hilltop by setting a school single-game record with a 40-point night against Alderson Broaddus.
    After his playing career was interrupted by World War II, Munson moved on to Muhlenberg College where he led his team to the prestigious NIT Tournament. Although Muhlenberg lost, Munson is remembered for scoring 17 points against DePaul and future NBA star George Mikan.
    Munson returned to West Liberty as a coach in 1948, leading the Hilltoppers to three straight winning seasons on the hardwood, before moving into the education field as a high school teacher and coach. Munson retired in 1982 after 20 years as principal at Southern Regional High School in Stafford Township, N.J.