West Liberty University Athletics

    A four-year regular and two-year captain of the West Liberty University wrestling team, Merle Tournay also made his mark as an outstanding mat coach and nationally renowned wrestling official.
    Also a three-year soccer letterman on the hilltop, Tournay won a WVIAC wrestling championship in 1976 and was voted Mr. Hilltopper in recognition of his athletic achievements. He immediately entered the coaching profession and had successful runs at Brooke (W.Va.) and Montour (Pa.) high schools. He was the 1980 West Virginia Coach of the Year after leading Brooke to a state championship.
    Tournay then turned his attention to officiating, quickly rising to the top of his profession. The 2002 Wrestling Official of the Year in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference was voted the 2004 Wrestling Official of the Year by Wrestling USA magazine and was selected as the top official at the 2005 NCAA Division II Nationals. The nationally acclaimed mat official worked seven NCAA Division II Nationals, two NCAA Division I Nationals and numerous NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II national qualifying tournaments.