Josh Merkel completed his 10th season at the helm of Randolph-Macon Men's Basketball in 2024-25. Merkel has led the Randolph-Macon men's basketball program to remarkable success, including the school’s first ever Division III National Championship in 2022. In ten seasons, he has compiled a record of 225-50 record (.818) at the helm at RMC and is 291-91 (.761) all-time as a head coach.
His coaching achievements include being named ODAC Coach of the Year seven times, reflecting the consistent performance of his teams within the conference. Â Their 64 consecutive home wins set a new program and Division III record for consecutive home victories, which was previously set at 62.
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Randolph-Macon secured the school’s first-ever Division III National Title in any sport in 2022 going 33-1 and 16-0 in ODAC play. Their 75-45 win over Elmhurst University ties for the largest margin of victory in a men’s basketball championship game, regardless of division.  In their NCAA opener against Mitchell, the Yellow Jackets won 99-57, the 99 points set a record for the most points in an NCAA tournament game and the 42-point winning margin was the largest winning margin in tournament history. They went on to win the six tournament games by an average margin of victory of 25 ppg. RMC was led by D3Hoops National Player of the Year & Tourney Most Outstanding player Buzz Anthony, first-team all-ODAC pick Miles Mallory, and second team all-ODAC Josh Talbert. This 2022 team had national rankings in Winning percentage (1st); Assist Turnover ratio (1st); Scoring Defense (2nd); Scoring Margin (4th); and FG% (5th).Â
RMC went undefeated at 12-0 in 2020-21 and finished No. 1 in the final D3hoops.com national poll when the NCAA tourney was cancelled for COVID.
Prior to his tenure at Randolph-Macon, Merkel served as head coach at Salisbury University, where he earned CAC Coach of the Year honors and led the program to its first conference championship since 1997. His coaching experience also includes assistant roles at Division I programs, such as West Virginia under John Beilein, where he contributed to an Elite Eight run, and Eastern Kentucky University.
Career Highlights and Accomplishments
- RMC record of 225-50 (129-19 ODAC)
- Over the past seven seasons, RMC is 178-19 (.904) and 95-4 in ODAC contests (.960)
- 2022 NABC Division III National Coach of the Year
- 2022 Recipient of the Glenn Robinson Award for the second straight year as the top Division III head coach
- Three-time VaSID State Coach of the Year (2020, 2021, 2022)
- Seven-time ODAC Coaching Staff of the Year (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)
- 15-4Â NCAA Tournament Record (2022 NCAA National Champions)
- Seven ODAC Regular Season Titles (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Four ODAC Tournament Titles (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Program record for victories in a season (33)
- Ended the 2022 season with 27 straight wins, a program record
- Each of the past seven seasons, RMC is Top 5 nationally in scoring defense, and top 10 nationally in both scoring margin and assist/turnover ratio
Additional Background
- Merkel is just the fifth head coach for the RMC Basketball program since 1956, joining Nathan Davis (2009-15), Mike Rhoades (1999-2009), Hal Nunnally (1975-99) and Paul Webb (1956-75). Three of the four successful head coaches were a former Yellow Jacket assistant coach.
- Merkel was an assistant at RMC during the 2010-11 season under former head coach Nathan Davis winning the ODAC tournament with a 25-5 overall record.
- For the four seasons prior to his return to Ashland, Merkel served as head coach at his alma mater, Salisbury University. The Sea Gulls were 66-41 (.617) overall and 37-25 (.597) in Capital Athletic Conference contests during his tenure.
- In the 2014-15 season, Merkel was named CAC Coach of the Year, leading Salisbury to a 21-8 record and its first CAC Championship title since 1997.
- During the 2004-05 season, Merkel was a graduate assistant coach at West Virginia under head coach John Beilein, where he helped the Mountaineers reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Beilein went on to coach Michigan to the national championship game and is inducted in the Collegiate Hall of Fame.
- From WVU, Merkel was an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky for five seasons under Jeff Neubauer. Neubauer was an assistant to Beilein at Richmond and WVU. During his time there, the Colonels won the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference championship and made the NCAA tournament.
Merkel graduated from Salisbury University in 2001 with a finance degree and holds a master's degree in physical education from Eastern Kentucky (2007).
In high school he played at St. John’s Prospect Hall for legendary Stu Vetter ranking 7th and 2nd nationally his final two years. He then coached with Bruce Kelley at Prospect Hall for three seasons.
Merkel’s coaching resume now includes six seasons as an NCAA Division 1 assistant and 14 as a division III head coach. Merkel and his wife, Morgan, reside in Ashland with their three sons: Mason, Maddox, and Micah.
Listen to podcast featuring Coach Merkel:
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