NFL All-Pro Josh Norman makes major donation to Coastal Carolina athletics, academics
Former Coastal Carolina All-American cornerback Josh Norman returned to his alma mater Saturday to give back to the university.
Norman, now with the NFL’s Washington Redskins, has made a major donation to CCU that will benefit both athletics and academics, and he took part in a ceremony on the field at Brooks Stadium between the first and second quarters of Coastal’s game against Appalachian State.
It is the largest gift ever given to the school by a former Chanticleer student-athlete. In recognition of his generosity, CCU has named the athletics field house at Brooks Stadium the Marrio and Josh Norman Field House, after Josh and his brother, Marrio, who also played football for the Chants. The name was unveiled during the ceremony.
“Josh and Marrio both played important roles in the development and success of the Chanticleer football program,” CCU President David A. DeCenzo said in a release. “Their ongoing support of their alma mater is commendable. The fact that Josh’s gift will impact both our academic and athletic programs speaks volumes to his commitment to the overall well-being of the university. And for that, we are extremely grateful.”
A majority of Norman’s gift has been designated for the Brooks Stadium expansion project. It will also provide financial support for walk-on football student-athletes as well as CCU’s communication and theatre programs.
The stadium expansion project includes increasing seating capacity from 15,000 to at least 20,000, adding luxury suites and an upper deck to the west side of the stadium, and other features such as new entrances. It is scheduled for completion by the opening of the 2019 season and was necessitated by CCU joining the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Sun Belt Conference.
“It’s always important to have alumni, whether they are football players or not, who care enough about our University to make a long-term financial commitment,” said Joe Moglia, CCU’s head football coach and executive director for football, and chairman of the board at TD Ameritrade. “Hopefully, Josh’s commitment will set an example for others.”
Josh Norman, a native of Greenwood, played at CCU from 2008-11. He ranks first in school history in pass breakups and passes defended, and is ranked in the top six in interceptions, unassisted tackles, forced fumbles and blocked kicks. He was named first-team All-Big South Conference in 2009, 2010 and 2011; was a first-team Associated Press FCS All-American in 2011; and earned third-team All-America honors as a sophomore in 2009.
Norman is the only player in Big South history to play in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. He was a finalist for the 2011 Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player at the NCAA FCS level. In 2012, Norman became the third-ever CCU football player to get drafted into the NFL.
“My brothers and I grew up at Coastal,” said Norman, whose visit was brief, as the Redskins host the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday.. “We did everything at this university. From relationships, jobs and of course you can’t leave out the weekly parking tickets that plagued every student on campus. Coastal taught me a lot about myself, and I will never forget the impact the professors had on where I am today in life. The friends that I’ve made are life-timers. They, too, have gone on to do amazing things, and we will never forget the ones we lost due to illness and tragedy.
“You can never put a dollar amount on someone’s personal influence on your path in life. I am beyond grateful for my experience at Coastal Carolina University. For my two brothers [Marrio and Phillip] and I who passed through these halls, may our voices be heard from a time long ago as we watch the evolution of CCU as a growing titan.”
Norman is in his third year with the Redskins. He previously played four years with the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in the fifth round (143rd pick overall) in 2012. Norman helped lead the Panthers to Super Bowl 50 during the 2015 season, when he was selected for the Pro Bowl, then signed with the Redskins, who made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
Norman has done a lot off the field, as well. He recently donated $50,000 to Horry County Schools to assist with recovery from Hurricane Florence. In May, he and partner Sharna Burgess finished as runners-up on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars: Athletes.” Last year, Norman founded the Starz24 Foundation to help children through programs that emphasize fitness and teamwork.
Marrio Norman was a defensive back for the Chanticleers in 2004 and from 2006-08. In 2007, he recorded 53 tackles and five interceptions and was named first-team All-Big South. He has been playing in the Arena Football League and was named first-team All-Arena in 2014 with the Cleveland Gladiators and 2018 with the Albany Empire.
Located at the north end of Brooks Stadium, the Marrio and Josh Norman Field House is a three-story, 55,400-square-foot facility that opened in 2010. It features the 9,000-square-foot Watson Strength and Conditioning Center that is used by all CCU student-athletes, locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, the George F. “Buddy” Sasser Athletics Hall of Fame and suites.
This story was originally published November 3, 2018 at 6:59 PM.